There are many different ways you could experience storm damage. Sometimes it’s subtle and occurs over time. Problems with tiles, shingles, flashing, trim, gutters, and more may be sudden and obvious at other times.
Rain – Water alone can do a great deal of damage. With heavy or prolonged rainfall, it can weaken, loosen, and wear out your shingles and other roofing materials. Water has an unfailing ability to find its way into the tiniest of openings. Once that moisture gets past your roof’s outermost layer of protection, the structural integrity of your home can become compromised. Leaks begin to occur, and issues with mold, mildew, and humidity become a factor.
Snow –
Snow brings the same effects as rain but with additional concerns. Snow buildup can be extremely heavy, and that weight can weaken your roof as much as water. The average roof can only withstand about 20 lbs. per cubic foot of snow before it becomes vulnerable to collapse.
Temperature Fluctuations – Temperature fluctuations take their toll on your roof and may be brought on by storm activity and normal seasonal changes. When it’s cold out, materials naturally contract and become more brittle. Then, when it’s hot, those same materials expand and loosen. Over time, this cycle can degrade and weaken your roof’s materials.
Hail – A hailstone is a chunk of solid ice that forms in a storm updraft when rain is lifted above the freezing level of the earth’s atmosphere and then plummets back down to the surface. Hail can cause a huge amount of destruction; even small, 1” hailstones can riddle your structure with dings and pockmarks. Meanwhile, 1.5”-sized hail is common here, and much larger hailstones measuring over 4” in diameter have been recorded in Wisconsin. And, of course, the bigger the hail, the worse the destruction.
Sleet And Freezing Rain – When precipitation freezes and coats your roof, the abrasive damage can be even worse than rain, snow, and hailstones. Plus, it can wreak havoc with gutter systems, too.
High Winds / Tornadoes – Wind is one of the most destructive types of damage. It can loosen and completely lift roofing materials off your home. Wind can also batter your roof with environmental storm debris like tree limbs and rocks.
