Damage to the roof is hard to avoid due to its constant exposure to numerous destructive factors. These causes might come from nature including wind, weather and corrosion; it may come from humans by way of foot traffic or improper installation. Roofing problems that may occur are impossible to prevent if all of these causes are not properly addressed. One impossible-to-prevent disaster that can cause severe destruction to the roofing system is hail storms.
Hail can wreak havoc on various structures due to the strong impact it has when it strikes; it even has the potential to cause fatalities. Small to medium-sized hail stones have the potential to cause quite a bit of damage. The answer as to how to prevent potential damage lies in the material used for the roof itself. That is why it is important to install impact-resistant roofing.
Impact-Resistant Roofs
This type of material is one of the latest options for both commercial and residential building applications. In the United States, billions of dollars in insurance checks are paid out annually due to hail and wind damage. For this reason, many manufacturers of building materials have developed impact-resistant products to resist the structural destruction of strong winds and ice storms. All impact-resistant materials meet the criteria set forth by the Underwriter Laboratories (UL) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Passing the Standard
Any breakthrough of new material must be evaluated by the Underwriter Laboratories (UL). This testing and certification (UL 2218) is conducted to examine and ensure that the elements can resist wind uplift and solid structure impact. These tests are performed by dropping steel balls of varying sizes (1.25 in. to 2.0 in.) directly onto the most vulnerable spots which are the corners, joints, and edges of the samples from heights ranging from 12 feet to 20 feet. These sample areas should not show any evidence of cracking, rupturing, splitting, fracturing, or tearing. The rating depends on how the material performs in resisting the impact of the falling steel balls. The most resistive materials will carry a Class IV rating, which signifies that it has the ability to resist the impact of high speed winds and ice storms.
Defying Damage under Stress
Due to advances in technology that have been successfully developed, there are now impact-resistant material being sold on the market that protects houses from the physical damage caused by falling hail stones, high speed winds, and flying debris. These elements used in roof coverings include asphalt shingles, tiles, wood shakes, slate, synthetic rubber or EPDM, and metals. These materials are classified according to the degree of resistance, Class I to IV, Class IV being the highest resistance.
Hail Damage Prevention
There are many ways to prevent a roof from incurring any kind of destructive impact that may be caused by damaging weather. First, ensure that the material used on the housetop has a Class IV rating. Then determine the right type of material to use that is suitable for the environment in which the house will be located. Third, contact a professional roofer to ensure that all material used for the roof will provide efficient protection.
Hail storms can cause potential damage to roofs especially if water is able to penetrate through the damaged area and starts to leak into the interior parts of the house. Certainly, a challenging part of taking care of a roof that has been damaged due to destructive weather is determining how to stop a leak from getting inside the house. With adequate preparation and a proactive approach, these harmful elements should be easily handled. The best protection when attempting to prevent the sometimes impossible-to-avoid damage is to: ensure the home is covered by proper insurance coverage; install impact-resistant roofing; and call upon a reliable roofer to help handle the job!
Are you looking for a roofer Houston to make your roof more protected against hail storms? Schulte Roofing is the firm that can handle any Houston area roofing needs!