Most of us, at some point or another, have walked out to our vehicles after a storm to see an unpleasant sight: pockmarks on the roof, caused by hail. So it only makes sense that when you’re considering having a metal roof installed, you may wonder if that surface will be damaged by hail as well.
Surprisingly, metal roofs stand up much better to hail damage than asphalt shingles, fiberglass shingles or tile. In fact, they are considered the most durable, in many cases. This is because they don’t crack or split. Shingles and tiles (along with other materials, such as slate) tend to become more brittle as they get older. So when hail rains down, it can penetrate the surface and result in roof leaks, mold or mildew in the attic and other serious issues. These problems generally start when a roof is about five years old.
With a metal roof, it would take some pretty substantial-sized hail to cause any of these problems. While it’s true that very large hail might cause dings (which can often blend in with a roof that is already textured), it generally won’t result in actual damage that will affect the inside of your home. Metal roofs basically act as a very strong barrier of protection from the elements.
A discussion on the topic has been posted on the Metal Roofing Alliance website. After someone asked about hail damage to this type of roof, contractor Todd Miller alleviated the man’s fears.
“We recently had golf-ball and slightly larger hail through my area of the country, and I have not seen one metal roof that needed to be replaced,” he said. “However, many standard shingle roofs as well as siding installations needed to be replaced.”
This speaks to the fact that some insurance companies provide a reduced rate for homes and businesses with metal roofs.
“One BIG benefit to metal roofing,” Miller wrote, “is that it does not lose its impact resistance as it ages. Unlike other roofing materials, metal will resist hail the same in 50 or more years as it does when it’s new.”