Other than a tornado, nothing can do as much serious roof damage as quickly as a hail storm. Unfortunately the Pacific Northwest does get hail throughout the year. Is there any way to protect your roof against this treat? Of course, if you already have damage you should call your local Beaverton, OR roofer. Otherwise, here is what you should know about hail damage.
Insurance and Hail Damage
According to Claims Journal, an online industry magazine for insurance companies, hail damage claims have nearly doubled over the past few years. There are all kinds of meteorological theories as to why this is, but for homeowners it amounts to one thing—making sure your insurance policy covers the damage.
The best way to ensure you are insured is to check before any damage is done. Get specific about your policy. Ask if hail damage to a roof is covered, but don’t stop there. Also find out what is acceptable proof that roof damage was caused by hail. It can get ugly fighting with an insurance company who does not feel that the roof damage is hail related.
To help your cause, make sure to call your roofer right after a hail storm. Waiting too long can cost you. If you do not know there is damage for a while, and file a claim several weeks or months later, when the rain is starting to get in through those cracks the hail caused, insurance companies will have a difficult time accepting the damage was done by the long-ago hail storm.
How Does Roofing Hold up under Hail?
There are hail-resistant roofing materials out there. For example, some manufacturers make hail resistant roof tiles. Metal roofing generally holds up pretty well. Wood shingles, which are very common on houses in this area, will often depend on age. If the materials are old and have seen many years, or decades, of weather, the roof may suffer cracked or loose shingles after a hail storm. On older roofs the water-proofing sealant may also be damaged by some hard-hitting hail.
On businesses with a single-ply membrane applied the damage may be minimal, depending on the size of the hail. The good new with this kind of roof protection is that if there is a breach in the roofing, it is obvious.
In the end, the best you can do is check your coverage before a storm hits and schedule a roof inspection as soon after a hail storm as possible. For estimates on hail damage or any other Beaverton, OR roofing concern, contact the Beaverton roofers you trust!