Taking care of your roof is important to keep your home safe from the weather. But over time, roofs can get different kinds of damage that can weaken them and make them less useful. This blog will talk about common types of roof damage, with a focus on how to spot hail damage. This will help homeowners protect their property and keep their homes safe.
Common Types of Roof Damage
Hail Damage
Hail can do a lot of damage to roofing materials, which can cause leaks and other problems. When hail hits roofs, it usually leaves behind small dents or dimples. Depending on how bad the storm was, it can also crack or break the materials. Finding weather damage quickly is important to avoid more problems.
Wind Damage
Strong winds can lift, tear, or even blow off your roof shingles. After big storms, check your roof often. Wind damage isn’t always visible from the ground. Check your gutters for granules, missing shingles, or curled sides.
Water Damage
If your roof’s shingles, flashing, or seals around vents and chimneys are broken, water can get in. Look for dark spots on the walls or ceiling, mold growth, or parts of your roof that are sinking that could be signs of water damage. It’s important to find damage quickly so that it doesn’t get worse.
Granule Loss
To protect asphalt shingles from UV rays and normal wear and tear, there are grains on top of them. Should these pieces get old or broken, they may wear off over time. Granule loss could mean that your roof is almost done lasting if you see a lot of it, especially in the gutters.
Cracking or Splitting
Roof materials can crack or split if the weather changes quickly or if they are not put on correctly. These kinds of cracks can make holes in the wall that let water in and lead to leaks. If you check your roof often, you can find these cracks early and fix them right away to keep more damage from happening.
Punctures and Penetrations
Branches and other things that fall off of trees can also hurt roofs. Weak spots can also be made by things that let light in, like satellite sets or skylights. Check these places often to make sure they stay dry.
How to Spot Hail Damage on Your Roof
When there has been a big storm, homeowners need to be able to see hail damage. What you need to do to find hail damage on your roof follows:
1. Check Your Surroundings
Take a look at your house before you check your roof. Check to see if any trees are broken, cars have dents, or outdoor furniture is destroyed. If so, hail may have hit your area. This could mean you need to look at your roof for damage.
2. Examine Your Roof from the Ground
Nearly always, you can see hail damage from the ground if you have glasses. This is where they are:
- Dents or dimples: Look for places that look like they have small dents or shapes that don’t fit together right.
- Cracks or breaks: Look for cracks that you can see, especially in asphalt roofs.
- Missing shingles: Look for any shingles that are missing or have changed.
3. Inspect Roof Valleys and Edges
The sides and dips of your roof are more likely to get damaged by hail. Carefully climb up a ladder to get a better look at these places. Find these:
- Dents: Valleys can gather junk that can make the damage worse. Look for holes or other marks on the surface.
- Shingle integrity: Make sure the shingles are still together and not cracking or breaking off.
4. Look for Granule Loss
Check your gutters and drains for granules after a hailstorm. If you lose too many granules, it could mean that your shingles are damaged. If you find a lot of flakes, it might be time to have a professional look at your roof.
5. Check for leaks
Check the inside of your home for signs of water damage or leaks after a storm. Find these:
- Water stains: Look for brown water spots on the ceiling and walls.
- Mold or mildew: When water gets into a place, mold or mildew can grow there.
6. Professional Inspection
If you think hail may have caused the damage, you should have a professional roofer look at it. People who work in this area are taught to find damage that most people would miss. They can also fix things or give you new ones.
The Importance of Timely Repairs
Making repairs to any damaged roof right away is important to keep the foundation of your home strong. Hurricane harm needs to be fixed right away. If you don’t fix it right away, the damage might get worse. It might be dangerous and pricey to fix this. These good things happen when changes are made on time:
- Prevent Further Damage: Fixing small problems can keep them from getting worse, which can stop more damage from happening.
- Preserve Property Value: Keeping your roof in good shape can help the worth of your home as a whole.
- Improve Energy Efficiency: When your roof is broken, it costs more to heat and cool your home. Your home can use less energy if you fix things up.
- Keep your home safe: Roof leaks and other structure problems can put your family in danger.
In conclusion
When you own a home, you should know how to spot hail damage and other common roof damage. Your home and investment will be safer if you have regular checks and fix things right away. If you’re not sure about the condition of your roof or are worried about damage from hail, don’t wait to call a skilled roofer.
To avoid stress, time, and money in the future, check your roof after storms or once a year as part of regular upkeep. Doing regular maintenance on your roof will make it last for many years and protect you and your family.
