Why You Might Need A Roof Replacement After A Hailstorm
Posted on: 20 January 2022
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You may have your roof maintenance planned out so you know when you'll have a new roof installed. However, a bad storm with hail can derail your plans. It might be necessary to replace your roof if it has hail damage. Here's why.
Hail Damage Is Often Widespread
Hail can cause damage over a wide portion of your roof rather than be confined to a small area. That makes spot repairs impractical. Instead, getting a new roof makes more sense. That's often why insurance companies pay for a roof replacement rather than roof repairs after hail damage. The first thing to do after the storm is over is to call an asphalt roofing installer to check your roof for damage and determine how much of the roof is affected.
Even Small Hail Can Do A Lot Of Damage
Various factors determine how much damage will happen to your roof during a hailstorm. The size of the hail is important and so is the speed of the wind. Things like the direction of the wind and the slope of your roof matter too. The larger the hail, the more damage it causes, but small hail is often enough to damage asphalt shingles and dent wood on the roof.
Hail Cracks And Bruises Shingles
When a roofer, like Secure Roofing & Restoration, checks for damage, they look for bruises, cracks, granule loss, and other types of damage to shingles and other parts of the roof. The damage they find might not be an immediate danger if your roof isn't leaking yet. It could be weeks later until a leak develops, so you can't depend on a roof leak to let you know if your roof has a problem.
Another reason to have your roof replaced after a hailstorm if your insurance will pay for it is that your policy has a deadline for when you can file a claim. If you wait to file when your roof starts leaking, it might be too late to get your insurance to pay. That's why it's a good idea to get a roof check and advice from a roofer after a bad hailstorm.
If your roof isn't leaking, it may be safe to wait a while to put your new roof on. Asphalt roofing installers may be quite busy after a bad storm and others may need work done right away. However, don't put off a roof replacement so long that your insurance company won't honor your claim, especially since an insurance agent can tell the difference between a fresh and old hail dent.