Severe storms in the Kansas City area caused power outages, damaged trees and wind damage roofs across the Kansas City metro area last night (May 19, 2013). Over 50,000 Kansas City area residents lost power from KCPL and I know some still had no power this morning, which makes for a tough Monday morning getting the kids off and getting into work on time.
We hope that your family stayed safe and that the storms didn’t impact anyone’s high school graduation parties or other weekend events too badly. I know that we were happy to get our kid’s soccer games in early in the day so that we were home safe when the storms hit. However, those 60+ mile per hour wind gusts were quite dramatic when they came through our neighborhood and we were happy that we’d recently had some dead limbs trimmed out of our trees. We were glued to the news watching the storm path and were glad the damage wasn’t as bad as it could have been in the Kansas City area.
How to Identify Roof Hail Damage
Fortunately, hail damage doesn’t typically cause actual holes in your roof after a big Kansas City thunderstorm. From the ground, you probably won’t even notice hail damage on your roof.
If the hail is large enough to damage your Kansas City roof, it does cause little divots, dents and dings on your shingles; just like it would on your car. However, it isn’t as easy to spot as on your car, so it is important to have a Kansas City roof expert inspect your roof along with an insurance adjuster to spot hail damage. On an asphalt roof, hail damage can look like a dark spot where the roofing granules have been knocked away.
Asphalt composition shingles, which are a very common Kansas City roofing material, have sand-like granules on top, which give your roof color and texture. The granules on your shingles protect the asphalt from the sun’s UV rays. If hail knocks these granules loose, the asphalt on your shingles will be exposed to the sun and subject to more weathering. Over time, and our hot, bright Kansas City summers, the exposed asphalt will dry up and crack, causing your roof to leak.
While there isn’t generally a cause for immediate concern, it is important to contact your insurance agent and Kansas City roofing contractor as soon as possible to get the ball rolling on roof repairs to prevent further damage and to make sure you meet any time limits from your insurance company for filing a claim. The Roofing Man is happy to help you communicate with your insurance agent.
How to Identify Roof Wind Damage
Wind damage can be more obvious and easier to spot than hail damage. Generally, look for missing or torn shingles, or shingles or other roofing materials around your yard. Shingles can fly off individually or in entire sections or rows.
Contact The Roofing Man at 913-381-2940 if you suspect that your roof was damaged by the hail or wind, or if you need emergency repairs in the Kansas City area.
Please be aware that more roof-damaging storms are forecast for this Monday (May 20, 2013) afternoon and evening. The threat is especially bad for large hail and damaging winds, both which can damage your Kansas City roof.
Stay safe today and don’t hesitate to contact The Roofing Man at 913-381-2940 if you suspect that your roof was damaged by the hail or wind, or if you need emergency repairs in the Kansas City area. The Roofing Man is locally-owned and operated in Johnson County, KS, and we are happy to assist you with your insurance claim and hail/wind damage roof repairs or replacement.