If hail just hit your house, call your insurance company first about any damage. A treatment doesn't fix storm damage, and work done before an adjuster looks could complicate a claim.
What hail does to a shingle roof
Hail hits a roof with a lot of small, hard blows. On a shingle, each hit can knock granules loose, bruise the asphalt under them or crack the mat. The damage isn't always easy to spot from the ground, and some of it doesn't show up as a leak until months later.
How much damage you get depends on the size of the hail, the wind behind it and the shape your shingles were in before the storm. Big hail can damage any roof, new or old. With smaller hail, the condition of the shingles makes more of a difference.
Why aging shingles take it harder
A newer shingle has some give. It flexes a little when something hits it. As the oils in the asphalt break down from years of heat and sun, the shingle stiffens. A stiff shingle is more likely to crack than flex. Our page on cracked and brittle shingles covers what that looks like up close.
Granules matter too. They shield the asphalt from UV. A shingle that's already shedding granules has less protection to lose, and hail can strip what's left. After a hard storm, you'll often find a fresh pile of granules at the downspouts. Read more on granule loss.
That's why the shape your roof is in before storm season matters. A dried-out roof and a well-kept one can come through the same storm very differently.
What the APEX-1132 data sheet says about hail
SoyLei's data sheet has a few rows that bear on hail. Here's how they read next to a leading competitor's rejuvenator.
| Item | Leading competitor | APEX-1132 |
|---|---|---|
| Better granule hold than untreated | 17% | 50% |
| Passed the hail impact test? (untreated did) | No | Yes |
| Flexible at 55°F? (untreated wasn't) | Yes | Yes |
| Tear strength left (untreated = 100%) | 70% | 86% |
What that means, and what it doesn't
The data sheet ties better granule adhesion to better resistance to hail damage. APEX-1132 showed a 50% granule adhesion improvement in testing. The leading competitor showed 17%.
The hail impact row is easy to misread. Untreated shingles passed. The competitor's treated shingles failed. APEX-1132 passed. So the treatment kept the shingle's hail resistance. It didn't add to it.
Here's the plain version:
- Treatment doesn't make a roof hail-proof. Nothing does.
- It's made to keep shingles flexible and holding their granules, and that helps them stand up to weather.
- It won't change what your insurance company covers.
- It won't fix a roof that's already damaged.
The full test results are on our lab results page.
After a hailstorm: what to do, in order
- 01Stay off the roof
A wet, damaged roof is no place to climb. Look from the ground.
- 02Take photos
Shoot the roof from the yard, plus any dents in gutters, downspouts, vents and cars, and any granules piled at the downspouts.
- 03Call your insurance company
Report possible damage and ask how they want to handle an inspection. Do this before any roof work happens.
- 04Be careful with door knockers
After a storm, people sometimes show up offering quick fixes. Read anything before you sign it, and talk to your insurance company first.
- 05Get storm damage repaired
Hail damage is a job for your insurance company and a roofer, not for a rejuvenation treatment.
- 06Then think about the rest of the roof
If the roof came through fine and it's aging but sound, treatment can help it hold up going forward. We can check during a free roof assessment.
Where rejuvenation fits in storm season
The best time to treat an aging roof is before the storms, on a mild, dry day, while the shingles are still sound. A flexible roof that holds its granules is in better shape to take what summer brings. Our roof tune-up also secures loose shingles and re-seals flashings, which are the spots wind tends to find first.
If your insurer has questions about your roof's age or condition, documentation of the tune-up and treatment can help. It's never a promise. Ask your agent, and see our page on aging roofs and homeowners insurance.
The order is the same anywhere in our service area, from Greensboro down to Seagrove. Insurance company first for storm damage. Roof treatment later, once the roof is sound.
Common questions
Can a rejuvenated roof still get hail damage?
Yes. Treatment is made to keep shingles flexible and holding granules, and APEX-1132 kept its pass on the hail impact test. Big hail can still damage any roof. If a storm hits, call your insurance company about damage first.
Should I rejuvenate before or after an insurance claim?
After. Let your insurance company look at any storm damage first and get repairs settled. Once the roof is sound again, we can check whether the rest of it is a candidate for treatment.
How can I tell if hail damaged my roof?
From the ground, look for dents in gutters, vents and downspouts, fresh granules at the splash blocks and dark spots where granules got knocked off. Don't climb up to check. Call your insurance company and ask how they handle inspections.
Does hail damage always show up right away?
Not always. A bruised shingle can look fine from the ground and still shed granules faster in the months after a storm. That's one more reason to report a storm to your insurance company soon, while the date is fresh.