You’ve Experienced a Hail Storm, Now What?

Hail frequently rips through the Midwest during the summer months as large storm systems unleash their fury. The first thing you’ll notice following a storm is probably the leaves that have been beaten down and now litter your yard. Maybe you’ll check on your car(s) to make sure the hail hasn’t made dents. At some point your attention is going to turn to your roof. What should you look for, and if you find damage, do you immediately call your insurance provider?

Spotting the signs of shingle damage

Before you go running to the phone to call your insurance company, inspect the roof yourself. While this task should be left to a professional, there are some things you can look for that will indicate if you need to make your next move. First, look at the roof itself for dents, depressions or misplaced shingles. If you can spot them from the safety of the ground, you’re definitely going to have to take extra measures to ensure moisture doesn’t seep in where hail has caused damage.

Because you can’t always see the damage to your shingles unless you’re right on top of it and have a professional’s eye, you need to look for dented gutters, dented downspouts or gutter screens. If these areas are damaged, you know it's time to call a roofing contractor for a closer look.

Third, check you siding and window sills/casings. Some vinyl siding will take a beating, and if this is the case, you’re going to probably have some damaged shingles. A professional will take a closer look and tell you whether you need repairs or a full replacement.

Finally, take a look around at other outdoor items, like your grill, painted fences, the deck or your outdoor air conditioner system. If any of these items sustained damage, there is a good chance your shingles have as well.

Do I need to replace a hail damaged roof?

Functionally damaged roof service life is reduced. In addition, your roof may lose the ability to shed water. If you notice water stains on your walls or ceilings, you’ll most probably need a roof repair. However, leaks might not occur for a year or longer after a hailstorm. Hail may strip asphalt shingles of their protective granules. The parts of the missing granules are more sensitive to damaging UV rays, rain, and wind. Hail can cause your roof's structural weakness and even the smallest areas get worse.

As it’s been mentioned before, it can be difficult to tell if your roof was functionally damaged. By calling the experts to deal with your roofing problems, you will know for sure whether your roof needs further renovation. Also, there is a higher chance to receive an approval from your insurance company. All because your contractor will verify the conditions of your roof. Sometimes insurance companies refuse to cover roof repair expenses saying that it’s only a cosmetic damage even if the roof was functionally affected as well. A trained roof inspector will easily assess if the roof’s integrity was damaged. Make sure that the contractor inspects your roof together with your insurance adjuster.

Honest and free inspection with no further obligation

It’s not uncommon for roofing contractors to offer free inspections with no further obligation from you. The inspection is their chance to meet your face-to-face and impress upon you how professional they are and that they are the people to work with should your roof require repairs or replacement.

Do your homework before you have them out to your home and make sure they have a good rating with the Better Business Bureau, good references and years of experience in designing, installing, repairing and replacing roofing systems. With all these qualifications, you should have full trust in their ability to inspect your roof.

We are ready to contact the insurance company on your behalf

Whether or not your insurance company will pay for repairs or for a new roof depends on a number of items. First, how old is your roof? Your policy might not cover your roof if it is too old. A hailstorm would be considered an “act of God,” which includes hurricanes, tornadoes, etc., and most insurance agency will cover damage related to these storms.

At VIS Exterior, we’ve established ourselves as the trusted roofing contractor in the Naperville and surrounding areas. We’ve taken on many different types of roofing projects and can assist you when storms strike your area.

In fact, we’ll come out and do an inspection of your roof system free of charge, and we’re happy to contact your insurance company on your behalf. Insurance companies appreciate it when a qualified contractor lets them know exactly what they’ve found, which means you are on a faster track to getting the money you need to get your new roof.