Cincinnati Roof Systems and the Hidden Damage from Hail

• Granules in your gutters or downspout 

• Asphalt that appears shinier than neighboring shingles 

• Shingles that are soft like a bruised or dented apple 

Here is How Hail Can Damage Your Cincinnati Roof 

Your asphalt shingles are made up of a fiberglass base mat, a layer of asphalt with granules on top. When hail hits your roof, it can damage the makeup of the shingle. This can be noticed in granule loss. If it hit hard enough the indentations can lead to leaks in the long term.  

Wood Shingles Hail Damage 

Wood shingles have a different composition than asphalt shingles, so the damage is going to be different. Wood splinters and hail can damage wood shingles in the following ways. 

• Splits in the wood shingles that are brown or orange 

• A split in the shingles that has sharp corners 

• Split that shows little to no deterioration at the edges, meaning it is a new split 

• Any indentations along the split shingle 

Metal Roof Hail Damage 

Much like asphalt and wood, metal has different properties which means that a hailstorm will affect your metal roof in a different way. Metal roofs can depend on the thickness of the metal panels and the slope.  

• Small dents and this may be considered cosmetic damage 

• Hail hits causing the formation of a hole  

Hail Damage to Gutters and Downspouts  

Gutter systems are built to move water away from your house and keep it dry. Hail is small solid ice that can easily clog gutters during a torrential downpour. The clog can cause gutters to overflow which may lead to basement moisture. 

From a physical perspective, hail can dent your gutter system. Hailstones can cause the gutters to pull away from the fascia, and potentially knock your gutters to the ground. A gutter system is aligned to drain correctly, so any aberration in its flow could create a problem. Hail can also dent your gutter screens or guards. 

Hail Damage to Roof Vents 

Roof vents and flashing may dent with hailstorms. Dings and dents provide an increased opportunity for moisture to get into your home. Additionally, the caulking that seals off the vents from moisture may sustain damage. The ripped, torn, or missing caulking can allow water into the home.  

A thorough roof inspection by a reputable roofing company will uncover any missing caulking to the vents. 

Hail Damage to Flashing 

Flashing helps divert water away from a place that is susceptible to leaking. But what can happen to it during a hailstorm? You guessed it, dents, and potential exposure to the elements.  Much like roof vents, caulking can be damaged and indentations in the flashing can cause areas of caulking to pull away and leave an opening for moisture to enter.  

What Size Hail Can Damage Your Roof?  

Hail comes in small pieces to the world record holding 8” diameter hail that fell in South Dakota. While events that produce extremely large hail are uncommon, the more common sized hail is what we should focus our attention on. 

Let us break hail into three general sizes: pea-sized, golf ball, and large. 

• Pea-sized hail is the most common. Typically, there is less damage associated with pea-sized hail unless there is high wind speed associated with the weather event. Additionally, prolonged exposure to pea-sized hail increases the odds that your roof could sustain damage.  

• Golf ball sized hail (or anything near an inch in diameter) is cause for calling to schedule a roof inspection. Golf ball sized hail can damage your entire roof system (not to mention windows and siding).  

• Large hail, while uncommon, will wreak the most havoc on your roof system.  

Should You File a Claim with Your Insurance Company? 

Inspect your home after a severe weather incident to see if there is any damage. You should check the exterior and interior (attic and basement) of your house. We do not recommend you get out on your roof to conduct your examination.