When the seasons change in Kentucky, Mother Nature leads the way with strong storms. Thunderstorms carry not only rain and wind, but often hail as well.
Hail can be as large as five inches in diameter and rain down on your roof at speeds around 90 mph. At this rate, hail can rip away billboards, tear through windows, dent your vehicle, and cause massive damage to your home.
The best way to protect your home against hail damage is to focus your efforts on the roof. Roofing and re-roofing with impact-resistant shingles is the single most important step to protecting the inside of your home against outside forces.
The U.S. Institute for Business and Home Safety says it is important to use roofing materials with an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) 2218 Class 3 or 4 rating. The UL 2218 standard measures impact resistance of several types of roof coverings. The test measures whether a product cracks under impact.
The Class 4 rating is only given to those shingles that showed the least resistance when hit in the exact same place with two-inch steel balls. The Institute also recommends having your roof checked once a year for loose or broken shingles.
Aside from requiring costly roof repairs, hail can cause massive damage to the inside of your home. Without checking your roof for possible problems, small amounts of damage can turn into big expense later down the road when the storm hits.
Harvey Ryland, President of the Institute for Business and Home Safety warns homeowners to protect their home investment by making sure their roof is in proper order. Problems in the roof can lead to water damage in the ceiling, walls, and floors of your home, not to mention possible damage to personal items.
When a hailstorm begins, it can start fiercely and suddenly. Get indoors and stay indoors until the storm subsides. Protect yourself from windows that may shatter by closing all blinds, drapes, and window shades. Stay away from skylights, windows, and glass doors.
As with other perils of Mother Nature, it is important to take the time at least once a year to review your homeowners insurance policy with a company representative to make sure you have sufficient coverage to protect your home against hail damage both inside and outside of your home. In order to protect the investment you have made in your home, your homeowners insurance should cover any and all possible damage.
If a hailstorm damages your home, make small repairs and patchwork as necessary to prevent further damage. Then promptly report any and all damage to your insurance agent as soon as possible.
By Matt Reynolds - Google+