If your building has sustained hail damage, commercial roof insurance claim endeavors are likely in your near future. If your building is located in the Columbus, OH, area, Five Star Commercial Roofing can offer you expert help with both the insurance claim process and the repair work your roof needs.
Call us today at 330-936-7571 to schedule a free, no-obligation roof assessment. We will send one of our friendly, knowledgeable technicians to your location to thoroughly assess the hail damage to your roof and to give you a detailed account of its extent and the best options for repairing it.
Hail Damage
The kind of damage sustained and its severity in the wake of a hailstorm will depend a great deal on the type of roof membrane your building has. For certain kinds of roofs, hail as small as half an inch in diameter can inflict damage, while other roof types hold up better.
The following are some common commercial roof types and the kind of damage hail will generally inflict on them:
- Metal: A metal roof will often become dented by incoming hail. For the most part, this damage is usually cosmetic; however, if the finish on the roof panels becomes cracked or chipped, the water-tightness of the panels can be compromised and rust can develop, which is a problem that needs to be addressed by a professional.
- Thermoplastic: If they’re in good shape, thermoplastic roof membranes like PVC and TPO can hold up against hailstones that are approximately 1 ¾ inches in diameter or smaller. An older and more deteriorated membrane, however, can be fractured or sustain other damage from the impact of very small hailstones.
- EPDM: Rubber roofing, also known as EPDM, is very flexible and can generally withstand hailstones as large as 2 ½ inches in diameter. Should hail damage occur, it will typically appear in the form of surface cracking. Fracturing will most likely occur at points on the roof where equipment has been installed or at the roof’s perimeter. Hail can additionally cause puncturing if the roof substrate is not solid.
- Built-Up Roofing (BUR): BUR roofing (built-up roof) typically features gravel surfacing, and that protects the membrane from hail damage. A BUR roofing system that is installed in a smooth-surfaced configuration is more prone to sustaining hail damage.
- Modified Bitumen: Modified bitumen roofs typically hold up well against even large hailstones. The granules of a granule-surfaced BUR membrane—the most robust kind of modified bitumen membrane—can become displaced or the underlying reinforcement can be fractured. If the membrane develops ridging or blistering, that unsupported portion of the roof is more likely to succumb to hail damage.
Navigating the Insurance Process
If the repair process to address hail damage involves an insurance claim, the process can be very complicated and frustrating. Five Star Commercial Roofing is here to help with that, assisting customers with this process and advocating on their behalf with the insurance company to help them get the coverage they deserve and the roof repairs they need.
At the end of the day, insurance adjusters are looking out for the best interests of insurance companies—not claimants. They have their methods for trying to deny your claim in order to save the insurance company as much money as possible. We’re here to go to bat on your behalf, to help make sure you don’t fall victim to such attempts but get fair coverage.
You Can Count on the Five Star Team
For all your commercial roofing needs, including insurance claim help and hail damage repairs, the expert Five Star Commercial Roofing team is here for you. Give us a call today, 330-936-7571, to schedule your free roof assessment, and get the five-star help you need!