When a hailstorm hits your area, sometimes it’s obvious that your home has been damaged. Soft metal fixtures like roof vents might be bent, shingles can end up on the ground, and other signs can send off alarm bells. However, it’s often the case that your roof will suffer damage that’s hard to see. Before you contact your insurance company, understand the likely signs of roof damage from hail so that you don’t miss anything on your claim.

Signs of Roof Damage From Hail

Sometimes, you don’t even need to look at the roof to know that a hailstorm has damaged it. In other cases, though, your roof requires a closer inspection.

Dots, Dents, Missing Shingles, and Other Visible Damage

Visible damage is the most obvious giveaway that you need to hire a roofing contractor for repairs. Dents and discoloration indicate that hail impacts have left lasting damage. While the issue might appear cosmetic, they can hide the fact that water can now leak through the roofing and pool in the structure of your home. Left unchecked, such problems can cause serious damage to the integrity of your home in the coming weeks and months.

Granules Shedding from Roofing Shingles

Asphalt shingle roofing is a widely popular choice, and there are some subtle signs of damage you can detect. In particular, the asphalt granules that cover the roofing can break away under a hail impact, and this reduces a layer of protection and reduces the lifespan of your shingles. Detect granule loss by examining the gutters and seeing if particles have drifted into them.

Water Spots Inside the Home

Your roofing is designed to keep moisture out. When water begins leaking into the home, it can produce rapid mold growth that threatens your family’s health and weakens the structure. Over time, water spots and the mold growth they bring can become extremely expensive or even impossible to repair. When you see that water has begun leaking into your home following a storm, you know that the hail damaged your roofing and created entry points for moisture. When this happens, it’s essential to seek repairs as soon as possible.

How to Inspect Your Roof

After a hailstorm, you should circle your home from a distance out so you can see the top of the roof. Keep an eye out for any visual signs of damage, such as missing or discolored shingles. Additionally, look out for debris that has settled on your roof after being driven into it by the wind. If you own a ladder and have experience using it safely, then get a better vantage point so that you can inspect it more closely.

While a personal inspection can conclusively prove that something’s wrong, you shouldn’t necessarily sit comfortably just because you can’t see anything. Preventing problems is always much cheaper than fixing them, so you should always hire a roofing contractor for a professional inspection after hailstorms.

Contact Us to Repair Your Roof’s Hail Damage

When storm season is coming up, it’s important to take the proper precautions to protect your home. We are an experienced team of expert roofing contractors who can provide emergency inspection and repairs, as well as help you deal with the insurance company. Additionally, we can install Owens Corning’s total protection roofing system so you can rest assured that your home will be safe next time a storm arrives.
For more information about how we can repair hail damage in PA or execute gutter and siding replacement, reach out to our team today.