Indianapolis homeowners know to brace themselves for unsettled spring weather. Still, we get flummoxed by reports of hail and get to wondering, will hail damage cause roofs to leak? The unsettling answer is, yes. But how?
Hail, Here?
Hail can strike anywhere, anytime of the year. The interested Indianapolitan can check an interactive hail map of the area to stay on top of the frozen stuff. Our area registered 123 hail reports and 29 severe weather warnings over a year.
When hail hits, it strikes with a force that varies by hailstone size. As a homeowner, you should be concerned anytime hail comes down in chunks from five centimeters up—that’s about two inches in diameter.
Hurt By Hail
Large hailstones hit roofs with enough force to cause roof leaks. The damage may be subtle to the homeowner. Different roofing materials absorb the hard hits in different ways:
- Shingles may show bruising, divots, crazing, and cracks
- Shingle tabs can be broken loose from the rest of the shingle
- Shingles may show black spots or, conversely, pale areas from hard impacts
- Metal roofing may suffer dents and oil-canning (larger depressions)
- Seams on low-slope roofing can split open; craters may form in ballast
Anytime the surface roofing material is weakened or damaged, water resistance drops. Shingle roofs are not meant to be waterproof; they shed water into gutters and then dry out. If the granules and asphalt are damaged by hail, water can enter through the shingle and absorb into the underlayment and sheathing.
Once water gets past the underlayment and through the sheathing, successive rains will bring water into your attic and insulation, and then into your home’s interior. Dark ceiling stains are a clue to roof leaks.
Hidden
No residential roof is safe for amateurs, so do not attempt to diagnose hail damage by clambering onto your Indianapolis home’s roof. Call in your professional roofer, who will:
- Inspect the roof surface and identify hail damage
- Check flashing, rubber boots, and gutters for dents and breaks
- Climb into your attic to assess the sheathing and spot roof leaks
Work with your roofer to get a quick response to storm damage. No roof heals itself, and hail damage can be nearly imperceptible but still cause roof leaks. Your Indianapolis-area home is best protected when Moss Roofing is working with you. We provide a full range of roofing resources as well as gutter and insulation services. Contact us today and rest easier tonight!
