Hailstorms most often hit the Midwest in the spring, but it’s best to be prepared for hail damage to your flat roof at any time. Here’s what hail damage can look like on a flat roof, the effects of hailstones on a flat roof, and how Duerson can help prevent and repair harm to your roof.
Inspect Your Roof as Soon as Possible After a Storm
Have your roof inspected as soon as you can after a hail storm to find and fix damage before it becomes a more costly problem.
We suggest regular inspections of your flat roof so you can easily compare the condition of your roof after a severe storm. That way, you can document the date of damage so you know whether the damage was already present or not before the storm.
Any storm—even one without hail—can harm a flat roof. The sooner and more frequently you inspect your roof after a storm, the better you can avoid leak damage.
What Does Hail Damage Look Like On a Flat Roof?
Hail damage can be noticeable, such as resulting in roof leakage, or it can be unnoticeable and require a trained eye to spot. Dents are the most common signs of damage, but rooftop equipment (like commercial HVAC units) or weathered down roofing membranes that are not designed to withstand too much weight or force can also suffer the effects of hail.
Hailstones can dent or break the ridge on top of the roof (if your commercial roof is a low-sloped roof), and they can also crack roof tiles or chip the edges off. Hail may bruise and crack the covers or even sweep away some parts or pieces of the roof.
The damage to your commercial roof can also depend on the type of flat roof membrane your building has:
- PVC Membranes: hail damage often appears as semicircle patterns or cracks in the membrane.
- EPDM Membranes: check after a hailstorm for membrane cracks.
- Built-Up Roof (BUR) Membranes: hail can loosen the gravel and damage the asphalt beneath it.
- Metal: hail will cause scratch marks and dents that tear off coating materials, which can lead to rust and more denting over time.
Call Duerson to perform a roof inspection. We can help you determine the extent of the damage you may be dealing with and advise you on how to proceed with repairs.
How Can Hail Damage a Flat Roof?
The size of the hailstones can determine the extent of the damage to the roof. Large hailstones of about two and a half inches in diameter (or the size of a tennis ball) can cause leaks, break car windows, and even damage crops.
Golf ball-sized stones can harm the painting on the exterior of a building and cause dents on cars, while walnut-sized hailstones will make a roof leak and cause dents on wood. Larger hailstones like these are dense enough to cause leaks regardless of the roof type or age of roofing.
Make Duerson Your First Call After an Iowa Hailstorm
Give yourself the peace of mind that your flat roof is in the best hands by calling Duerson Corporation after a storm. Our skilled roof technicians will come out to perform a detailed roof analysis, take pictures of the current condition of your roof, and provide an evaluation of the damage. Then we can get to work repairing your roof quickly and with minimal disturbance. Give us a call today for more information on hailstorm repairs!