The state of Texas is prone to severe storms, but what are you supposed to do if storm damage really does a number on your roof? This guide walks you through storm damage assessment, how to decide whether to repair or replace your roof, how to find a reliable roofer and what you should know when you work with an insurance company. It also covers regular maintenance and why it’s important to protect your roof from future storm damage.
Basics of Storm Damage: Roof Repairs, Roof Replacement and More
Storms can cause serious damage to your home, including your roof. Heavy winds, hail and falling tree branches can all cause damage to your roof, ranging from minor damage such as missing shingles to more serious structural damage. Even if storm damage doesn’t appear to be significant, it can create openings for water and other elements that could lead to problems in the future.
Related: Do I have hail damage? How to tell
Signs Your Roof Has Been Damaged by a Storm
Though it’s not always possible to tell a storm damaged roof from one that’s held up well during adverse weather, here are a few signs that your roof has been damaged by a storm:
- Your shingles are bent, cracked, broken or missing.
- You see bald spots on your shingles.
- There are dents on your shingles or flashing.
- Your flashing is loose.
- Your gutters have been torn away from your home, or they’re dented and damaged.
- Your chimney has sustained damage.
- Your fascia is damaged.
- There are leaks inside your home.
Here’s a closer look at each.
Sign #1 You Have a Storm-Damaged Roof: Your Shingles Are Bent, Cracked, Broken or Missing
During a storm, high winds and hail can cause significant damage to your shingles. In some cases, it can rip them right from your roof. The same is true with roof tiles, which can be easily damaged during stormy weather conditions.
Sign #2 You Have a Storm-Damaged Roof: You See Bald Spots on Your Shingles
Shingles have small granules on them that help them shed water. However, during a storm, these small granules can be ripped away from a shingle’s surface – and if that happens, your shingles can’t do their job. Although you may not notice slight damage to these granules, significant damage is fairly obvious. It looks like your shingles have small bald spots, and you may discover loose granules in your gutters or on the ground around your downspouts.
Related: How to tell if your roof is failing
Sign #3 You Have a Storm-Damaged Roof: There Are Dents on Your Shingles or Flashing
Hail can cause serious dents in roofing materials, just like it can dent your vehicle and home siding. If you see dents on shingles or on flashing, which is a thin, flat barrier (typically made from metal) to help waterproof protrusions on your roof, it’s likely that the rest of your roof has sustained damage, as well.
Sign #4 You Have a Storm-Damaged Roof: Your Flashing is Loose
Flashing is made to direct water away from a roof’s seams and joints, and to prevent water from getting in the openings around things like chimneys, skylights and vents. Sometimes, high winds, flying debris or hail can knock flashing loose, which puts your roof at risk for water incursion.
Sign #5 You Have a Storm-Damaged Roof: Your Gutters Have Been Torn Away From Your Home, or They’re Dented and Damaged
Like your shingles and roof tiles, your gutters have an important role to play in whisking water away from your roofing materials and your foundation. Unfortunately, the high winds and hail often associated with Texas storms can do significant damage to gutters, which are typically made from thin metal. If your gutters are clogged, pulled away from your home, or otherwise damaged, your home is at risk for leaks. Your foundation is also at risk, because gutters are supposed to carry water to a safe location – but if they’re not working properly, water can saturate the ground around your foundation.
Sign #6 You Have a Storm-Damaged Roof: Your Chimney Has Sustained Damage
It usually takes very large hail or sustained, heavy winds to damage a chimney (unless the chimney is already damaged or failing) – but when bricks begin coming loose, there are two important things to know. First, your chimney could fall and pull away roofing materials, causing your roof to leak. Second, the parts of your chimney that are knocked or blown off can damage shingles, roof tiles, flashing, vents and skylights. If this happens, you’ll need to consult with a professional right away.
Related: 7 questions you should ask your roofing contractor
Sign #7 You Have a Storm-Damaged Roof: Your Fascia is Damaged
A the term fascia refers to a board that faces outward beneath your roof’s overhang. During a storm, your homes fascia can easily be damaged by wind, debris, hail or water. One of the most common ways fascia becomes damaged during or after a storm is by way of clogged gutters. When gutters are clogged, they can’t whisk water away from your home; usually, that water sits up against the wood of the fascia, eventually causing leaks and even conditions such as wood rot.
Sign #8 You Have a Storm-Damaged Roof: There Are Leaks Inside Your Home
If you find water leaking into your home, it’s a pretty good indicator that your roof may have been damaged during a storm. Your roof is supposed to lock out all water that comes its way, so if your ceiling is dripping or gushing water that you can’t attribute to another source (such as a broken pipe), it’s time to call the professionals to evaluate your roof for storm damage. Remember, too, that sometimes a roof that’s already in a weakened condition is more susceptible to storm damage than one that’s been properly cared for.
Related: 7 questions you should ask your roofing contractor
What to Do if You Suspect a Storm-Damaged Roof
If you believe your roof has been damaged by a storm, your best bet is to get in touch with the experts at New View Roofing. Our team has decades of combined experience, and will be happy to send and a highly qualified inspector to your home to check things out. Our inspector will evaluate your roof’s integrity, whether it’s safe, and what needs to be done to get it back into top shape; they’ll provide you with a detailed report that outlines all the storm damage (as well as any preexisting damage) and talk to you about your next steps.
Do You Need to Talk to the Storm-Damaged Roof Experts at New View Roofing?
New View Roofing offers a free annual roof inspection, so if you suspect your roof has been damaged by a storm, don’t wait. We’re here to help.
Remember: Roof damage – especially if it involves water – never gets better with time. However, it can get exponentially worse very quickly. That means you can’t afford to “wait and see,” because it costs more to replace a roof than it does to make repairs. The sooner we can give your roof our full attention, the better.
Call our office today to schedule your free roof inspection.
