Can Hail Damage Be Fixed?

North Texas is increasingly becoming known for the severity of its hailstorms, especially around this time of year. Most homeowners jump to the conclusion that when they see a lot of large hailstones landing in their backyard, it means a total roof replacement. And, many times it does. But not always. In some cases, hail damage is repairable, but it depends on a variety of factors. With decades serving the communities of Frisco, Plano, Southlake and throughout North Dallas, the team at Peak Roofing & Construction has seen it all. When you experience hail damage on your roof in the Dallas area, trust the expertise at Peak to give you an honest estimate.

Roof maintenance and bad construction

Poorly maintained roofs are always going to be more susceptible to damage of any kind, especially hail. For instance, if flashings are already rusting prior to a storm, the fact they are weak results in greater damage. Newer, high-quality, well-maintained components naturally withstand more impact. Unfortunately, if the company that installed your existing roof did a poor job or used sub-standard materials, there’s simply not much that can be done until the roof is replaced.

Hail density

North Texas sees an amazing number of small hailstorms. In March, we had several storms that sounded more like a hard rain until you looked outside and saw the evidence. When there is small hail that seems to dump from the sky quickly, it rarely results in significant damage. Unfortunately, it also means the opposite is true and large, dense hail pummeling onto any roof surface may cause enough damage to require replacement.

High winds

High winds come with a harsh bite capable of doing their own types of damage. But when paired up with decent-sized hailstones, the two pack an extremely damaging punch, especially to the average asphalt shingle. It’s not unusual at all to see where hailstones have punctured all the way through every layer of a shingle down to the underlayment. In fact, two years ago, in neighborhoods like Frisco, Allen, and Flower Mound, we saw this on almost every house we inspected.

Severity and length of storm

Hailstorms that go as fast as they came often result in repairable damage. This is because it’s ultimately the number of hard strikes to your roof that determine the level of damage. It’s the longer, sustained hailstorms that literally beat-up a roof to the point of replacement.

Roofing material

I’ve covered this in different ways in past blogs but the material on your roof does play a huge role in repair versus replacement. Steel coated metal and concrete tile are going to be the toughest contenders when fighting hail damage. On the far other side, thin metal roofing and true slate are going to take the biggest aesthetic beating, like the cars you see with huge dents. Asphalt roofing absorbs impact well and that’s one of the reasons it’s so popular along with its low price point. If the ability to fend-off hail damage is a priority for you, it should be discussed with your roofer before replacing your existing roof.

Repair or replace?

The first step is to get an inspection by a reputable roofer. Unscrupulous roofers always go for the replacement for the obvious reason they make more money. My recommendation is if you do not find reviews online that talk about a company’s roof repairs or they don’t talk about repair as an option for minimal to moderate damage, you should be concerned. Honest companies, like Peak Roofing & Construction, are going to suggest what is best for the customer. If only a repair is necessary, that is what will be recommended. Having a roofer you can trust goes a long way in knowing your investment is in good hands.

About Peak Roofing & Construction

Peak Roofing & Construction is family-owned, with 30-years of experience. Bonded, insured and accredited, we provide roofing, gutter, fence, window and exterior facelift services. Guaranteed. Call (972) 335-7325 in Dallas-Fort Worth (residential & commercial) or 281-290-7325 in Houston (commercial roofing).