Snow in Florida is not a common occurrence, so seeing anything white fall from the sky can be a surprise! That was the case recently on March 6, 2021 during Daytona’s annual Bike Week festival when a severe storm dropped hail over Daytona Beach that many thought it was snowing. “For 40 minutes, bikers watched in horror as the elements pelted their motorcycles with chunks of solid precipitation, according to a report by The Daytona Beach News-Journal.” NEWS 6 meteorologist Jonathan Kegges said the storm warning expired at 11:15 a.m. and the weather radar estimated hail up to the size of a quarter along with heavy rain and wind.
A hailstorm like this one can do damage to more than motorcycles and other vehicles. It can harm one of the most critical exterior components of your home – the roof. Once hail reaches the diameter of a penny it can start denting roofs and causing other property damage. Larger hail can smash windows and seriously damage roofs.
Once the storm has passed and it is safe to get on the roof, you will need to assess if there has been any damage to your roof. It does not matter if your roof is asphalt shingles, metal, or flat, hail can harm it. We do not suggest you get on your roof, so the best way to check for any damage is to contact your Daytona Beach roofer Astro Roofing. We are a local, best rated roofing contractor that has multiple years of experience and knowledge with all types of roofing. We are a quality roofer in Daytona Beach that has experience working on insurance claims, and you may need to make a claim if a large storm has damaged your roof.
The type of potential damage that your Astro Roofing contractor will look for will depend on the type of roof you have:
Shingles
- Small dents in your metal flashing, valleys, and roof vents. The metal components of the roofing system are just as important as the shingles.
- Missing shingles? Are any shingles torn or lifted?
- Divots or dimples in your shingles. If you find dimples in your shingles, push on them to feel if they offer any give. Look for cracks in the shingles which means the shingle has been compromised.
- If your shingles are showing a lot of black substrate, that means the protective granules have been knocked off. Loss of protective granules often collect in gutters and downspouts so we will check there.
- Exposed nails
- Leaking roof or shingles on the ground
Flat Commercial Roofs
- Complete or partial blow off
- Loose or unattached Insulation showing
- Membrane attachment is compromised.
- Fasteners are exposed.
- Any border or edge metals lifted or bent.
- Leaking flat roof
Metal Roof
- Metal roofing generally fares better, but hail damage is still possible with larger size hail.
- Denting is the most common type of damage. Dents may affect the appearance of the metal roof, but usually will not compromise its performance. The two most important factors determining dents are the dent resistance of the steel and its thickness. If you are a candidate for frequent hail, thicker is always better.
- Watch for rust around hail dented areas. These areas could leak over time.
- If the storm is severe enough, check for any punctures in the metal.
- The most common damage is likely to occur on end and eave trim, seams, hip and ridge caps, and where any steel panel edges join up.
It’s wise to seriously consider the professional assessment of your roof’s condition. Shingles and other types of roof damage can easily turn into leaks, mold damage or rotting wood. None of these are inexpensive to repair once they have progressed. Staying on top of this will save you thousands of dollars in future repairs.
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