Hail can be an amazing and a terrifying part of nature. Hail is a part of strong storm systems that can sweep through Texas and the Austin community. Hail is caused by small shards of ice freezing high in the atmosphere. This happens at the altitude of 8,000 to 10,000 feet. Strong winds sweeping upwards carry the ice high up then it is caught by gravity and falls again. Often to be caught once more and swung aloft. With each trip up and down it collects more ice becoming larger and more dangerous. Once the weight of the hail becomes greater than the storm can lift it plummets to the ground at astonishing speeds.

The roofs that are caught in hail’s path can be damaged in varying ways depending on the size of the hail stone. Most impacts are seen as a circular shape of a dent or ding. Shingles might be pitted, lose granules or can even be broken. Very large hail stones can even damage the decking. Skylights may crack or break and  vents and gutters may show signs of damage with dents.

While we never recommend getting on your roof, there are ways to help determine if you have hail damage from the ground. Check for hail damage by looking for granules at downspouts. Check where the gutter flows out. A pile of granules may indicate recent damage. Sometimes just looking from the ground at the roof can show damage in the form of dents or dimples. If trees or shrubs near the roof in question have had a large portion of their leaves knocked off or even limbs then be aware that your roof may have been exposed to the same kind of damaging hail. If you do see signs or suspect roof damage call a local, dependable roofer like J-Conn Roofing to inspect your roof for damage.