Hail is a pretty common occurrence, especially in the summer months. In fact, the US experienced 4,611 large hailstorms in 2018 alone! Large hail can really damage your home, but the amount of damage can vary depending on the size and density of the hail, the types of materials on your home, and more.
So, what makes each hailstorm so different? Read on to learn how hail is formed and when to get a professional hail damage inspection after a storm!
What is hail, and how does it form?
Hail occurs when thunderstorm updrafts are strong enough to carry water droplets well above the freezing level — a small number of ice forms around a nucleus. The size of hail ranges from a tiny spec to the size of a baseball.
The ice then drops inside the cloud below freezing temperatures, where it grows as new water freezes onto it. This process continues until the hailstone gets too heavy for the updrafts to carry its weight, and it falls to the ground.
The four major factors that cause hail damage
1. Size and density
The degree of damage to your property is affected by the physical size of the hail. A single piece of hail can be as small as a pea or as large as a baseball. The vast majority of hail does not have smooth edges, which affects the level of impact that hail has when it comes into contact with your property.
2. Materials
Different building materials absorb the impact of hail differently. For instance, hail can crack vinyl siding or wood shakes, yet the same hail may only create small dings in aluminum siding, gutters or asphalt siding.
3. Barriers
Hail damage can be vastly reduced with neighboring structures and natural barriers, such as tree cover, landscaping, adjacent homes, and fences.
4. Wind
Amid a hailstorm, the speed and direction of the wind can and will fluctuate. This affects the severity and location of hail damage.
How does hail damage affect my roof?
Hailstorms cause a large variety of damage to the exterior of your home, especially the roof; even small hailstorms can cause considerable problems that are hard for homeowners to detect, which may result in more significant issues such as roof leaks (usually harder to repair and more costly).
The state of your roof should be at the forefront of your mind after all hailstorms. Mitigate ongoing damage and costly repairs with a free roof inspection from a trusted, licensed roofing contractor.
Even if a small portion of granules is knocked off your roof, the integrity of your roof may be compromised. Save valuable time, energy, and money by getting a free roof inspection from Baney Construction after all major hailstorms! Give us a call at (815) 623-3644 to or contact us online to schedule your appointment.
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