Louisville Homeowners: Can Hail Damage a Metal Roof?

Hail is one of the most damaging types of severe weather seen throughout the United States, especially in Tornado alley and Louisville, Kentucky. If you have ever witnessed a hailstorm in person, you probably know that some hailstones can approach the size of golf balls or even baseballs in extreme cases. Hailstorms have destroyed cars, caused severe injuries, and even resulted in deaths in some cases. If you are considering a new metal roof for your home and you know that hailstorms are a possibility for your area, you are probably wondering if you should be concerned about hail damaging a new metal roof.

It’s reasonable to assume that hail would be a big problem for a metal roof. When most people imagine a hailstorm over a house with a metal roof, they likely picture the roof being pelted and dented by massive hailstones and homeowners waking up to a metal roof with an ugly new patina. However, this is not the case. High-quality metal roofs installed by professionals are incredibly sturdy. If you want a new metal roof for your home, you should know what to expect from hailstorms and the other types of severe weather your area may experience.

How Sturdy Are Metal Roofs?

Metal roofs made with materials from the leading metal roof manufacturers are incredibly resilient and built to withstand harsh punishment from the elements. If you decide to invest in a metal roof for your home from a trusted manufacturer, you can rest assured that the panels have undergone rigorous quality testing and have been fabricated with the highest possible manufacturing standards.

You can purchase a metal roof made out of copper, aluminum, zinc alloy, galvanized steel, or many other possible metals. Each type of metal roof offers different performance levels and customization options, but they all feature similar construction. With a typical standing seam roof, each panel is comprised of a treated metal surface. After pressing the metal into the desired shape, the metal undergoes a thorough treatment process to apply an incredibly tough coating and finish to it.

Metal roofing materials also undergo rigorous quality testing, typically with steel balls that mimic the impact forces of the heaviest hailstones. Hailstones, even large ones that strike with tremendous force in your Kentucky town, cannot penetrate metal roofs from the leading manufacturers. Most metal roofing material quality tests report that the strongest simulated hailstorms can only cause cosmetic damage to a professionally installed metal roof with no impact on the roof’s performance.

Are Metal Roofs Impervious to Hail Damage?

Metal roofs provide superior protection against hailstorms compared to traditional asphalt shingle roofs, but they are not completely impervious to hailstorm damage. A severe hailstorm could potentially cause cosmetic damage to a metal roof, even one from a trusted leading manufacturer. However, this cosmetic damage will at most entail light scuffs and scratches and possibly small dents. It is very unlikely that even a severe hailstorm will cause enough damage to a metal roof to require any significant repairs.

Cosmetic damage to a metal roof is a relatively easy fix. An experienced roofing contractor, or the team that installed your metal roof, can inspect the damage and recommend the best repair method. In most cases, cleaning the roof and recoating damaged areas is more than enough. In the event that a roof panel sustains noticeable damage, such as a dent near a seam that pops a clamp loose or breaks the seam, the roofer will likely recommend replacing that section of the metal roof. Luckily, most metal roof manufacturers offer generous product warranties due to how difficult it is to actually damage a properly installed metal roof.

By comparison, a severe hailstorm could completely destroy a traditional shingled roof. Large hailstones can break shingles off the roof and even potentially enter the roof bed or attic. If enough hailstorms strike an asphalt shingle roof, the home will be vulnerable to water leaking into the home through the damaged roof. When hailstorms cause significant property damage, most of the damage typically involves water damage from leaks and mold growth.

Advantages of Metal Roofs in Hailstorms

A metal roof is the superior choice when it comes to protecting your home from severe weather. Metal roofs from leading manufacturers are incredibly resilient, protect your home better than even a new asphalt shingle roof ever could, and provide tremendous long-term value.

When a hailstorm is severe enough to actually cause damage to a metal roof, the damage will likely be purely cosmetic. Simple repairs will ensure that water does not seep through a scuffed metal roof’s coating and lead to corrosion or rusting. By comparison, a severe hailstorm could potentially damage a shingle roof badly enough to warrant a complete roof replacement, even if the roof is relatively new.

The best professionally installed asphalt shingle roofs will last 20 to 25 years at most under ideal conditions. However, imagine installing a new asphalt shingle roof only to have a hailstorm destroy it within just a few years. You could wind up paying for a roof replacement much sooner than you expect if you live in an area that experiences hailstorms on a regular basis. On the other hand, a metal roof can last 75 years or longer with proper upkeep, and the toughest hailstorms will cause mild cosmetic damage at worst.

Metal Roofs Offer Superior Defense Against Water Damage

One of the leading causes of expensive property damage after a hailstorm or any other kind of severe storm is water damage. Simply put, asphalt shingle roofs cannot match the protection against water damage that a metal roof provides. If you want to not only avoid expensive roof repairs after severe hailstorms but also minimize the chances of a storm causing water damage inside your Louisville home, then a metal roof is the best option for protecting your home.

Many parts of the United States experience hailstorms. Hailstones can range from the size of peas to the size of baseballs and can weigh one pound each or more in severe cases. Forget the misinformation surrounding metal roofs and take a look at the quality standards that go into metal roof material production for yourself. If you want a long-lasting roof that offers incredible long-term value and superior protection from severe weather, a metal roof is the best choice.