The roof is not just the crowning glory of your home.
It serves to keep your house strong, dry and safe. Your roof is the first line of defense against unpredictable weather conditions, such as extreme heat, snow, rain — and hail.
Hail forms when wind updrafts are strong enough to carry drops of water high up, above the freezing level. A hailstone forms. And as it gains mass, it falls to the ground.
During a thunderstorm, hail drifts up and grows in size. Updrafts may cause more droplets in the air and hail can expand quickly. However, if the crystals move fast, they may hardly have time to grow.
As hail is growing, the molecules are active and produce some heat. In this case, the outer layer of the hailstone remains liquid. Once they grow too heavy and begin to descend, the hail may continue to increase in size.
When hail crystals meet super-cooled droplets (below freezing) and get larger, this is called “wet growth.” This process happens slowly and makes clear and dense hail.
“Dry growth” is when even colder droplets freeze on contact with the hailstone, leaving no time for air molecules to escape, causing the ice to appear cloudy or white. This hail is less dense and usually breaks upon impact.
Once hail has grown to an inch or more in diameter, it can cause serious damage when it hits down. Chances are that after a hailstorm you have found dings in cars, broken windows and dents in house siding.
Hail wreaks havoc with roof shingles, too. It can damage shingles, causing the granules to shed or pieces to break off and fall to the ground. Sometimes you may notice small, round shadows on the roof — dents from hailstones.
After a serious hailstorm, it’s a wise idea to have a professional roofing company inspect your roof. We follow strict safety protocol and know what signs of damage to look for. We do the climbing and then provide you with photos of your roof’s condition.
A well-maintained roof is an essential home investment. It enhances your home’s appearance, and it also protects you from potential weather damage.