Understanding the Impact of Hail on Your Roof: A Homeowner’s Guide
Although tornadoes and hurricanes tend to dominate news weather coverage, Mother Nature is also known to play hardball, throwing destructive and deadly hailstones down on us every year. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States witnessed over 4,000 hail storms in 2018. And, when hail hits, it can hit hard. The largest recorded hailstone in the United States made land in Vivian, South Dakota in 2010. That stone weighed in at nearly two pounds, and was almost eight inches in diameter—just about the size of a bowling ball! While hail of this magnitude is highly unusual, hail of any size can damage lesser roofs. It wasn’t long ago that a hailstorm in Texas destroyed dozens of commercial and residential rooftops, with some hailstones even managing to rip through roofs, landing at the feet of the unsuspecting individuals inside. So, until some mastermind learns to control the weather, how can we protect ourselves from the sometimes devastating effects of hail? By understanding it—and shielding ourselves from it.
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