Protecting your home often involves being prepared for the very worst possible events, even if they’re unlikely or rare, and a great example here with regard to your roofing system is hail damage. While hail doesn’t happen too commonly around Utah, it definitely can take place – and ensuring your home is protected by a quality roof, and that you’re able to properly assess any damage done to this roof during a hailstorm, is vital.
At The Roof Doctor, we’re happy to assist West Jordan and nearby clients with all their roofing needs, including help with roof storm damage of any kind. Here are some basics on how to spot the signs of hail damage if a hailstorm takes place, how to handle these sorts of needs with your insurance company, and more.
Signs of Surface Hail Damage
In most cases, the first sort of damage you’ll want to inspect your roof for following any hailstorm is surface damage. This means looking for any dents, scratches, or other signs of damage to the shingles on your roof.
It’s not necessarily easy to spot these sorts of damages from the ground, so it often requires going up on the roof itself. If you’re doing this, be sure to take proper safety precautions and wear the right gear.
Once you’ve identified any potential surface damage, you’ll want to document it for your insurance company if needed. In some cases, a professional roofer may need to do this assessment – but in others, simply taking photos from the ground may be enough.
Hidden Hail Damage
In some other situations, however, hail damage won’t necessarily be visible from the exterior of your home. This is known as hidden hail damage, and it can often be indicative of more serious issues that need to be addressed.
For example, if you’ve noticed any staining on the outside walls of your home, or if some parts of your roofing system seem to no longer work properly (such as a skylight or some of the flashing), you may need a professional to take a closer look. There are also situations where impacts from hail can cause shingles to split, but this can only be seen by looking at the backside of a shingle.
In any case, the important thing to remember is that if you suspect hail damage to your roof, it’s important to call for help right away – in order to mitigate any further damage or issues that may arise from this kind of weather event. With the help of The Roof Doctor, we can assess any potential damage and also assist you with insurance claims (more on this in a moment).
Non-Roof Signs of Hail Damage
As we noted above, finding actual hail damage on your roof often involves going up there – and some people would rather avoid this if there isn’t some indication that damage has taken place. For these instances, a helpful way to find out if hail damage could be present is to look for signs of it elsewhere on and around your home.
For example, you may want to inspect the siding of your home for any dents or other types of damages – and even check for marks in your gutters, which often take a beating during hailstorms. Also look for dents in nearby cars, damage to your outdoor air conditioner unit, and more.
These kinds of signs don’t necessarily guarantee that damage took place to your roof, but they’re helpful indicators that you may have a problem and should reach out for help.
Telling Hail Damage From Other Types
Especially if you plan to file an insurance claim for hail damage, it’s important to ensure that you’re able to tell the difference between this type of storm damage and other types. For example, while hail can certainly cause dents in shingles, this isn’t necessarily the same as a missing or broken shingle – which could have been caused by age or improper installation. It’s also not the same as other types of weather damage, such as wind damage or water damage.
This is one major area where an inspection from a professional can be incredibly helpful. They’ll be able to identify the specific type of damage present on your roof and help you to determine if it’s hail-related or not. This can then have a huge impact on how you go about filing an insurance claim – and also what sort of repairs may need to be made.
Insurance Claims for Hail Damage
Finally, because they count as “acts of god” that are generally out of your control, hail damages usually do qualify for insurance claims. However, the exact process and requirements here can vary from provider to provider – so it’s important to understand what you’ll need in order to file a successful claim.
In most cases, you will have one year from the date of the storm to file a claim – and you’ll also need evidence of the damage, such as photos. Having an inspection report from a professional can also be incredibly helpful here, as it can provide additional evidence that the damage is hail-related and not caused by other sources.
At The Roof Doctor, we’re proud to offer help with both inspections and insurance claims for hail damage. Our team of experts can take a close look at your roof and provide you with the evidence you need to make sure your home is properly protected from storms, now and in the future. If you have any questions about hail damage or would like to schedule an inspection for any West Jordan or nearby roof, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.