Last week’s large hail across the Upper Cumberland may have caused roof damage to your home.
Local Home Inspector Tom Recke said the type of damage a home owner will see depends on the type of roof on your home. Recke said there are multiple things to look for with asphalt roofs.
“You’re looking for random patterns of damage, discoloration or black spots where granules could be missing on your roof,” Recke said. “Areas of exposed fiberglass mat, um, bruised areas, cracks or a split in the shingles, things like that.”
Recke said checking for damage is a little bit easier if you have a metal roof.
“You’re looking for dents or dimples,” Recke said. “Damage is typically more noticeable on ridge caps and softer areas. And it could also result in paint loss or coating chips that impact sites, things like that.”
Recke said the size of the hail is not always an indicator of the amount of roof damage you can incur. Recke said a large amount of small hail stones can cause just as much damage as a small amount of large hailstones.
Regardless of what the size of the hail that hit your roof, Recke said it is best to let a roofer or home inspector take a look before you call your insurance company.
“I’ve had a couple of clients get roofers involved and they will end of helping further document what’s going on and prove to the adjusters that there is an issue,” Recke said. “So it seems to be a lot of less resistance with reputable roofing companies or licensed inspectors than it is with insurance adjusters right out of the gate.”
