Remain Safe in the Hail Storm
Hail may occur during any strong storm; That is, hail represents a threat everywhere. When hail falls, roof coatings can be destroyed and water can damage ceilings, walls, floors, appliances, and your personal possessions. Knowing what ceiling coatings offer good impact resistance can save you money and trouble.
Know Your Limits
Most roofing jobs can not be done by yourself. Unless you have experience replacing roof coatings, hire a professional roofing contractor.
Before re-roofing, check with local building officials about what local building codes are.
Know the Lining of Your Roof
If you are replacing the old, worn roof tile with asphalt shingles, make sure they have a Class 4 rating under Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standard 2218. A Class 4 rating ensures that a sample of the product did not crack after being hit twice in the same area by a two-inch steel ball.
The UL 2218 standard is a practical method for performing impact resistance testing, although it is not perfect and works best for some roof liners than for others. The UL standard measures whether a product cracks after receiving an impact. Some roof coverings, especially some made of metal, may not crack but have dents and holes.
Therefore, even if they pass the test well, they may not be practical. Keep this in mind when using a UL standard to measure the quality of a ceiling coating.
Stay Safe in Case of a Storm
If you are indoors when there is a storm with large chunks of hail, stay there. Because large hail can shatter windowpanes, close your drapes, blinds, or curtains to prevent wind from throwing broken glass into the house. Stay away from skylights and doors. If it is outside, immediately get under a shed.
