When hail rains down, it can wreak all kinds of havoc—on cars, on vegetation and especially on buildings. If there has been hail damage to the commercial roof of your building, the experts at Five Star Commercial Roofing are here to help you! We will not only repair the damage with expertise and precision, but we will also help you navigate the insurance claims process in order to get those repairs covered.
We are a full-service commercial roofing company offering our services in various areas of Ohio, including Cleveland, OH. Give us a call today, 888-740-2070, to schedule a free, no-obligation hail damage assessment!
What Hail Leaves in Its Wake
How seriously your commercial roof is likely to be damaged in a hailstorm has a great deal to do with the kind of roof membrane that sits atop your building. For certain kinds of roofs, even hail as small as a half-inch in diameter can inflict damage, while other kinds of roofing are more resilient and won’t give way unless the hailstones are significantly larger.
The following is a list of common types of commercial roofs and how they typically stand up to hail damage:
- Metal: Usually, metal roofing will get dented in a hailstorm. Often, this is only a cosmetic issue that impairs the roof’s appearance but not its functionality. However, if the water-tightness of the panels is breached, such as through chipping or cracking from the hailstones, the roof can begin to rust.
- EPDM: Ethylene propylene diene monomer, also known as EPDM or rubber roofing, is a very flexible type of roof membrane that can usually withstand blows from hailstones up to 2 ½ inches in diameter. When an EPDM roof is damaged by hail, it will generally be in the form of surface cracking. An EPDM membrane is most likely to get fractured in places where installed equipment has been placed or at the roof’s perimeter. Puncturing can also happen due to hail If the roof substrate isn’t solid.
- Thermoplastic: Thermoplastic roof membranes (like TPO and PVC) that are in good condition can withstand hailstones around 1 ¾ inches in diameter or smaller. However, if the roof membrane is older and deteriorated, damage can occur from the force of a very small hailstone.
- Built-Up Roofing (BUR): Built-up roofing (BUR) systems typically have gravel surfacing that safeguards the roof membrane from being damaged by hail. BUR membranes installed in a smooth-surfaced configuration are more prone to being damaged by larger hailstones.
- Modified Bitumen: Even bigger hailstones are often no match for a modified bitumen roof. In the case of a granule-surfaced membrane (the most durable kind of modified bitumen membrane), hail can displace the granules or fracture the roof’s underlying reinforcement. When the membrane develops ridging or if blistering occurs in the membrane, that unsupported portion of the roof is more likely to sustain hail damage.
The Experts Are Here to Help
When your roof has fallen victim to hail damage, you can count on Five Star Commercial Roofing to correct the problem promptly and with precision. No matter what kind of commercial roof your building has, we can deftly combat the effects of hail on it and return your roofing asset to full functionality.
Call us today at 888-740-2070 to schedule your free roofing assessment!