How Do I Protect My Roof from Hail Damage?

Roof hail damage cases always pick up during the first quarter of the year. That’s because of climbing temperatures and how hail forms.

With springtime, temperatures climb and thunderstorms develop.

Storms create updrafts, and those updrafts will bring water droplets high enough into the atmosphere that they dip below freezing. While suspended, and in a frozen state, the droplets accumulate additional moisture (read: size).

This creates a mass of hail that, at a certain point, will become heavy enough the updraft no longer supports it. From there, these hailstones crash to earth at a velocity and size strong enough to cause heavy damages.

How Significant Roof Hail Damage Is

Roof hail damage is a significant issue for homeowners and businesses. The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes reports that every year approximately $1.6 billion in damages come from a hail event.

Business damages are harder to calculate because you have to account for lost productivity as well.

Suffice it to say, those exceed $1 billion annually, too, especially when considering the typical mid- to large-sized city’s building permit valuations are at least half on the commercial side each month.

What to Do About It

Prevention is difficult, though not impossible. After all, you can’t control the weather, and your roof is a pretty big target. What you can do is install a quality roof from the outset. If you’re building a new home or putting on a new roof, make sure you use hail-resistant products.

The Underwriters’ Laboratory (UL) assigns ratings to such products, and prior to the build, replacement, or repair, you’ll want to target ratings that are Class 4 (the highest). These ratings measure impact resistance. The least resistant rating is Class 1.

The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) offers policy premium discounts for homeowners who use impact-resistant roofing materials. In Texas, the discounts are available to all four classifications. (It’s Class 3 and 4 only in every other state.)

Metal roofs are particularly resistant, and cosmetics have improved over the years. But if metal isn’t your thing, stick close to the Class 4 designation when selecting materials.

You could still be at risk for roof hail damage, but you’ll lower the odds. And if you do take on damage, it becomes less about prevention and more about what you should do next to ensure damages are kept to a minimum. Some suggestions:

At Springtree Restoration, we’ve been helping Dallas area homeowners guard against roof hail damage since 2009. We’ve won  multiple awards and carry an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We invite you to give us a call or send us an email today if your roof is in need of repair or replacement.