Can a New Roof Get Hail Damage?
Like lightning striking twice in the same place, new roof hail damage is unlikely after you have had a weather-related event. Unfortunately, it’s not impossible.
Not all roofing materials are created equal, and just like age factors and material types can influence the number of years your roof has left, it also can determine whether your new roof will be able to stand up against another onslaught.
New Roof Hail Damage Susceptibility
There’s an old saying that “when it rains, it pours.” Well, the same is true for hail. In fact, some cities in the Midwest can experience 10 or more hailstorms annually. If you live in one of these cities, then it’s entirely possible that your roof could be subject to a battering not once or twice, but multiple times throughout the year.
A storm could even hit you once or twice to “soften up” the roof for a final event where the real damages start to become noticeable.
And considering that most hailstorms occur during the spring months, it can all happen pretty close together. Because of that, you may want to wait until the summer or fall to do anything about it if you’re living in a hailstorm hotspot.
Fortunately, most insurance companies give you a two-year window to file claims on any damages incurred from hail events. You’ll want to check with your company’s policy on this first, however.
So How Do I Know If My Roof Has Damages?
Hail damages are not always noticeable in the aftermath of a hailstorm. If you didn’t experience any holes or leaks, for example, you may think that you’re good to go.
But few of us actually get up on the roof to inspect, and even fewer call a roofing company to come inspect. This could be a costly mistake.
Remember how we told you a hail event can “soften up” your roof and create the possibility for damages? Well, if real damages go unaddressed, it could create headaches when getting your insurance company to cover the costs, particularly when the damages could have been avoided through action of the homeowner.
However, most of the time your insurance company will cover it as an “act of God” (no fault to the homeowner). You, or your roofing company, should watch for exterior signs such as:
- Curling, breaking, missing shingles, loss of granulation (composition shingles)
- Mold, decay, splitting (wood shingles and shakes)
- Crumbling of roofing cement
- Buckles or tears around roof penetrations
- Decay, rust, leaking seams (on guttering)
- Damaged bricks (chimneys)
On the inside of the home, watch for staining or peeled paint on the walls and ceilings or moisture marks.
If you’re concerned about new roof hail damage, reach out to Springtree Restoration today. We can schedule an inspection at your earliest convenience.
