North Carolina Hailstorm Damages Many Homes: 5 Hidden Signs That Hail Could Be A Big Problem For You Too

North Carolina isn’t a stranger to hail, yet many homeowners weren’t aware of the damaging effects that hail can have on the roofs of their homes. Many homeowners in Charlotte, North Carolina recently learned this the hard way.

As the recent hail storm passed, many Charlotte residents became alert to damage done to cars or sidewalks, and they became distracted with those fixes—most figured their roofs are fine if they aren’t leaking.

After interviewing roofing experts in the area, we found out that roofs damaged in hailstorms will eventually take a turn for the worse. An employee from a local insurance company shared that most homeowners don’t even know that their roof was been damaged until it’s too late for insurance to cover it. Hail damage to roofs can take years until they suddenly start leaking.

You need have your roof inspected for damage soon after a storm so it’s easier to connect the damage to the weather. Insurance companies will be more likely to cover the costs of damage before it’s an expensive problem.

If you don’t catch the problem early on, you may have a serious headache to deal with when your roof starts leaking and causing even more damage. Insurance companies will often refuse to cover the needed repairs since it is out of a years’ time or can’t be pinpointed on a hail storm.

It is important that homeowners catch the damage to their roofs before it’s ever a big problem.

How can you know if your roof has been damaged by a hail? Simple prevention and foreknowledge will save you a lot of money.

5 Hidden signs that point to hail damaged roofs:

Notice any dents, breaks, cracks, and damage on cars, pool covers, metal flashing, gutters, garages, and other noticeable areas? You should definitely call a roof inspector. Just because dents on gutters isn’t exactly roof damage, doesn’t mean your roof doesn’t need to be looked at.
Check vinyl trim around your windows and the ac unit for dents. These are softer materials that will show wear and tear on a roof even if the roof doesn’t look too bad.
Granular substances filling your gutter? These pebble-like materials are mineral granules from your roof. Though these might not always mean that you need to replace your roof, they are a warning sign.
Sealing strip damage can be the most sinister issue, as it can be hard to spot. When the wind is blowing, and it lifts the shingles, it will also break the sealing strip that keeps out water. However, after the storm, the shingles settle back into place and most homeowners will never know. It can take a few years for it to even start leaking. But by that time the damage costs are far too high.
Hail damage is hard to differentiate from normal wear and tear, and it usually take a professional eye to make a claim to an insurance agency. Hail damage is categorized into bruising, granule loss, edge removal, wood splitting, and fracture of the asphalt underlayment part on the roof. Not many homeowners can tell when hail is the cause of roof damage or know when to make file a claim or get repairs. It’s important to find a reliable roofing company.

What to do after a storm or if you notice hail damage:

Do a self-check. Take pictures and notes of the damages you notice.
Get a roofing contractor to check out your roof professionally. Most insurance companies will not cover damage that hasn’t been verified by a professional. We worked out a deal with Power Home Roofing to offer our readers a deal of $0 cost inspection and $500 rebates towards getting your roof fixed (more info below).
File an insurance claim and repair with a contractor. There are ways to DIY your roof, but there may be some insurance discrepancies. Talk to your insurance company about your options.

Whatever you do, don’t put off inspection. Hail damage takes a while to show its true face, and by then it may be too late.

North Carolina’s Power Home Roofing is offering a special deal for the community right now. For $0 cost to homeowners, they’ll come out and inspect roofs for any damage. They are also offering $500 rebates towards fixing your roof. You can call them at 888-738-7710 or follow this link here to get the deal.

*Update: After reading this article, Power Home asked if I could put one of their forms on here to make it easy to get the rebate if roof repairs are needed. To make it easier for you, we decided to go ahead and include the form.