Living in Colorado means we’re all too familiar with the reality of our properties sustaining hail damage, with the state taking the grand prize for hail capital of the nation in 2018. And things aren’t much better now, with Colorado recording the second-highest number of hail damage claims in the country for the last three years.

Once a hailstorm has passed, it’s crucial to check your roofing for hail damage, as this is the part of our homes that sustains the majority of the impact. The amount of roofing damage will depend on the severity of the storm, and spotting hail damage can be a little difficult to an untrained eye. So here are six ways to spot hail damage on a roof from the professionals here at GreenPoint Roofing.

#1 Bruising on Your Roof

Bruising, which is characterized by dark spots, is a telltale sign of roofing hail damage. Bruising is probably the most common form of hail damage. They can be cosmetic or structurally damaging, depending on the severity of the hailstorm and size of the hailstones.

#2 Hail Damage to Shingles

Aside from bruising to your roof, hail can crack your roof’s shingles and lead to bare spots and tears in your roof, which will leave your home vulnerable to the elements. A cracked shingle can’t protect your home from external threats, so if this is the case, then your roof needs to be repaired. 

#3 Weakened Self-Seal Strip

The seal that keeps your shingles attached to your roof can also be damaged by hail or strong winds. This can result in shingles blowing off of your roof, leaving your property’s roof exposed to the elements. Not only can this cause leaks in your roof, but it also further damage to the shingles around the ones that have blown off.

#4 Granule Loss on Your Roof

Granule loss on your roof means that the sandpaper-like particles on the shingle fall away and what you’re left with is the asphalt coating of the exposed shingle. The granules act as a protective layer on top of the asphalt coating, and without them, your shingles will age much more quickly. Check your gutters and downspouts to see if any granules have come off your shingles during a hailstorm.

#5 Holes in Your Roof

An obvious indicator of hail damage on a roof is if your roof is left with holes in it. This happens in only the most extreme cases, and it’s hard to miss if this does happen to you. In these cases, the damage would be so severe that you would need to get your insurance claim started as soon as possible to limit any further damage to your property. We can help you with this process. 

Holes in your roof can cause leaks, meaning that your roof isn’t doing its job of keeping your property dry and protected from the elements. You might not even know that your roof has a leak until it’s developed into a far worse problem that requires a full roof replacement. 

While you might think that looking at the roof itself is enough to check for hail damage or leaks, another way to make sure you don’t have any leakage is from inside your house.

Getting up into your attic is the best way to figure out the state of your roof. If there is light coming through the roof, then that’s an indication that you’ve sustained some damage and there is room for rain to get into your home.

#6 Gutter Damage

The other structures around your roof can also sustain hail damage, so if you have damage here, it’s likely that your roof will also be damaged to an extent. For example, gutter damage can look like dented gutters or damaged gutter screens, and can be caused by direct impact with hail. 

It’s Not Easy to Spot Minor Hail Damage

While you can spot hail damage on a roof with these tips, there are certain signals of hail damage on a roof that an untrained eye simply won’t be able to see, so it’s best to leave it up to the professionals. Things like a fractured fiberglass mat won’t be obvious, but if left damaged, can be detrimental to the integrity of your roof and cause problems further down the road. They can be damaged and cracked by direct impact by a large hailstone.  

Why Choose GreenPoint Roofing for Hail Damage on a Roof?

With around 130,000 hail claims made annually in the state of Colorado, hailstorms are an all-too-common household problem to deal with. Naturally, there are a lot of roofing contractors in Colorado. From minor damage to whole roof repairs, whatever the problem, you’ll want to go with someone you can trust.

The harsh reality is that there are a lot of contractors out there who will take advantage of homeowners in a jam after a hailstorm and end up delivering a sub-par service for a premium price. We know how difficult it can be to choose a trustworthy contractor, which is why transparency is at the heart of what we do. From our double accreditations as trusted contractors in Colorado to our lifetime workmanship warranty on all shingled roofs, the facts speak for themselves. If there are any issues with workmanship for the entire time our roofs are on a house, we will fix the problem at no cost to the homeowner. In addition, we offer a free upgrade to Class IV Impact Resistant shingles on all insurance claim shingled roof replacements. Class IV shingles are more resistant to hail damage. This type of shingle will not only help protect you against future hail storms, but it will also most likely lower your homeowner’s insurance premiums.

We can also help facilitate the homeowner insurance claim in its entirety, including all trades besides roofing such as painting, windows, solar, and siding, as well as free, obligation-free inspections and estimates.

So if you’re in need of a repair as a result of roof hail damage, just get in touch with our friendly team today.