Hail Season 2020: An Update from Your Local Roof Advisor
With hail season being in full swing, Northern Colorado, the Hail Capital of Colorado, has a higher probability of being hit by a storm this season. Ranging from mild to severe, as we have seen in the past. However, the question is from many homeowners is, when the hail strikes when should I consider having my roof inspected? This is a common and oftentimes difficult question to answer. Hail is a unique form of severe weather and can cause damages based on several factors. However, the most common factors to consider are the size of the hail, the density, and wind speed.
HAIL SIZE
First, we need to consider hail size. The general rule of thumb is that hail, nickel size or larger, has the ability to cause damage to your roof. You can see below the ranges of hail size and where you should start to consider having a roofer out to do an inspection.
Photo Credit: NOAA https://www.weather.gov/pbz/reports
DENSITY
The next component to consider is the density of the hail. This is where, in some cases, size can be thrown out the window. If the hail has an ice type feel to it (denser), this may still cause damage if smaller than nickel size hail. However, if the hail is soft, wet, almost crumbles when you pick at it (less dense), it’s unlikely it caused damage. This factor has a significant amount of science that goes into it, so if that’s something that interests you we recommend checking out this paper: Grapuel Hail Density Lecture.
WIND
The final component that can impact whether hail will do damage to your roof is wind speed. As we know, wind in Northern Colorado, especially east of I-25 can be powerful. So, if there is a combination of strong winds with hail that is smaller than nickel size there is a chance that damage has been done to your roof.
DAMAGE IS NOT ALWAYS VISIBLE
One last factor, that is often not front of mind, but is important to consider is that you may not see hail damage from the ground. Some storms where there are not large hailstones that hit your roof it’s going to require someone with a trained eye to give your roof a true assessment.
So, even after considering these factors, it’s ultimately going to come down to your concerns as a homeowner. If after taking into consideration all of the items discussed in this article and you still have concerns, it doesn’t hurt to have a roofing company out for an inspection. At Harmony Roofing we offer complimentary inspections and as a homeowner ourselves, we know how important it is to have that peace of mind knowing your roof is safe. It never hurts to have an inspection, especially when it’s a local trusted roof advisor.