What Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover?
In the Sugarland, Texas area, homeowners should always be prepared by knowing what their homeowner’s insurance covers. While the most basic policy will have roof hail damage coverage, to what limit and under what conditions could vary. Reviewing the policy once a year is recommended, with an agent is an even better idea.
Asphalt Shingle Roofing and Hail
Because most homes in the country have asphalt shingle roofing, we will focus our article on this material. What does hail damage look like on an asphalt shingle roof? Hailstone damage will appear as black circles or dings on the shingles. When hailstones hit hard enough, they leave the roofing felt or underlayment exposed by knocking the asphalt granules off, making the roof susceptible to roof leaks.
Hailstone hits will be soft, almost like a bruised apple. In most cases, roof hail damage is noticeable from the street, especially when the hailstones were 1” and larger. However, a professional roofing contractor will climb on the roof to get a closer inspection of the entire roof. Because hailstones smaller than 1” can cause roof hail damage too, depending on the velocity and angle they were coming down.
But, roof hail damage isn’t just visible on the roof, which is what you can check safely yourself. You should walk around your home after a hailstorm and inspect the siding, windows, and decorative trim around your home, as well as the gutters and downspouts. If you notice any dents, dings, and chipped or splattered painted areas, then you probably have roof hail damage too.
Why is hail damage bad for a roof?
Roof hail damage, with or without high winds, will weaken the integrity of the asphalt shingle seals. When the seal is weakened, the shingles can be blown off by the next high wind, leaving the roof exposed to more weather elements.
A damaged asphalt shingle is permanently compromised. This leaves the roof vulnerable to more damage like water. Water can destroy a home’s structure if the leak isn’t found and repaired.
How big of hail causes roof damage?
A hailstone is likely to create roof hail damage at 1” in diameter, but as we stated above, smaller hailstones like pea size can cause roof hail damage too. Examples of sizes and the roof hail damage hailstones can cause include:
- ¼-inch hailstones
This size of a hailstone is referred to as pea-size. Can pea-sized hail damage a roof? Absolutely! While this is from a mild hailstorm and will usually last for a few minutes before turning into rain, if the angle and velocity are just right, it can cause roof hail damage. More roofing areas with this size of roof hail damage are making your roof more vulnerable to further weather damage.
- ½-inch hailstones
Referred to as marble-sized hailstones, in general, for the most part, don’t cause severe roof hail damage. But like the pea-sized hailstones, the angle and velocity over enough roof surface can warrant filing a roof hail damage claim.
- ¾-inch to 1-inch hailstones
This measurement is often referred to as dime or quarter-size hailstones and can leave behind significant roof hail damage. These larger hailstones are typically associated with hard, heavy, high winds and can plummet an asphalt roof to where roof hail damages repairs aren’t sufficient, the entire roof should be replaced.
- 1 ¾-inch to 4 ½-inch hail
Called golf ball sized to softball-sized hailstones, the roof hail damage will be substantial, resulting in needing the roof completely replaced.
Whom do you call first, the insurance company or the roofing contractor?
Your insurance company will tell you to call them first. However, the roofing contractor will be the one that is on your side. They will make any temporary roof hail damage repairs needed to keep the rain coming in minimal. They will inspect your roof thoroughly from exterior to interior and give you a written estimate.
Next, call your insurance company. They will have a company adjuster contact you for an appointment to inspect the roof. Having your roofing contractor present during this is recommended.
Once the adjuster has inspected the roof and your overall home and property, they will send you their findings and what they are offering to pay for. You have the right to dispute this, using your roofing contractor’s estimate. Many roofing companies today offer to deal with the insurance company for you, saving you aggravation and time.
In Closing: Is Roof Hail Damage Repair Important?
Absolutely, the sooner the better is always the best policy when it comes to roof hail damage. If you were to ignore the damage now and have more damage later, the insurance company could deny your claim due to homeowner neglect. They can even cancel your policy. The same holds true if you file a claim, receive money for roof repairs, and decide to use the money for other things.
Right now is the best time to get in touch with us if you need roof hail damage repair in Rosenberg and Sugar Land, TX. You can reach us at (832) 598-4245 during normal office hours.
