It’s no secret that extreme weather events can cause property damage and leave homeowners feeling overwhelmed. Heavy rains, flash flooding, and thunderstorms are often the culprits we hear about. However, one weather phenomenon stands out when it comes to causing damage that many people don’t consider: hail.
Hail can be a serious threat to your property, especially your roof, siding, and gutters. Let’s closely examine what hail is, how hail can damage a house, and why we should repair it as soon as possible.
What Is Hail?
Hail is a form of precipitation that consists of solid balls or irregular lumps of ice. Thunderstorm updrafts carry raindrops into the atmosphere, where they freeze into ice pellets. The wind lifts and lowers these pellets, causing them to grow in size and create larger hailstones. The size of hail can vary greatly, from pea-sized to softball-sized or larger. The larger the hailstone, the higher the potential for damage.
The size of hail can have a significant impact on the level of damage it can cause to a house. Pea-sized hail may not cause much damage to a home, but larger hailstones can cause serious damage to roofs, gutters, siding, and windows. For example, marble-sized hail can dent aluminum siding and damage asphalt shingles, while golf ball-sized hail can break through windows and cause structural damage to a roof.
Even larger hailstones, such as softball-sized hail, can cause catastrophic damage to a house. They can break through roofs and cause significant structural damage, as well as break windows and damage siding. In rare cases, hail this large can even cause a complete collapse of a roof or wall.
It is important for homeowners to understand the potential damage that hail can cause to their home, and take steps to protect their property. This may include installing hail-resistant roofing materials, reinforcing areas of the home that are vulnerable to hail damage, and cleaning gutters and downspouts regularly to prevent damage from hail buildup.
In addition, it is crucial to have a plan in place for dealing with hail after a storm, including contacting a reputable emergency restoration company and filing a home insurance claim if necessary. By taking these steps, homeowners can minimize the impact of hail damage on their homes and protect their investments.
How Hail Damage Affects a Roof
The roof stands as your home’s primary shield, protecting you and your belongings from various weather elements. Unfortunately, it is also the most vulnerable to hail damage due to its direct exposure. When a hailstorm hits, it can wreak havoc on your roof, damaging shingles, tiles, and other roofing materials.
Hailstones can cause dings in aluminum siding, gutters, or asphalt shingles, and they can even crack vinyl siding or wood shakes. Hard hail impacts or high winds can dislodge the granules, which are the sandpaper-like parts of the shingle, and cause cracks. Even more, hail impact on a roof can shatter the fiberglass mat of the shingles over time, further compromising the integrity of your roof.
These damages manifest in different ways such as dents, cracks, and holes. These seemingly minor issues can escalate into significant problems like leaks, which not only damage the internal structure of your home but could also lead to mold growth and other health hazards.
The longer you wait to address hail damage to your roof, the higher the risk of dealing with more serious and expensive repairs down the line. The damaged roof shingles may expose the asphalt layer, leading to slow and costly damage to your roof. Therefore, it’s crucial to contact a residential hail damage restoration company to handle repairs and your insurance agent to file a claim as soon as possible if you suspect any hail damage to your roof.
How Hail Damages Siding
Your home’s siding, much like your roof, is vital in protecting your home from the elements. However, siding is not immune to the destructive effects of hail. Depending on the size and velocity of the hailstones, they can dent, crack, or even break the siding of your home, leading to potential problems.
The type of siding material you have will influence the severity of the hail damage. For instance, vinyl siding, despite being a popular choice due to its affordability and versatility, is more susceptible to hail damage compared to other materials. When hit by hail, vinyl often bounces back like flexible plastic. It doesn’t necessarily dent but may crack.
Damage to your siding can lead to a host of problems, including water infiltration, which can lead to mold growth, structural damage, and decreased energy efficiency. As such, it’s crucial to address any house hail damage promptly. If you notice dents, cracks, or breakage on your siding after a hailstorm, it’s essential to have a professional assess the extent of the damage. They can provide an accurate estimate for repair or replacement, helping ensure that your home remains protected.
Hail Damage & Gutters
Gutters play an essential role in directing water away from your home’s foundation, helping prevent water damage, and maintaining the structural integrity of your home. However, they are not immune to the impact of hail. Large hailstones can dent, twist, or even tear apart your gutters, leading to a range of issues.
When gutters are dented or torn by hail, it can disrupt the flow of water, causing pooling or overflowing. This can lead to water spilling over the sides of the gutters, potentially damaging your home’s foundation, and landscaping, or even causing basement flooding. Moreover, damaged gutters can also lead to broken gutter hangers, affecting the stability and effectiveness of the entire system.
In addition, if your gutters have a protective system installed, hail can cause damage to this as well. With enough force, hail can create punctures or cracks in these protectors, allowing debris to enter and clog the gutters.
Storm, Hail, and Wind Damage Restoration Services
At Reynolds Restoration Services, we understand the havoc that hail can wreak on your home. As an independently owned business proudly serving our communities for the past 18 years, we are committed to helping you navigate through these challenging times.
Our experienced team is ready to assess and repair any hail damage, ensuring your home remains safe and secure. Remember, hail damage is not always visible immediately and waiting could escalate the problem, leading to more costly repairs. Don’t let the aftermath of a hailstorm overwhelm you. Contact our 24/7 emergency line at 888.277.8280 for a quick response from our dedicated professionals. We’re here to restore your peace of mind, one hailstone dent at a time.