Everything You Need to Know About Hail Damage to Your Roof
Some homeowners may wonder if their roof was damaged after a hailstorm. Hail can damage property including roof tiles. Hail size, density, pressure, frequency, speed, impact, wind speed, and roof tile vulnerability are all factors that can affect the extent of damage caused.
How does hail affect roof tile materials?
Roofing materials that are completely hail-resistant are rare, but some are considered hail-resistant. The Australian Roofing Tiles Association (ARTA) and James Cook University (JCU) conducted tests on the impact of hail on concrete roofing tiles and sheet metal roofs.
Concrete roof tiles are effective against moderate-sized hailstones and are able to withstand their repeated impacts with little to no damage. Tests at JCU showed that of the 21 concrete roof tiles tested, hailstones (3.5 cm in diameter) struck repeatedly at different locations on the concrete roof tiles at different velocities without causing damage. Only larger, less common hailstones (6 cm in diameter or larger) caused some damage to some concrete roof tiles.
Regular-sized hail can damage sheet metal roofs. Larger diameter (6 cm or larger) hailstones can cause considerable damage to sheet metal. Tests showed that 4/5 of the metal panels showed damage, 3/5 showed medium sized dents and 2/5 showed small sized dents. Repeated impacts can cause the sheet metal to peel off its protective coating, allowing it to further corrode and crack after future hail damage. Roofing materials such as asphalt shingles and slate are less effective against hail.
What is the frequency of hail?
The occurrence of hail varies by region and season. Several hailstorms have affected Australia's capital cities over the past few decades. Severe hailstones consisting of hailstones larger than 2cm in diameter (such as the 1999 Sydney hailstorm - the worst hailstorm in Australian history) can cause significant roof damage and may require roof repairs.
How to recognize hail damage?
If hail has affected your roof, there are a few things you can do. You can try to determine what material your roof is made of, as this can affect the visibility of hail damage. Sheet metal roofs may experience significant or minor dents and paint loss from hail. However, this may vary depending on the pitch of your sheet metal roof. Visible dents can cause water or dirt to leak or corrode from the roof. In an unlikely event, concrete roof tiles were damaged by a rare large hailstorm, causing significant impact and possible cracks. This is because concrete roof tiles hold up well against hail.
However, it might be a good idea to check for leaks or loose roof tiles nearby. You can contact a roofing contractor to assess if the hail damage is severe or if there are other problems with your roof. This is a good opportunity to prevent recurring problems and prevent possible future problems.
