Hail Damage Roofer For Metal Roofing

After a hail storm, you need a Hail Damage Roofer that specializes in commercial metal roofing to assess the damage.

Hail storms can be devastating. Building owners in Texas and neighboring states are all too familiar with the devastation that hailstorms can cause on commercial metal buildings. The cost of damage can go up to as high as $1 billion.

The severe damage that hailstorms cause on buildings includes destruction of the property’s exterior, shattered windows, and significant damage to the roof. If you own commercial property in Texas, you have probably seen for yourself the kind of damage that a hailstorm can cause, even if the hailstorm is not considered severe. Once the roof is damaged on your building, its ability to protect your commercial property from water is compromised.

After any kind of extreme weather condition like hail, thunderstorms, high winds, etc., you need to visually inspect your roof to determine if there are signs of damage. These include any fractures or cracks, punctures in the roof membrane, or areas that are indented. These are sure signs of damage, and you must take care of them right away.

With that said, some damage caused by hail might not be so apparent. Sometimes damage to the roof cannot be easily detected by untrained eyes. Leaks can progress for a long time without you knowing. If your walls or ceiling are discolored, or if you see water dripping down and it has not rained for weeks, the damage might have been caused by an old hailstorm.

Even if you don’t see any leaks, hail can damage the roof membrane and weaken its ability to prevent water from seeping through. The insulation beneath can also be compromised as it can dent and separate from the roofing structure. All this can cause weakness on the roofing membrane. When that happens, it is only a matter of time before more major problems develop with your roof.

Inspecting Your Roof With a Hail Damage Roofer

Follow these guidelines as you prepare to inspect your roof:

– Wear shoes that have soft soles and which fit you well
– Get a sturdy and reliable ladder
– Find another person to spot you
– Bring along some white chalk to mark the areas that are damaged
– Bring your mobile phone or camera to take pictures of the damage

Start with a visual inspection from the ground level. Walk around your property and take pictures of the immediate surroundings from various angles. You want to capture and document the aftermath of the hailstorm. Then, proceed up to the roof and look for any signs of dents, cracks, odd colors, and loose pieces of materials in the gutters.

If you are not able to inspect the roof yourself, call a commercial roofing contractor.

Hail can damage the adhesive bonding between the insulation and the membrane. Once this attachment is weakened, it will continue to deteriorate. As the years progress, another severe weather event can completely separate the membrane from the insulation. It just takes one hailstorm in the past to cause the initial damage to the bonding to result in all of the other damage years later.

Can The Roof Be Damaged By A Small Hailstorm?

How much damage your roof can sustain from hail does not only depend on the size of the hail. Small hailstones which are sharp can cause major damage. A hailstone that is less than an inch in size can damage your roof while a hailstone that is 4 inches may cause no damage. Typically, any hailstone that is one inch or larger can damage the roof in some way. Other factors that contribute to the extent of the damage include the age and condition of your roof, the substrate that is used, the intensity of the storm, and the speed and direction of the wind.

Roof Materials And Their Level of Hail Resistance

– Metal roofs: Hailstorms can cause dents.
– Ballasted roof systems: Unless they are near the end of their lifespan, they hold up well against hail.
– Sprayed foam roofs: Highly vulnerable to hail damage. Immediate inspection after a hailstorm is a must.
– PVC or TPO roofs: Damage varies by the age and thickness of the membrane, the type of substrate, and the density of the scrim
– Bitumen/Built-Up roofs: Hailstorms can break any blisters or ridges.

Steps To Take To Protect Your Commercial Property After A Hailstorm

After the storm, walk through and around your building to find signs of damage and address these problems. Then, follow these guidelines to protect your building from further damage:

– Cover your roof and car with a tarp
– Nail boards over damaged windows
– Relocate wet items to a safe and dry location

Replace or Repair After Roof Damage?

Damage from hail might not be significant at first, but it can shorten the lifespan of your roof significantly. You should inspect your roof for the following:

– Missing shingles
– Large dents or holes
– Damage to skylights and vents
– Bits of roofing material in downspouts and gutters

These types of damage must be repaired immediately or else the roof membrane will continue to deteriorate and will ultimately fail to protect your building. Consult with our roofing specialists to determine the appropriate course of action.

So, in order to mitigate problems early to ensure that your roof will continue to protect your property without fail, contact Taurus Elite Roofing for a comprehensive inspection of your roof. Taurus Elite has extensive experience in inspection, installation, and repair of commercial metal roofing systems on commercial and industrial buildings. We are trained to detect and identify all possible kinds of roof damage. If damage is identified, we will work with you and your property insurer to figure out the most suitable and cost-effective way to approach the next steps.

If you need help with hail damage on your commercial flat roof, contact Armadillo Roofing & Exteriors, which specializes in commercial flat roofing solutions.