Hail Damage to Your Roof: What New Brunswick Homeowners Should Know

⛈️ New Brunswick may not be hail alley, but hailstorms do happen here. When they do, they can damage asphalt shingles in ways that are not always visible from the ground. Understanding hail damage helps you make better decisions about your roof, your insurance, and whether preservation or replacement is the right next step.

🔍 What hail does to asphalt shingles

Hail impacts asphalt shingles in several ways, depending on the size of the hail and the condition of the roof:

• Granule displacement: Hailstones knock granules off the shingle surface. This exposes the asphalt underneath to UV damage, which accelerates aging.
• Cracking: Larger hailstones can crack stiff or brittle shingles. Older roofs that have lost flexibility are more vulnerable.
• Indentation: Hail can leave visible dents or soft spots in the shingle mat. These may not leak immediately but can weaken the shingle over time.
• Self-seal strip damage: The adhesive strip that holds shingle tabs down can be broken by hail impact, allowing wind to lift the tabs later.

The problem is that hail damage is often not obvious. A roof can look fine from the driveway but have significant granule loss and micro-cracking that only a close-up inspection reveals.

🛡️ What UL 2218 impact ratings mean

UL 2218 is the industry standard for testing impact resistance of roofing materials. It uses steel balls dropped from specific heights to simulate hail impacts:

• Class 1: 1.25 inch ball, 10 foot drop (pea-size hail)
• Class 2: 1.5 inch ball, 15 foot drop (small marble)
• Class 3: 1.75 inch ball, 17.5 foot drop (marble)
• Class 4: 2.0 inch ball, 20 foot drop (ping-pong ball size)

The GoNano technical white paper reports that aged Class 1 shingles treated with the GoNano system reached higher impact classifications under tested conditions. With one application, they achieved Class 2-3. With two applications, they achieved Class 4, the highest rating.

What this means: if your shingles have lost their original impact resistance due to aging, treatment may help restore some of that resistance under the tested conditions. This does not mean your roof becomes hail-proof. It means the shingles may be better able to resist cracking and splitting when hail does hit.

📋 What to check after a hailstorm

1. Check your gutters: Look for an unusual amount of granules washing out after the storm. A sudden increase in granule buildup may indicate hail knocked them loose.
2. Look for dented metal: Check metal flashing, vent caps, and gutter downspouts. If metal surfaces are dented, the shingles likely took impact too.
3. Inspect from a safe vantage point: Use binoculars from the ground to look for visible cracks, missing granule patches, or displaced tabs.
4. Check inside: Look for water stains on ceilings, particularly near exterior walls and in attic spaces.
5. Get a professional assessment: If you suspect damage, do not climb on the roof yourself. Have a qualified contractor inspect it.

💰 Insurance and hail damage

Most homeowners insurance policies cover sudden damage from hail, but coverage varies. Some things to understand:

• Coverage typically applies to sudden events, not gradual wear and aging
• You may have a separate deductible for wind and hail damage
• Some policies offer reduced deductibles or premium discounts for impact-resistant roofing (Class 3 or Class 4)
• Your insurer may require documentation of the damage before approving a claim

If your roof has been treated and achieved a higher impact rating, that documentation may support a conversation with your insurer about impact-resistant roofing discounts. However, treatment is not an insurance product and does not guarantee claim approval.

When treatment helps after hail

If hail damage is limited to granule loss and minor surface impact, and the shingles still have structural integrity, a preservation treatment may help by supporting the asphalt binder and the granule-asphalt bond. The assessment will determine whether the roof is still a candidate.

If hail has caused widespread cracking, broken tabs, or compromised the self-seal strip, repair or replacement may be the honest recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can hail damage be invisible from the ground?

Yes. Granule loss and micro-cracking are often not visible from ground level. A close-up roof inspection is needed to identify the full extent of hail impact.

Will my insurance pay for roof treatment after hail?

Insurance typically covers repair or replacement of hail-damaged roofs, not preventive treatment. However, every policy is different. Check with your insurer about your specific coverage.

Does treatment make my roof hail-proof?

No. Treatment may improve impact resistance under tested conditions, but no treatment makes a roof hail-proof. It may help the shingles resist cracking better than untreated aged shingles.

Video

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