You may have witnessed quite an interesting meteorological event if you’ve been in Denver from around mid-April to mid-September. Denver is located in an area known as “hail alley.” The sizes of hail usually range anywhere from a pea to a baseball, although the largest hail in Colorado was around the size of a grapefruit! As you can imagine, this kind of material falling from the sky can cause a lot of property damage, especially to your roof. It’s important to the overall wellbeing of your home to take care of hail damage as quickly as possible. If you’re not even sure what hail damage looks like, you’re certainly not alone. Here’s a guide to identifying the problem and how to fix it.
Hail Damage Sleuthing
Thankfully, you don’t need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out if your roof has been damaged in a hailstorm. Before you scan every tile, start by examining the vents and exhaust caps. These roof accessories are made of thin metal, which will show damage much more obviously than any other area because this material is soft and impressionable. Metal can be your first indicator of a bigger issue.
The next places to go are the skylights. There may be a crack or chip in the actual glass that you couldn’t see from the ground; also, the trim or seams around the window could show signs of wear or have holes caused by ice. After you’ve checked the skylights and any other part of the roof made of metal or plastic, you can look at the tiles. If anything looks out of place or if there’s obvious blistering, splitting, or erosion, you’ll definitely want to address that quickly.
Calling for Backup
If you’ve personally identified any hail damage, you will definitely want to call in a professional to fix it. Even if you’ve gone up on the roof after a particularly powerful storm and haven’t observed any damage, it’s not a bad idea to have someone who’s experienced double-check. Some roofing companies even recommend having an inspection after every hail season and heavy storm. When it comes to roofing, it’s really better safe than sorry.
Do a quick search for “roofers Denver,” and you’ll find a bunch of options. Make sure you’re going with someone from the area because they’ll understand your specific needs due to the weather. You may even be able to find a company that will give you a free inspection. If there is work to be done during hail season, you might be able to upgrade to a Class Four Impact Resistant shingle to safety proof your home or business specifically from hail damage in the future. Hail damage to commercial roofing on businesses can be hard to identify yourself. Avoid risking your business and get the help you need before it’s too late.
Don’t Get Thrifty
With the frequency of hail storms in Denver, it can be tempting to just let it go if the damage appears minimal to you to save financially. In fact, you will most likely be saving yourself money in the long run if you actually have it fixed in a timely manner. A leak caused by hail can create a myriad of problems for you as a home or business owner. It can cause mold, wall stains, and dire structural damage that can cost you much more to replace in addition to the roof.
It might seem like a time inconvenience to have someone inspect your roof after every storm, but having a clear record of the roof could help you prove to your insurance company that the damage is actually from hail.
Featured Image by Etienne Marais from Pixabay
