It’s fairly simple to determine whether hail has damaged some of your property, like your patio furniture or your car. It’s very easy to spot the damage that hail leaves on these parts of your property because they’re made out of metal, but it can be much more difficult to spot that same damage on your roofing shingles. It’s not uncommon to need the assistance of a professional roofer to check for this damage.
Any damage to the roofing of your Christiana home can result in very serious problems. Even damage that doesn’t appear serious can quickly accelerate and lead to leaks or slouches in your roofing. Having a professional inspection of your roofing performed once every three years is recommended, and you should also have the roof inspected after any storm that you think may have damaged your roofing.
Many insurance companies will pay for the repairs when your roofing is damaged by hail, but you’ll first need to have it assessed by a professional. Insurance companies will require that a professional give them their opinion before they’ll pay for the work to be done. But before you call in a professional, you can check your own roofing for hail damage.
Look at the Metal Parts of Your Roofing
Any metal parts of your roofing will be show signs of hail damage much more apparently thn your shingles themselves. If you have any metal roof vents, flashing, or valleys, check there first for any signs of hail damage. If you do find Hail Damage in Christiana, you can bet your shingles were damaged as well.
Check the Top of Your Roof
If you can do so safely, looking at the ridge cap at the top of your Lancaster or Chester County home’s roofing is your best bet. The ridge cap is flat, so it takes direct hits from hail during a storm. If your roofing has been damaged by hail, the signs will be most obvious on your ridge cap.
Look for Major Signs of Hail Damage in Christiana
There are three things you want to look out for:
- Bruising
- Cracking
- Missing Granules
If you find any missing pieces of asphalt on the roof, or any shingles that have exposed black substrate, that’s a clear sign of hail damage.
Bruising occurs when the hail doesn’t leave a dent that’s fully visible in your shingles. Run your hands over the shingles to see if you can feel any small indentations. If you find any, press down to see if it has any give. This is often the early stage of roofing deterioration.
If the hail that hits your roofing is large enough, it may leave a visible circular crack in the shingles.
Watch out for any of these signs, and contact a roofing contractor immediately for an inspection if you do find them. The damage could be much more extensive than you originally find, and it will only get worse with time.