Hailstorms – What To Do

hailstorms weather colorado rain hail roof damage home

Most hailstorms that hit the Colorado Springs area are pea-sized and aren’t severe enough to cause damage. In general, hailstones that are nickel-size and larger will cause damage to a typical roof. A telltale sign of a severe hailstorm is an accumulation of bitumen granules, or the small rock-like material that covers a shingle, at each gutter downspout.

If a hailstorm hits your neighborhood and you see signs of large hailstones, dents in your gutters, etc., call Cricket Roofing for a courtesy inspection BEFORE calling your insurance agent. The reason for this is that your insurance company prefers that you call a local, licensed, roofing contractor to confirm hail damage before requesting a claims adjuster visit.

Sending out a claim adjuster costs the insurer money and is recorded in their records. Too many claims in a two- or three-year period may result in higher insurance premiums OR your policy is canceled by the insurance company.

Cricket Roofing will inspect your roof and take photos of storm damage, if any and will provide you with a report stating the extent of the damage. Afterwards, Cricket Roofing will work with your insurance company to ensure that their estimate covers all damage to your home and is enough to return it to its pre-storm condition. Upon the completion of the work, Cricket Roofing will submit invoices to your insurer for the release of remaining funds, otherwise known as recoverable depreciation, and will keep you apprised of all communication with them. Think of Cricket Roofing as your personal project manager!

The main characteristics of hail damage to asphalt shingles to look out for are:

  • Random damage with no obvious pattern
  • Hailstone hits that are black in color
  • Loss of granules which may expose the shingle’s felt layer
  • Asphalt and/or fiberglass mat that appears shiny
  • Hail hits that appear to be soft

Hit with hail recently? Have questions about what else to look for? Don’t hesitate to reach out via the contact form on our site, or on FB, Instagram, or by phone.