As the fall storms hit, we're thinking about hail. We've already had some this month. Did you know that according to insurance claim statistics and the NOAA that Minnesota ranks #4 in hail damage occurrences? That means homes here in the Twin Cities metro are at risk for problems as a result of these storms. Storm damage repair to roofs and siding here in the Twin Cities is one of our services.  Homeowners may already know that hail can be a problem for their roofs, but did you know that sometimes there are problems hail caused that you can't see?  Your insurance adjuster might miss it, too.  It takes an experienced eye of a roofing professional to detect hidden damage.

Homeowners Ask Us:  Can I Look at My Roof and Tell If It Has Been Damaged by Hail?

The answer is, Yes and no. First of all, you should be aware that even small pea-sized hail is problematic.  Sure, those occasional golf-ball-sized nuggets are reported in our area and then everybody runs out after the storm to check their exterior of their homes.  But hail of ANY size has the potential to damage a roof, especially if it's an older one covered in asphalt shingles. Sometimes the damage isn't obvious. Often property owners make the mistake of assuming if they don't see missing or torn shingles, nothing happened.  And then a few months later water leaks reveal the truth. Hail damage isn't always readily apparent, and unless you've got a trained eye to look for roofing problems, you could miss it.  For example, the impact could have cracked the underlayment, and since it is covered by the roofing material, you wouldn't see it. But there are things you can look over on your roof area. You should be aware that some of the items - especially soft metal components like flashing and vents - are damaged more easily than the roofing. Look for dents on these items. If you spot any, it would be a good idea to get your roofing inspected by a qualified storm damage repair company. We've been in the business of repairing roofs that have suffered damage from Minnesota hail storms for nearly four decades, and we've trained our roofing crews to spot problems others might miss.

One thing you should know - insurance companies often deny hail damage claims unless they are filed on a timely basis.  Check over your homeowner's insurance policy and see what the requirements are.  In general, a claim filed quickly after a storm is more likely to be successful than one that comes months afterward.  And since a damaged roof now can mean problems this winter, we recommend getting those repairs done as soon as possible, so as to avoid worse problems down the road.

Quarve Contracting, Inc. is a licensed roofing company, providing storm damage repair services in the Twin Cities metro area.  We can work with your insurance company to make sure you get the coverage you've been paying for.  If you suspect your roof has been impacted by hail storms this season, give us a call.