You may not notice it because you don’t spend a lot of time on the roof, but when hail hits, it often causes more damage to your roof than you might realize. Some factors that make hail damage worse include severe wind conditions, larger hailstones, soft building materials, and having no natural barriers to protect your roof. As a commercial property owner, you can look for the following signs of hail damage to make sure it is repaired in a timely manner.
Metal Roofing Panels
When hail hits a commercial metal roofing panel, it could either cause a great deal of damage or none at all. The size of the hailstone is the determining factor, as metal could hold up well against smaller stones. If the hailstones are big enough, you should look for indentations or cracks. Sometimes a small indentation isn’t cause for concern, but if the finish on the metal panel has a crack or a chip in it, rust will begin to form. It’s possible for a large hailstone to split or fracture a metal panel, so you could look for those as well.
Thermoplastic Membrane Roofing
If your commercial roof is made from a thermoplastic membrane such as TPO or PVC, hailstones can accelerate deterioration. Particularly if the roof has aged and plasticizers have started coming out of the membrane, a hailstone that causes a crack will lead to deteriorating materials. Hail damage in a thermoplastic membrane will look like a concentric semicircle pattern or a crow’s feet pattern.
EPDM Membrane Roofing
A roof constructed of EPDM materials is going to be more flexible than the previously mentioned two roofing types, though hail can still cause damage. You should look for circular patterns similar to those you’d find in a thermoplastic membrane. It’s also possible for the hailstones to make actual punctures, which will encourage damage of the underlying materials as well.
Learning More and Repairing Damage
Knowledge is the key to keeping your roof properly maintained. Speak with a professional roofer to learn more about what you can do to spot hail damage on your commercial roof. When you notice the damage, be sure to contact the professionals to have it repaired before it can cause more severe damage to the roof and the entire building. Contact Innovative Roofing Group today by calling 404-594-6038 or sending us an email to get started.