Inspecting a Roof after a Calgary Storm

Calgary has seen its share of storms – high winds and damaging hail – and the damage left in their wake adding to the damage caused by natural weathering. At Century Roofing Limited, we’ve offered professional and efficient installation, maintenance, and repairs to roofing and exterior/siding throughout Central and Southern Alberta and Eastern British Columbia since 1981, and have witnessed the devastation first hand when residential and commercial roofing systems fail. To keep you, your family and business dry this spring, here are a few tips on the how and the what to look for when inspecting your roof for damage after a storm.

Thunderstorms, tornadoes, hailstorms and hurricanes can tear shingles from your roof and give your roof a beating with tree branches. Damage to asphalt shingles from hailstones include rupturing of the reinforcing mat, and a loss of granules that exposes the underlying bitumen. A wood roof that has been impacted by hailstones is recognizable by where the gray-colored oxidation and organic surface growths have been removed by impact. Older roofs are also much more susceptible to hailstorm damage. 

Here’s how to spot storm damage on your roof:
• Inspect your attic - for leaks or water damage including any water stains that appear on your ceiling or walls after a storm.
• From the ground – check for missing shingles or missing pieces of metal fascia. Assess the condition of exhaust pipes, valleys, outer edges or angles where the roof meets the walls. Check your trees, shrubs, and the plants around your home - if they are stripped of foliage, there is a possibility your roof is damaged. If your patio furniture, screens or roof vents are dented, there may be roof damage.
• Tree falls - stay out of your home until a professional can determine whether any structural damage occurred. Consider hiring roofer with a general contractor’s license because if your home suffered structural damage, as you’ll need more than roof repairs.
• Stay safe - avoid going on the roof to check for damage yourself and instead contact a professional roofer. Typically, only a professional roofer or insurance adjuster can tell if you have enough hail damage to justify a new roof.

If you suspect that your roof is damaged, here is a basic list of what to look for:
• Composition shingles: curling, loss of granulation, broken, damaged or missing shingles;
• Wood shingles/shakes: mold or decay, splitting or curling;
• Flat roof: patches, cracks or tears, blisters and/or wrinkles (also check from inside the attic);
• Flashing: tears, buckling around roof penetrations;
• Roofing cement: excess cement, crumbling;
• Soffits and fascia: decay, stains;
• Soffit and ridge vents: clogged or damaged vents, flashing and shingles around them curling or missing;
• Gutters: decay or rust, leaky seams, loosely attached to structure, bent or sagging, missing sections of gutter or downspout, filled with debris;
• Chimneys: Leaning, loose, or missing flashing, damaged bricks, cap or cracked joints.

Call a Calgary Roofer
Inspecting a roof for storm damage can be dangerous and you should take the time to find a trustworthy roofing contractor in Calgary to complete the job – like Century Roofing Limited. If you have questions about roof maintenance, repairs, or a replacement system, contact Century Roofing Limited at 403-235-5457 today for a free estimate and to learn more about our “preferred contractor” status with insurance companies.