Roof hail damage in Wellington looks different on different roofing materials. And, the damage isn’t always obvious, especially from the ground. In this post, we share, with pictures, what obvious roof hail damage looks like on popular roofing materials used here in Colorado. If you’ve recently been hit by a hail storm, contact us for a free, no-obligation inspection and estimate. We will inspect your roof, completely free of charge, and let you know if there’s any damage (or if there isn’t!)
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles are fairly durable, some more than others. This image shows hail damage to 3-tab shingles. These shingles are often the least expensive and the least durable. Most 3-tab shingles are not impact resistant. As a result, they also don’t last as long as other, higher-quality shingles. It should be noted that impact resistant is not impact proof. We have replaced new impact resistant shingles due to hail damage.
It’s easy to spot severely hail-damaged asphalt shingles. When large hail stones strike asphalt shingles, they expose the asphalt below the granules. Granules help protect the shingles from ultraviolet radiation, as well as from rain, snow, and hail. Where granules are missing, your shingles are missing this first line of defense. Without these granules, asphalt shingles deteriorate prematurely.
Wood Shake
When a large hail stone strikes a wood shingle or shake roof, they can crack or splinter, or even shatter, such as in this photo. Shattered wood shingles in this photo is where very large or dense hail stones struck. Wood shake roofs are among the shortest-lived, at around 30 years, even if treated and regularly maintained. They are susceptible to mold and rot. This is because they hold moisture. Wood roofs are also flammable, which is why they should be avoided in our low-humidity environment. If you want that wood shake look, but don’t want the disadvantages of real wood, checkout these alternatives! You might also be interested in viewing these stone-coated metal shingles we installed for a customers of ours in Greeley. From a distance, they look like wood shake, but up-close, you can tell something’s different. The advantages of metal over wood is that it lasts longer, is less expensive in the long term, and is recyclable in our area.
Standing Seam Metal Roof
When large hail stones hit standing seam roofs, it can dent the metal. This is often not really a problem, other than a visual one. However, if the hail stones are large enough, it can crack the metal panels. This photo is of an older standing seam metal roof. Even though dents are visible, it is still a fully-functioning roof.
Metal roofing is one of the most durable steep-sloped roofing materials. Our customers can expect 70 years or more out of our standing seam metal roofing panels. Metal roofing panels are also the coolest in that they help lower your Summer utility bill. This is particularly important as our Summers are getting hotter. Another nice thing about metal roof is that it’s recyclable in our area, unlike asphalt shingles. What’s more, metal roofing often ends-up costing the least in the long run. This is because it lasts so much longer than other, less expensive roofing options.
If you’re interested in a roof that helps cool your home, costs less, and lasts longer, contact us for a free estimate.
Stone-Coated Metal Shingles
When large hail strikes stone-coated metal shingles, they, too, can lose their granules, exposing the asphalt beneath. A sign of hail-damaged stone-coated metal shingles is black spots on your roof. As with asphalt shingles, these black spots are exposed asphalt. Hit enough times or with a large enough object, metal shingles can dent and crack. Missing granules on metal shingles isn’t as much of an emergency as with asphalt shingles. The granules on metal shingles is more for aesthetics than it is for protection.
Because of their metal foundation, stone-coated metal shingles and tiles are among the most durable steep-sloped roofing material. You can expect 70 years or more out of them, if properly installed.
Clay Roofing Tiles
Clay roofing tiles are somewhat fragile. They easily break and shatter from hail. In fact, our clay roofing tile manufacturer does not offer Class 4 impact resistant clay roofing tiles. For this reason, clay roofing is not recommended. A better alternative, if you like the barrel look of clay tiles, is concrete or stone-coated steel. These alternatives last much longer and are less expensive than clay tiles.
Concrete Roofing Tiles
Concrete roofing tiles are more durable than clay tiles. They can still break. However, not often from hail. Concrete roofing tiles more often break from foot traffic. Still, concrete roofing tiles are a great investment. For one, they look great – they resemble real wood shake or stone slate or clay barrels. Also, they’re recyclable in area, unlike asphalt shingles. Although they’re the most expensive steep-sloped roofing material initially, they are low-cost in the long-run. This is because they last so long. Concrete roofing tiles often last 70+ years.
Now that you know what roof hail damage in Wellington looks like, if you see any of the above signs, contact us for a free inspection and estimate.