What Does Hail Damage Look Like on a Roof?

With summer comes beautiful scenery, though it’s often delivered from a volatile atmosphere with some dreadful weather conditions. Hail damage is one common weather issue that may affect your roof in the spring, summer, and early fall.

So, while enjoying the summer, is your home safe against hail damage? How do you identify what hail damage looks like on your roof?

Check out this post from our roof restoration experts to learn what hail damage looks like and how to work with your insurance to repair it.

What Danger Does Hail Damage Pose to Your Roof?

Hail can produce serious and visible damage that accumulates over time. This could cause your shingles to degrade and fall away from their support. This deterioration in structural integrity can have a cascading effect throughout your roof without you knowing.

When your roof is damaged by hail, it may absorb more water from rain and snow. In the winter, the water absorbed by the shingles may freeze, causing them to be damaged even more. 

A broken roof can limit your home's insulating ability, create major leaks, introduce mildew, and cause electrical problems. 

You need to be in a long-term partnership with a reliable roofing contractor to inspect your roof for signs of hail damage. 

Having said the above, what does hail damage look like on the roof? Let's check this out below.

What Hail Damage Looks Like On the Roof

Hail damage usually comes in the wake of a heavy storm. While some leave noticeable roof damage, hail from a mild storm may not cause noticeable damage to your roof immediately.

On a general note, hail from a heavy storm can shatter the fitting of your shingles and create holes in the layers, thereby exposing your roof. 

However, the look of the damage is determined by the quality or type of the roofing material. For example, damage to asphalt and composite shingles can come as punctures or tears, but hail damage to wooden shingles can show up as dents or splits.

To identify hail damage on your roof, you'll need to know what hail damage commonly looks like on your roofing material. 

Asphalt Shingles

Hailstorms may not cause noticeable damage to asphalt shingles outrightly. Its impact often comes gradually with shingles losing granules of their coating, making them weaker and increasing the risk of leaks and insulation problems later on.

This makes the damage incredibly difficult to discern, so it’s worth contacting a professional after a storm to inspect your shingles. 

Composite Roofing

Although composite roofing is impervious to many things, like rust and pest infestations, it's not as resistant to impacts. 

It's also more affected by the cold and can become brittle in lower temperatures, making it more susceptible if a hail storm comes. The damage will often wash away or crush granules, the fiberglass mat may be exposed, or surface cracks can develop.

Metal Roofing

Metal may be more obvious than other materials, and while most roofs are impact-resistant, depending on the size of the hailstones, there is a potential for damage. 

The damage shows up as tears or dimples in the material, which can, over time, lead to cracking and potential leaks in your structure.

Wood Shakes

Hail damage will be immediately apparent when you have wood shake shingles. While they are somewhat resistant, the impact can split the shingle or leave unsightly markings, compromising the water barrier. 

Because of the natural look of wood shake, it's important to note that if you plan on opening an insurance claim, you want this done as quickly as possible to avoid the damage being labeled as natural weathering instead of hail damage.

Flat Roofing (EPDM)

EDPM is designed to be resistant to hail damage. Because of its elasticity, it does not suffer membrane damage or build-up fatigue and stress when struck by hail, which is great because there is less risk of damage. 

However, it is more challenging to prove if there is hail damage because the rubber membrane doesn't show indentions as clearly as other materials like metal or shingles.

What to Know Before Filing a Roof Damage Insurance Claim

The last thing any homeowner wants to deal with is roofing damage or filing an insurance claim, so a few critical tips are:

1. Do your assessment as quickly as possible, and don't wait multiple days to check for damage.

2. Document everything and assess any damage so you have proof for the adjuster. This could be in the form of notes, photographs, and videos of the damage. 

3. Contact your insurance company and start the claim.

4. Choose a reputable contractor to do an inspection.

5. Gather evidence of all your ongoing, year-round maintenance showing you have been caring for the roof before the damage occurred.

6. Keep all documentation like receipts, emails, and personal notes about the experience in case disputes arise.

Time to Check Your Minnesota Roof for Hail Damage

Now that you've seen what the impact of hail damage looks like, working with experienced roofers at Platinum Restoration will save you from incurring major roof damage repairs. 

From roof replacement and repair to siding and window repairs, you can count on our expertise to handle your roofing issues.

Get started by scheduling a consultation with our team using our online contact form, or reach us directly at 763-244-1474.