Even if you’ve only lived in the Midwest for few years, you’ve likely experienced the impact a hailstorm can cause. The moment hail shows up in the forecast, everyone rushes to get their vehicles under cover. But what about pricey belongings you can’t possibly pull into your garage for protection?
The exterior of your home, including the roof, gutters, and siding are all exposed to the harsh elements all year long. However, regardless of the type or color of siding you have, it can be challenging to spot hail damage while standing safely on the ground. Since it’s especially helpful to know what to look for during Missouri and Kansas’ stormy spring seasons, consider these three important questions to better help you understand signs that you might need siding repairs or a siding replacement.
What can Cause Hail Damage?
Three factors are most influential when it comes to hail damage: hailstone size, wind speed, and whether or not there are obstructions protecting your home from storms. Each factor presents its own unique challenges, while a combination of two or three will almost certainly result in damage.
First, if hailstones are 0.75 inches or larger, they likely have the potential to damage your home. A piece of hail around 0.75 inches is about the size of a penny and is fairly uncommon since hail tends to fall for very short periods of time. However, if hail comes as a part of a thunderstorm — which tend to be common during all Midwestern seasons — gusting wind can significantly increase the amount of damage done to your home regardless of the size of the hail.
Lastly, if your home isn’t surrounded by trees, fences, neighbors, or other wind barriers, your siding is considered unobstructed. In these circumstances, both wind and hail can cause maximum damage to your home. If this is the case for your home, we encourage you to keep an especially close eye on your siding as the longevity of it may be a bit shorter.
What are Signs of Hail Damage?
No matter how confident you are in your DIY skills, surveying your home from the ground is always safest. Only professionals should climb up a ladder or across a roof to try and spot damage. While remaining safely on the ground, you can still investigate which direction the wind blew during the storm and use that information to narrow down the potentially damaged areas.
If you have vinyl siding on your home, you can check for any dents, chips, cracks, or peeling paint. While vinyl siding is very resilient (and UV protected), these are all signs that your home may not be fully protected from future storms. However, if you have wood siding, the most important factor to keep in mind is the age of your siding. The more time that wood siding spends in the elements, the less resilient it becomes.
When Should I Replace the Siding on my House?
Visible hail damage is a sign that there is a bigger issue than just cosmetic damage. So if there’s any visible damage to your siding, whether it is wooden, vinyl, or any other material, there’s a good chance that moisture could damage your home beneath this protective layer. Once you spot damage on the outside, we recommend immediately reaching out to the Rolox team for further evaluation.
Especially in the spring, back-to-back storms are common in the Midwest, so staying on top of any damage is essential. Keep in mind that your siding is protecting the shell of your home, which is quick to deteriorate if exposed to water or wind directly. This means it’s especially important to connect with a reliable, professional team soon after noticing any hail damage to help protect your home from even more wear.
Protect Your Home From Storms This Spring
Even if you can’t see hail damage on the exterior of your home from the ground, you may still have hail damage to your siding. No matter what level of damage you can see or you suspect, a trusted window and siding company will be able to examine your siding and provide an estimate for any necessary repairs. Although siding replacement costs depend on the type of siding and the extent of the damage, we strive to provide affordable home renovations and help customers obtain affordable financing.
Especially with spring storms coming to Kansas City and Wichita, contact Rolox Home Service if you need your siding inspected, repaired, or replaced.
