How To Protect Your Roof From Hail With Impact Resistant Shingles

How To Protect Your Roof From Hail With Impact Resistant Shingles

Hail is one of the most destructive forces in nature. The icy projectiles fall from great heights and cause millions of dollars of damage every year. Michigan homes experience their fair share of winter storms, including hail, snow, and extreme winds, making roof repair inevitable. 

Fortunately, there’s a roofing material which could help reduce hail’s damaging effects and lessen your need for roof repair or premature roof replacement. If it’s time to replace your old worn-out roof, you might want to consider impact-resistant shingles.

Types of Hail Damage on Shingle Roofs

  • Granule loss: hail can knock away granules on your roof’s outer surface, exposing the asphalt coating to the elements. This accelerates the aging process. The asphalt material may show signs of pitted or round spots where the hail hit the roof.
  • Cracks in the shingles: hail can crack or break your shingles. This can lead to damage, exposing your roof to leaks and further damage.
  • Exposed or fractured fiberglass mat: hail impact on a roof can shatter the shingles. Bruised or damaged shingles will eventually become water absorbent, funneling water to the materials beneath them.
  • Weakened self-seal strip: a severe hailstorm can compromise the integrity of your shingles’ seal strip. This creates a weak spot and allows your shingles to blow off.

How Impact-Resistant Shingles Protect Your Roof

Impact-resistant (IR) shingles are a Class 4 product specially designed to withstand hail’s impact more effectively, reducing the damage caused by a storm. One of the most effective impact-resistant roofing options is Owen Corning’s TruDefinition ® Duration FLEX® shingles

These superior shingles are by mixing SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene) with a standard shingle and binding them together. This creates a rubbery, more flexible, durable shingle, which can undergo greater impact and still not crack.

When it comes to hail damage resistance, shingles with a Class 4 rating are the best you can get. They have an impact resistance rating of UL 2218- the highest rating. The tests involve dropping four different steel ball sizes onto the shingle at heights between 12 and 20 feet to mimic the impact of hail falling and check whether the material cracks or not.

Class 4, impact-resistant shingles may:

  • Extend the expected lifespan of your roof
  • Eliminate or reduce the need for frequent roof repairs
  • Save you money on homeowner’s insurance
  • Avoid increased insurance premiums and deductibles

Take the Stress out of Hail Season

It’s time to stop stressing out every time a storm hits. At Moore Sons and Roofing, we offer professional installation of Owen Corning’s TruDefinition ® Duration FLEX® shingles to ensure you get a roof which stands up to harsh weather and adds value to your home. Contact us to schedule a consultation with our roofing experts in the Grand Rapids area.

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