it The storms this summer in the Tucson area seem to be more violent than we have had in recent years so it is important to know weather you have hail damage to your roof after it was hit by hail. Not all hail storms produce damage. Hail is formed when the heat drafts upward and pushes the water higher into the atmosphere which causes it to freeze and come down as hail. These tiny balls of ice vary in size when they come down on your roof. Tiny hail may not be damaging but the larger hail can sometimes demolish a roof. Here are some ways to determine if your roof was damaged by hail and what to do with that knowledge.
Hail Damage To Roof Coatings In Tucson
When your home experiences a hailstorm it is important to check your roof. Obviously, if there is a leak, it is an emergency roofing job, which we don’t charge any more for. They can help you determine if you need to call your insurance company to send out and insurance adjuster. On white coated roofs the damage the hail does will differ depending on the size of the hail and the age of the roof coating. Rubber roof coatings that are more than three years of age will tend to crack much easier because the coating hardens and loses its elasticity over time. The longer it has been since the roof was coated the greater the chance you will need a roofing contractor do some work. A good roofer will look for small round marks that look like snail shell circles on the roof. They will be spread across the roof and may not show up in every area. Roofers will look for cracks in the skylights. They will also look for holes punched through the roof paper where the roof paper rolls up onto the parapet walls, which is one of the most common areas for hail damage. There are numerous ways to repair hail marks on coated roofs. It could as simple as painting your roof or recoating the roof with a good thick coat of roof coating and polyester fabric patches or it could be as in depth as applying polyester fabric across the entire roof. In the worst case, the roof may need to be replaced. It is important to get multiple assessments because many roof companies jump directly to “replacement” when they know the insurance company might be footing the bill. Your roof may not need to be replaced and just repaired.
Shingle Roofs Damaged By Wind and Hail in Oro Valley
The 2023 monsoon season has wrought much havoc. In Oro Valley, for instance, they have received significant damage from wind and hail on shingle roofs. Asphalt shingles lay down and stick because of a tar strip on the bottom of the shingle. That tar strip sticks to the shingle below it as the shingles overlap. When the shingles age the tar loses its stickiness and can start to lift during high winds. If the wind picks up a shingle it can rip that shingle and others clean off the roof. This is very common on aged asphalt shingles. When hail hits the roof it can damage the shingles by causing the granules to loosen and or the edges of the shingles to lift or tear. Roofers will look for these types of marks when inspecting the roof. Good roof contractors can usually identify hail damage quickly. If your asphalt shingle roof is found with storm damage it may only need to be repaired or it may need to be completely replaced. In the southwest, if you have three-tab shingles the insurance company may agree to replace the roof because three-tab shingles are not available for making repairs. A good roofing company can help you explain the three-tab shingle issue with your insurance company.
Wind and Hail Damages to Tile Roofs in Catalina Foothills
We have had numerous calls from homeowners in the Catalina Foothills area whose tile roofs were disrupted by the extreme wind and hail storms. The storms in late July and early August were extreme to say the least. When the cold air drops and the hot dry summer air moves upwards it often causes what we call a “micro burst” which can pick up tiles and move them around on a roof. Sometimes, albeit not often, hail that forms in these types of storms can also cause damage to the roof. Most hail damage comes after the tiles have been moved and the underlayment is exposed. On tile roofs the most common storm damage is from extreme winds.
Call A Roof Company Near You
If you have had damages to your roof from hail, wind or rains then we recommend calling a trusted roofing company to come out and assess the damages. A good roofer will be able to determine what happened and how best to repair the damages. The best roofing contractors will not try to sell you something that is not needed. Beware of those who tell you that the roof needs replaced but give very little evidence on why. A good roofer will provide photo evidence and good explanations of what exactly is going on with your roof.
Desert Sky Roofing would love to earn your roofing business. We provide honest assessments and do our work with integrity. Our trained professionals will work on your roof as if it were their own and they will do the work the right way the first time. Give us a call today and let us provide a free inspection of your roof.