Hail can destroy a home or business quickly. It usually accompanies a tornado or other high-wind event. Most hail is about the size of a pea, but when the updraft from the storm is strong, the hailstones may be dropped and lifted by the storm many times. This recoating can result in hailstones as big as a golf ball or even a baseball. Some of those hailstones can weigh up to 6 pounds. People can be killed or sustain severe injuries if they get hit by hailstones this large.
Giant hailstones can ruin your vehicle and batter your Houston roof and windows. No roof covering is immune to a hailstorm. Some materials, like steel or copper, can take a real beating. After a hailstorm, a Houston roof company should be called in to assess the damage and make recommendations for repairing or replacing your roof.
An asphalt roof can be damaged by hailstones. Here are three telltale signs that your asphalt roof was damaged by hail.
- Circular cracks that make the roof vulnerable to leaks
- Missing granules that expose the substrate
- Bruises or dimples in the shingles that soften the asphalt
If you have a slate roof, it is easy to see hail damage. Usually, slate can weather small hailstones, but when the stones are large, they tend to damage the tiles. There are three conditions that will lead to slate damage and a possible reroof.
- Soft, thin or deteriorated slates that have become fragile, such as soft black slates
- Extremely large hail
- Slates that were installed in a single layer, also called side-lap style
With any combination of very large hailstones and very fragile slate tiles comes the likelihood of serious damage. When slate is damaged by hail, the stone’s force leaves a clean hole on the top and a cratered hole on the bottom of the tile.
Most insurance companies will pay for a roof replacement if your roof suffers hail damage. We work with all the major insurance companies, and we can help you fill out and submit your claim.
Despite the damage that hail can cause to a roof, a Houston roofer can often repair it by replacing the broken slates or shingles. Depending on the size of your roof, it could take one to three days for a couple roofers who are experienced to repair the damage.
In most cases, hail damage can be repaired, but some unscrupulous Houston residential roofing companies might try to condemn the roof so that they can replace it. Always get a second opinion when you are dealing with a roof that has been through a hailstorm.
If your roof has been battered by a hailstorm, call Paramount Roofing immediately at 713-748-4000 for a free examination of your roof and a no-obligation estimate. We handle all types of weather-related insurance claims.