Hearing hail pound on your roof might make you wonder how much damage it’s doing. Hail stones are lumps of solid ice that can be small or as big as a softball. When hail is big enough, or enough of it hits your roof, you might end up with considerable damage. How much hail damage does it take before you need to replace the roof? This depends on a few different factors. Learning about hail and what to do if your roof has been damaged can help ensure you have enough information to decide between roof repairs or replacement.
Signs of Hail Damage on Your Roof
How do you know if hail caused any damage to your roof? Hail storms can leave behind many signs of roof damage. While standing in your yard and looking up at your roof, you might notice that some shingles have dents or other signs of damage. Larger dents will be easier to spot and often indicate considerable roof damage.
Other signs of hail damage include dented or damaged gutters and granule loss if you have asphalt shingles. Piles of granules from your shingles can build up near downspouts. Having granule loss means your shingles are deteriorating.
Look around to see if your car or other exterior surfaces on your home have dents from hail. If so, this can give you an idea of how much hail there was or how large the hail stones were.
How Much Hail Damage to Replace Roof
If your roof has damage from hail, should you have it replaced? You’ll need to consider a few factors before making this decision. A roof replacement is a major expense, so it’s essential to know for sure if it’s the best option.
Size and Amount of Hail
The size of the hail stones that hit your roof can affect the amount of damage it has. Bigger, denser hail stones can cause significantly more damage than small ones. Generally, hail smaller than an inch isn’t likely to cause much damage. Hail stones that are bigger than an inch can cause considerable damage. The amount of hail your roof is exposed to also matters. A brief or light hail storm won’t cause as much damage as a heavy hail storm or one that lasts longer.
Wind Speeds
How much wind during a hail storm can also affect how much damage occurs to your roof. Light winds won’t push hail stores against your roof’s surface as much as high winds. When a hail storm with windy conditions goes through the area, the risk of severe roof damage increases. Remember that high winds can cause additional roof damage due to debris being blown around.
Roof Age and Condition
The age of your roof and its general condition can affect the extent of damage after a hail storm. If your roof is older or in poor condition, it has a higher risk of having more severe damage when hail hits. A newer roof or one in good overall condition has more hail damage protection.
Roofing Material
The type of roof you have can affect whether or not you end up needing a roof replacement or repairs. Some roofing materials are more durable and can withstand hail storms better than others. For example, asphalt shingle roofs have a higher risk of sustaining hail damage than metal roofs or slate roofs. These materials can usually handle severe hail storms without an increased risk of extensive damage.
Schedule a Roof Inspection
Determining if you have enough hail damage for a roof replacement isn’t easy. The best way to know if you’ll need to plan on getting a new roof is to schedule an inspection. This involves having roofing professionals check your roof and assess the amount of damage it has due to hail. Based on the inspection results, your roofers can let you know if repairs or a replacement makes more sense.
Who to Call for a Hail Damage Inspection?
The experts at Quantum Roofing have the experience and knowledge required to conduct a thorough inspection. Our team can look for evidence of hail damage and determine its severity. Depending on our findings, we can recommend replacing or repairing your roof. We consider several factors when making this recommendation, including the age and condition of your roof and the amount of hail damage present. Remember that we can handle repairs or replace your roof if needed.
If you need an inspection to check for hail damage, please contact Quantum Roofing. We provide roof inspections, repairs, replacements, and other roofing services in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.