Roof Damage From Summer Storms

Storm Damage

Summer Storms - Is your roof ready?

Everyone knows that tornadoes and hurricanes can cause extensive damage to your roof. However, moisture and rapidly rising warm air often brings furious summer storms. The summer weather, especially in humid climates like the south-eastern United States can bring intense storms. These summer storms, which tend to be fast and fierce, can bring rain, wind, hail and can be as serious as a blizzard or hurricane.

What kind of damage can hail do to your roof?
The amount of damage a hailstorm can do will vary greatly. Travelers.com states these factors that affect the type and degree of damage impacted by a hailstorm:

•  Wind- During a hailstorm, wind direction and wind speed can vary. This can affect the location and severity of hail impacts.
• Size and density - The size of the hailstones can affect the degree of damage. A hailstone can be as small as a pea or as large as a softball. Most do not have smooth edges, which also impacts the amount of damage done.
• Building materials - The building materials used absorb hail impacts differently. Hail can cause dings in aluminum siding, gutters, or asphalt shingles, however, it can crack vinyl siding or wood shakes. Hailstones can be dense enough to puncture a roof although the age and condition of the roof can affect the degree of damage.
• Barriers - Neighboring structures and natural barriers such as tree cover, landscaping, fences, or adjacent homes can reduce hailstone damage.

What does hailstone damage to your roof look like?
With asphalt and composition shingles, the hail damage can look like the following:

• Random damage with no pattern. 
• Hits that are black in color.
• Loss of granules, which may expose the roof felt.
• Asphalt and/or mat that appears shiny.
• Places where hail has hit may be soft to the touch.

With wood shingles the hail damage can look like:

• Random damage with no pattern. 
• A split in the shingle that is brown/orange in color.
• A split in the shingle that has sharp corners and edges. 
• A split in the shingle that has little to no deterioration at the edge.
• Marks or dents along the splits.

A severe summer storm can involve high winds. Wind-driven debris often causes the most damage. Summer storms can knock trees, power lines or poles onto roofs causing structural damage. According to mainsourcemgt.com, high winds can make defects in your roof even worse and damage neglected termination points. Summer storms are often accompanied by flash flooding which can mean a fast accumulation of rainwater which can damage the drainage system with a dangerous amount of weight.

The lightning accompanying a summer storm can occasionally cause a power surge (an unusually high amount of electricity briefly surging through the wiring). This can damage sensitive electronic equipment and appliances such as computers, digital washing machines, and televisions.

The following are ways to safeguard your home before, during and after a severe storm
according to networx.com:

• Regularly check trees and shrubs on your property. Look for loosely attached limbs, rot, disease, or insect infestation. Hire a professional to trim the tree or, if necessary, remove it.
• Install surge protectors to help prevent power surges. If severe weather conditions are forecast, unplug individual devices or power strips from their outlet. You don't need to switch them off.
• Prepare for power outages that may take hours or longer for the utility company to repair. Stock up on emergency lights and non-perishable, ready-to- eat food. (never use fuel-burning devices designed for outdoors inside the home, such as grills). Consider purchasing a generator as a standby source of electricity.
• Keep drains, scuppers, and gutters clear so they can handle a deluge of water.
• For those who live in a hurricane prone area, roof clips or hurricane straps can prevent having your roof literally blown off by the force of the wind.
• Seal cracks in places like the foundation and walls, next to windows and doors and around the chimney and vent pipes.
• If you have a basement, setting up a sump pump with an automatic moisture sensor will guard against flooding.

As soon as the severe weather has passed, you should inspect for these common issues:

• Debris and pooling water Cuts and punctures in the roof membrane
• Edge metal pulled up 
• Damaged perimeter flashing
• Missing or damaged HVAC equipment 
• Cracks or ware on exterior walls
• Damage to skylights, domes, or flashing

A severe summer storm can happen quickly and cause a great amount of damage. However, being prepared and knowing what you can do before, during and after a storm will help keep any damage limited.

Harper Roofing offers a free roof inspection. We will work with your insurance company to make any repair process as easy as possible. Check out our 5-star rating on Houzz.

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