Hail and Storm Damage to Roofs and Roofing in Maryland

Post date: Feb 27, 2014 8:14:07 PM

Though Maryland is not a state that many people associate with severe weather, Maryland, also known as the Free State, does receive its fair share of damaging storms every year.

Severe snowstorms can cause damage to roofs and guttering of a home, as well as other damage. When a substantial amount of snow rests on a roofing and guttering system, the weight alone can sometimes cause slight roof cave-ins or water leaks. The gutters can come apart from the fascia board and even completely detach and fall from the home.

Also, when the snow/ice starts to thaw and then re-freezes, this can cause what is commonly known as ice-damming. Damage from ice-damming usually involves water leaking from entry points near the edge of the roof, where the gutters are installed.

Ice and water shield is a membrane that most quality roofing contractors now use when installing a roof. This membrane is designed to prevent ice damming, but in extremely severe snow and ice storms, ice and water shield will not always prevent leaking.

If you are a homeowner who has experienced roofing damage or a roof leak or ice-damming from a severe snow or ice storm, you may be covered for the damages under your homeowners insurance company and you want to make sure that you use a qualified insurance restoration contractor, both to help you with the claims process, but also to perform the repairs properly.

Another type of roofing damage that occurs in Maryland is from hail and windstorms. When people think of large hailstorms, they may think about Texas or Oklahoma and other regions and states in the Midwest. And though these regions typically will suffer more damage from very severe hailstorms, Maryland and other mid-Atlantic states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia also sustain hail damage from severe storms every year.

Hailstorms can occur as early in the year as February and as late as November, but most hailstorms in general and hailstorms in Maryland occur between the months of April and August with the bulk of the storms usually occurring in May, June and July. When hail strikes a home, it can damage its roof, siding, gutters, trim, screens, awnings, and very severe hailstorms can even break windows and damage doors.

Most reported hail in Maryland is between 1 and 2 inches in diameter. These storms typically will not cause window damage, but they are often severe enough to damage asphalt roofing shingles. They also often cause damage to other roofing systems like cedar roofing as well as siding such as aluminum (dents) or vinyl (holes).

Common claims for hail damage in Maryland will involve roof damage, siding damage, gutter damage or some combination of the three. When it comes to hailstorms and hail claims, issues of matching may arise. This is why it is usually a good idea to use an experienced storm damage contractor.

There are many contractors that specialize in roof damage claims and in performing complete as well as partial roof replacements. Plus, many of these contractors are very familiar with the roof damage claims process and they will be able to assist you from the time before you even submit a claim until the project is completed.

If you are a homeowner that has recently sustained hail or wind damage to your roofing, siding or gutters, you should call a contractor that specializes in hail damage repairs for a free inspection. During this inspection, the contractor will give you his opinion about your situation and explain how the process works.

By Joseph Dylan