Roof Tips: Preparing for Spring Hail

Hail causes millions of dollars in damages to homes across the nation every year. Hail is one of the elements Mother Nature is in control of, so while you can’t control hail from coming and doing damage to your home, you can help reduce the amount of damage that it does by having your home prepared for it. By weatherproofing your home against hail in advance, you could reduce the amount of any damage costs and insurance claims. Roofs are the elements of homes that are most susceptible to damage during a hailstorm, so paying particular attention to your roof and possible hazards to it are essential for protecting your home against a hailstorm. Read more from Kidd Roofing, a roofing company based in Austin, Texas, and how they can help you prepare for the potentially dangerous season ahead.

Trees

One of the most damaging elements of hail storms is that they have the tendency to knock down tree branches onto your home. Any low-lying tree branches or other tree branches that look like they could break should be cut back and removed. Doing this regularly can help ensure that when a hailstorm does hit, you aren’t caught off guard and having to deal with tree branches that have needed to be cut falling onto your roof and causing damage. Because hail is denser than rain and lands with more force than rain, it is more likely to crack tree branches, making them fall. Getting rid of tree branches that could damage your home in the event of a hailstorm can greatly reduce your risk of incurring damages.

Roofs

Make sure that your roof is in optimum condition at all times. Repair any places that are already damaged, and repair places that look like they could potentially damage. Problems areas that look susceptible and fragile to damage should be repaired as soon as possible to minimize the effects of any other damages that occur. Plus, repairing damages in small increments can be more affordable and hassle-free than repairing many damages all at once. Another measure that you might want to take to protect your roof is to consider installing shingles that have been rated as Class 3 or 4 shingles. These types of shingles are built sturdier so that they can withstand harsher hail damage. Alternatively, homeowners might want to consider installing polymer roofs on their homes. Roofs constructed of polymer are made to withstand hail and other elements. Plus, they are even fire retardant and feature UV stabilizers.

Determining the type of roof that you have can also affect how well your roof can withstand any hail damage. Hail can sometimes be the precedent for worse weather like a tornado or strong winds. Triangular-shaped roofs are considered to be the weakest types of roofs for maintaining their structure against strong winds. These types of roofs might need to be reinforced to make them more prepared for any upcoming storms. Reinforcing a roof can be done by simply using a few two-by-four pieces of wood to add more structure to a faulty roof. Many homeowners can reinforce their roofs themselves. However, others might not feel comfortable or skillful enough to do so and might want to consider hiring the services of professional roofers to do the tasks for them.

Although nature’s elements are beyond your control, preparing your home for them is not. By examining your roof and yard for any potential problem areas and addressing them, you can make your home more prepared for hailstorms and minimize any potential damages.

Kidd Roofing, based in Austin and Dallas, Texas, are highly experienced when it comes to roof repair after a hail storm. Check out their Google+ and Facebook pages for more information.