Many factors will determine the level of hail damage a home can receive. Hail can cause damage to siding too: however, the roof is the most exposed element due to its sloping profile.

Not all hail storms are alike! A hailstorm over your home does not automatically mean you will sustain roof damage.

Conversely, falling hail may damage your roof, while not affecting your next-door neighbor’s roof at all! ROOF TIME recommends that homeowners contact a professional roofer, prior to calling their insurance agent, for a complete roof examination after a hailstorm has occurred. The reasons for this are simple. Every time a homeowner contacts their insurer, a claim inquiry is recorded. Too many claims, even the ones that result in no action from the insurer, can red flag a homeowners file. It is with-in the insurance company’s rights, to drop an owner for too many inquires or even after a single paid claim. By letting a professional roofer evaluate the roof first, owners can avoid making a claim unless absolutely deemed necessary.

There are other factors that affect the level of hail damage, such as the specific properties of the roof shingles (age, layers, pitch, wood deck framing) and the hail stones themselves (size, density, velocity).

Hailstone Factors

Hailstones have been reported to range from ¼ inch in diameter (very little roof damage) up to 4 ½ inches in diameter (severe roof damage). The common size for causing damage to roofing systems is ¾ inch in diameter and larger.

• Pea = ¼ inch diameter
• Marble = ½ inch diameter
• Dime = ¾ inch
• Nickel = 7/8 inch
• Quarter = 1 inch
• Ping-Pong Ball = 1 ½ inches
• Golf Ball = 1 ¾ inches
• Tennis Ball = 2 ½ inches
• Baseball = 2 ¾ inches
• Teacup = 3 inches
• Grapefruit = 4 inches
• Softball = 4 ½ inches

Studies have shown that hail-producing thunderstorms occurring in periods of cold weather generate small hail with a relatively low density. Hail-producing thunderstorms occurring during periods of warm weather generate larger hail with a higher density.

As objects fall out of the sky toward the Earth gravity acceleratest at a rate of 32 feet per SECOND!

However, falling objects reach terminal velocity – a point at which they stop accelerating and travel at a constant speed.

The terminal velocity of a 3-inch hailstone is around 90 mph!

Hail can be propelled at even greater velocities aided by the storms downdraft. Straight-line winds will also increase the speed of a hailstone. The same 3-inch stone with a terminal velocity of 90 mph combined with a 40 mph horizontal wind will fall at over 100 mph!

The slope of the roof has a considerable effect on the outcome of the hailstone affecting the roof. Hailstones striking the roof at a 90-degree angle are more likely to cause damage than those striking a glancing blow. Steeper roof slopes ( 8:12 and greater) can decrease the amount of damage.

Newer shingles are more impact resistant than older. The effects of the sun and weathering often result in shingles becoming more brittle over time.

The framing of the roof deck plays an important role in hail resistance. Too much flexibility in the system reduces the effectiveness of the system impact resistance. Solid roof decks, using tongue and groove decking or plywood on moderately spaced trusses, greatly improve the impact resistance of the roof.

Re-covering over an existing roof system significantly reduces the impact resistance of the roof. A roof with two or more layers of asphalt shingles exhibits a “sponge” effect, resulting in the top layer being more susceptible to penetration by impacting hailstones. It is always better to have a single roof layer on your home.

  Can My Roof Be Examined From The Ground?

To determine if any damage has been caused by a hail storm, a close inspection of the roof must be made by a qualified professional.

In most cases, damage cannot be observed from the ground. AT ROOF TIME, we offer FREE roof top inspections and digital pictures of all findings!

Our trained and professional inspectors will "go the extra mile" on your behalf when dealing with the insurance company!

A hail impact on a shingle depends greatly on the size and speed of the hail itself. In many cases, it looks like a "bruise" or a dark spot where the granules on the single have been displaced and the asphalt underlayment is now exposed. Even if your roof has only sustained granular loss without significant bruising, your roof is still susceptible to the damaging effects of granular loss, which exposes any of the underlayment causing an alteration of the fire rating and deceleration of the roof's actual performance level.

Should I replace my roof right away?

The insidious nature of hail damage is that it can pose no immediate threat to the integrity of the roof. However, many insurance companies have a "statute of limitations" dictating how long a hail claim is valid for. It is imperative that you file a claim immediately in order to protect all your rights! When your insurance company finds enough damage to warrant the replacement of your roof, you should not hesitate to have it replaced.

Why would my insurance replace my roof?

The purpose of home owner's insurance is to protect homeowners against the losses incurred on their property, which are beyond their control. Your insurance policy covers direct, physical damage to your home, meaning that your insurance company has a contractual obligation to repair or replace any damage to your property.

You know what they say about CINCINNATI weather;

"If you don't like it, stick around a few minutes, it'll be changing quick....."

This is not a photoshop picture, and YES, that is : sun, hail, a tornado and a rainbow

all in the same sky at the same time!

When people ask us, 'Do I really need that good of a shingle?" We like to show them this picture and ask them what they want on their home, protecting them 24 / 7 / 365