Hail damage extensive enough to require a roof replacement can happen in a blink of an eye. And, it can happen on one side of the street and not the other.
The most pressing question most homeowners have after a hail storm is ‘‘How do tell if I have hail damage on my roof?”.
Our answer is simple – we have to inspect your roof. Just as importantly, you have to have your insurance company claims adjuster inspect the roof too. After all, the insurance company wants to be sure there is legitimate hail damage before paying off insurance claim. Below are guidelines to help you assess if you may have hail damage and need a roof replacement.
Four Telltale Signs of Hail Damage And Possible Roof Replacement In Madison WI
Prior to calling your insurance adjuster, review the types of damage listed below. Any or all of them could appear on a roof and an even distribution of the damage could easily lead to a claim. All insurance companies are different and even the individual adjusters will vary in their assessments. However, the following telltale signs can all result from hail damage.
When inspecting your home for a potential roof replacement, insurance adjusters will look for hail damage in the following order:
Missing Granules – Missing granules are often the first thing insurance adjusters look for. Missing granules from asphalt shingles are easy to spot. The reason is when hailstones strike shingles, they often knock loose the small granules (responsible for color) or depress them into the shingle. Either way, the black substrate layer below the granules is exposed. Visually it shows as a dark circle or scuff.
Bruising – When examining the spots with the missing granules as noted above, insurance adjusters check for bruising. When the spot in question feels soft and spongy like a bruised apple or tomato, it is a sure sign there is hail damage to an asphalt shingle.
Mat Breakage – When asphalt shingles are struck hard enough, the fiberglass matting an asphalt shingle is built around will break. When the shingles crack completely through, water intrusion will occur. When the areas in question on your roof have missing granules, show bruising, and have a broken fiberglass mat, hail damage is the likely reason. Your
insurance adjuster will find it difficult not to conclude your damage is not caused by hail.
Damage Pattern – If your roof meets the above criteria and a random pattern of similar damage emerges across the roof surface, your claims adjuster will likely determine it is due to hail. When this happens, insurance adjusters will often recommend a roof replacement. Although, all companies have their individual standards.
Don’t Forget Collateral Hail Damage
Collateral damage is defined by hail hits to other areas of you home. This includes dents to fascia, gutters, vents, valleys, windows, siding, etc. These are important facts adjusters consider when making a hail damage determination on roof replacement. The final outcome can be influenced by collateral damage on your home.
What we outline above is a “big picture” approach taken by many adjusters. If obvious, sizeable damage has occurred in other areas around the home, but the shingle mat isn’t completely broken, the existence and extent of collateral damage may sway the approval or denial of the insurance claim.
Roof Replacement Pros In Madison WI
If you would like assistance with assessing and correcting hail damage problems, please give the roofing, siding and window pros at Sims Exteriors & Remodeling a call. Our experience with roofing and remodeling allows us to identify problems needing attention.
We provide roof replacement services to Madison WI, Cottage Grove, Sun Prairie, Deforest, Waunakee, Middleton, Verona, Fitchburg, McFarland, Stoughton and all other communities in south central Wisconsin.
Please call us a 608-825-4500 or email us and our professional staff will help you define your roof replacement and hail damage needs in Madison WI.
Editors Note – Updated from 2012 Post