Colorado hail! We all know it can measure baseball size. The Denver Post published an article June 14, 2021 where they poked fun at the size of Colorado hail. “It’s baseball season in Colorado — that time of year when hail as big as a baseball plummets from the sky to shatter windshields, pummel roofs, and shred landscaping. During hail season, mid-April to mid-September, the Front Range can expect three to four major hailstorms, racking up at least $25 million per incident in insurance claims, according to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association.”
Denver weather forecasters all agree that hail is expected to continue into the winter months of 2021, says an article published by United Hail Pros. The March 2021 forecast that Denver will be wetter than normal throughout the summer, And, the rest of the state is in for the same projected weather conditions. Then, if this information is not bad enough, on July 28, 2021 Denver CBS local reported that “a late afternoon thunderstorm dropped enough hail on the Grand Mesa to make it look more like a winter wonderland.”
So, whether we want to hear it or not, Colorado’s hail season could prove to be a tough one this year, experiencing severe weather conditions, and strong storms. Unfortunately, it’s possible that global warming could increase the number of hail events. Of course, time will tell but make sure you’re insured and always be prepared to cover the house or car deductible.
Actually, if you have experienced damage from a summer hailstorm it is no laughing matter. We all try to prepare, such as pulling the car into the garage, but you cannot prep the landscaping or roof for imminent damage. If the car ends up with dings and dents there are professionals that can remedy that sad event, but the roof! That needs to be addressed quickly to prevent the escalation of problems.
Surface or Latent Damage
Surface impacts on shingles may not seem like any more than a simple problem of aesthetics, but the hail damage runs deeper than that. First of all, small, barely-visible marks may well become glaring gauges within 5 years’ time. Small indentations or hairline cracks can develop. This will allow the water to seep beneath the shingles. Moisture can evaporate back out through the shingles and cause the granules to loosen. This weakened condition will cause shingles to blow off during the next weather event.
In one of our blogs published April 2021 we discussed the ways hail affects every homeowner on Colorado.
“Severe damage” refers to immediately observable dents, cracks, and fissures, “latent damage,” references loss of granules or structural weakening of shingles. If your roof is visibly, severely damaged, you should waste no time in getting a repair. If there is latent damage, you may have a little more time to schedule and plan, but try not to wait too long. Homeowners dread roof damage because it can be expensive. Thankfully, it is often covered in most home insurance policies. Knowing the basics of how hail affects your roof’s shingles helps the homeowner to know when to file a claim.
Priority Restoration has you covered, and offers excellent services throughout the state of Colorado, from Denver to Pueblo, Boulder to Castle Rock, we are available wherever our services are needed. Call us to inspect any and all hail damage at 303-660-5133.