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[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”2/3″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-left”]The Handy Hepper Guide to Dealing With Hail Damage

While not the American epicenter for hail storms in the United States Tennessee does receive its fair share of those nasty roof destroying Ice Pellets. If a hail storm comes through your area it’s important to have a roof inspection done as quickly as possible. Actual damage to your roof after a hail storm lies on a spectrum. A lot of large sized hail will cause a lot of damage, but even a little bit of hail can cause damage to your roof, and the damage it causes is not always obvious. If your house is struck by any hail we suggest you follow our Handy Hepper’s guide to dealing with a hail storm.

1st Sign you Have a Problem

Seeing the effects of hail damage to a roof is not always obvious, but if you have an experienced eye and are comfortable on a ladder, then looking for the three biggest markers of hail damage yourself is a good first step. If you don’t feel comfortable on a ladder or if you don’t think you could properly identify what hail damage looks like then you can always call HEP Services at (865) 234-0501, because we always offer free inspections after hail storms hit an area.

The 3 Major Signs of Hail Damage (Shingle)

1. Bruising can be the hardest to spot. If there is a large amount of damage it will present as a dent in the shingle, but sometimes the damage is more subtle, if you can’t tell if a particular area is bruised press on it with your finger to see if it has any give. If it does you might not have a problem.

2. Cracking: This could only be one shingle, but its presence is a bad sign and can indicate that your entire roof is vulnerable.

3. Check for granules missing from asphalt

There are other types of roof damage causes by hail and shingle roofs specifically are susceptible to “Hidden” damage that is not always noticeable. Missing Granules are a subtle but sure sign that your roof is damaged.

Signs of Hail Damage (Metal Roofing)

1. Dents are more commonly found on ridge caps and flashing. Even if you don’t have a metal roof many shingle roofs have metal in these areas.

2. Chipped Coatings

2. Assess the Problem

At this stage you will want to involve both your insurance provider or the warranty company that covers your roof, and a local qualified roofing contractor. Most roofs have some sort of protection against the damages of hail. If you have already contacted your insurance agency and your roof is not covered Don’t Panic there are other options.

Once you have contacted your insurance or warranty company they will want you to get in contact with a local roofing contractor to give them an estimate on the total cost of repair or replacement to the roof. Some insurance or warranty companies will try to send out their own contractors to assess the damage. It is important to remember that these contractors work for the insurance company and not you, and there are very few cases where you are contractually required to use a specific contractor. We highly recommend that you have an independent contractor like Hep assess the damage to your roof. We work for you, and we fight for repairs on your behalf.

3. Sign a Contract and Get Your Roof Repaired ASAP

This is the easy step, once a contract is signed hep will take care of everything else. We will come out and repair or replace your roof in no time and we assure you that there will be minimal effects on your life.

Things to watch out for

Hiring a storm chaser is a bad idea. You could likely end up with a roof that is lower quality than the one you already have, and in the worst situation you end up with workmanship so shoddy it has to be completely redone. For more information on how bad an idea it is to use a storm chaser I recommend you read this article from Angie’s List. (Roofing Scam: The Storm Chaser)

To avoid a storm chaser make sure that the company you are hiring has a local office and a customer support division that can assist you if something goes wrong with your roof.[/cs_text][cs_text class=”cs-ta-left”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-left”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-left”][cs_text class=”cs-ta-left”][/cs_column][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/3″ style=”padding: 0px;”][x_widget_area sidebar=”sidebar-main” ][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]