Does Hail Damage Lead to Roof Leaks and Water Damage?

Does hail damage lead to roof leaks and water damage? Absolutely! If the hail damage is not addressed, it is not a matter of if but when it becomes a roof leak and water damage.

What is Hail Damage?

Hail damage, at minimum, is when hailstones hit a shingle and knock off the granules leaving the bare asphalt shingle exposed. Hail damage can also create a “bruise” on the shingle, which is a soft spot, or a complete hole through the shingle.

How Does Hail Damage Lead to Water Damage?

So now that we know what hail damage is, we can begin to understand how it leads to water damage. Obviously, a hole in the shingle would allow water to pass through the shingles to the underlayment, where it will find a nail hole to leak through the decking and into the attic. So, how does missing granules or a soft spot become water damage? When the asphalt is exposed, UV rays break down the asphalt creating cracks. Soft spots or bruises take less time for the UV rays to destroy the asphalt and make a hole quicker.

How to Prevent Water Damage from Hail?

Anytime your home is in a hail storm, it is a good idea to get your home inspected for hail damage by a professional roofing company. Your insurance company only allows one year from the date of the storm to file a claim. The major problem with that is that water damage may not present itself visually for more than a year. Since a lot of hail damage will only create a bruise, it may take several months or a couple of years to develop a leak, and then it may not be seen inside your home for a few more months.

To prevent water damage from hail, it is crucial to act quickly to repair the damage before it becomes more severe and leads to thousands of dollars in interior repairs. Get a roof inspection after every hail storm or storms with high winds. If you haven’t had your roof looked at in the last few years, it is also vital to have your roof inspected to look for hail damage and many other common roof repair issues.

Can You Inspect Your Own Roof?

Sure, you can inspect your own roof, and I will even give you some pointers to help, but I must say that spotting hail damage on a roof takes a professional eye, so we will focus on some other areas that will give you a good idea if you have hail damage or not.

8 Tips to Help You Inspect Your Roof

1. Check wood fences for hail marks
2. Check gutters for dents
3. Check garage doors for dents or marks if wooden
4. Inspect a/c condensers for damage in the coil
5. Look for damage on window screens
6. From the ground, look for missing or lifted shingles
7. Check gutter downspouts for shingle granules.
8. Inspect the siding for damaged paint or scuffs from hail

If you see evidence of hail from any of the eight tips, then call a reputable roofing company to perform an inspection; there is a very good chance that your roof will have hail damage that will be covered by the insurance company.