What to Check After a Hail Storm

7/25/2018 (Permalink)

What to Check After a Hail Storm

While hail is a pretty cool phenomenon when seen on TV or from afar, it’s a scary and many times dangerous situation when experienced first hand. These frozen balls of ice falling from the sky can cause a lot of damage to cars, businesses, and homes. So if you should experience a hail storm, the first step is to take immediate cover. Once the storm has passed, it’s then a good time to check your property for damage. Below we will cover common areas to check around your home and business for damage from hail.

The Damage Hail Can Cause

When it comes to hail damage, the first thing many people think of is cars. We’ve all seen the news stories where cars are pelted with hail during a storm creating little dents in the car hoods and roofs. But what most people don’t think about is that if hail can cause that damage to metal, imagine what it can do to a home or business?

Check the Roof

One of the most common damages from hail is damage to a roof. The hail can tear up the shingles of a home resulting in roof leaks. Even if there are no signs of leaks from the roof damage, you may still want to check for any dings or pot marks in the shingles. If there is enough damage, many times the insurance company will cover the damages due to the hail storm.

Check the Siding

Another common area of homes that hail can damage is the siding. This is particularly true with old, brittle siding. If the hail storm brings with it high winds, the hail can be blown into the siding of homes rather than dropping straight down. The hail can tear apart the shingles causing water to seep into the exterior walls resulting in water damage to the insulation, the wood framing, and eventually into the drywall.

Check the Windows

Again, if the hail storm has severe winds, the hail can be blown into windows and doors causing glass cracks or breaks. Even if the windows and doors are broken, the hail can also cause damage to the seals around the windows and glass which can lead to water seeping into the home. It’s always a good idea to do a thorough check of all the windows and doors that were hit by hail for any damages.

Check the Air Conditioner

Luckily there’s only one major appliance that is found on the outside of the home. That is the air conditioner. While air conditioners are usually built to withstand the brutal Indiana seasonal weather, large and damaging hail storms is one thing that air conditioners may not be able to stand. The hail can damage the cooling coils of the air conditioner. The coils are usually protected by a wire cage to can block objects from hitting the coils directly, hail is usually small enough that it can pass by the cage and cause direct damage to the coils. In severe hail storms, hail can also damage any wires or power supplies to the air conditioner. Again, it’s always a good idea to check the air conditioner and make sure nothing has been blown into it during the storm or been damaged from the hail.

Check the Gutters

Not only can hail dent and ding the gutter system, it can also cause further damage from the weight of the hail piling up into the gutter system. It’s not uncommon to see a gutter system pulled or torn away from a home due to the excessive weight of the hail piling up in the gutters. If you are up on the roof to check for damage to the shingles, you can also check the gutters for damage too. Look for dents in the gutter systems and areas where the gutter is drooping or even pulled away from the house.

Call the Hail & Storm Damage Cleanup Experts

If you should suffer hail and storm damage to your home, call the cleanup experts at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West. They have the knowledge and expertise to handle any type of storm damage. With their extensive training and state-of-the-art equipment, the pros at SERVPRO of Indianapolis West can handle water and mold damage that can result from heavy hail storms, wind damage, and flooding.