Hail Damage Facts  

11/8/2018 (Permalink)

First of all, what is hail? "Hail is large, layered ice particles, often spherical in shape, which are produced by thunderstorms having strong, tilted updrafts. Hailstorms form within an unusually unstable air mass, that is, an air mass in which the temperature falloff with height is much greater than normal." (The Weather Channel) 

How can hail damage your roof? "Basically, hailstones one inch in diameter begin causing damage to some of the older, thinner roof products. Therefore, from a roof damage perspective, we believe the hail size threshold for issuing a severe thunderstorm warning can be increased from ¾ of an inch to one inch in diameter." (Travelers Insurance) Hail larger than 0.75 inches is considered large enough to cause serious damage in the United States. Per NOAA, hailstones can fall at speeds up to 120 mph. The largest hailstone ever recorded in the United States was 8 inches in diameter, weighing nearly 2 pounds. 

How do you know if you have roof damage from hail?  Set up a ladder to your roof to examine the top of the roof.  Check the ridge cap of the roof for dents. This area of the roof will receive the most damage from hail since it is flat and will take a direct hit in a storm.  Look at the shingles. Check the whole shingle, as well as the edges, for signs of damage.  

If climbing up a ladder is not your thing, call SERVPRO of Sun City/Sun City West/SE Surprise at 623-546-1930, and we will take a look at your roof for hail and other roof damage for you.