Hailstorms are unexpected natural phenomena that can seriously damage homes, cars, and just about anything you keep outside. Understanding how it develops may help Fort Collinsians with hail damage repair to their roofs and more. To shed light on the issue, our experienced contractors are here to share their firsthand experience on why hail is so harmful.
What Is Hail? Fort Collins Hail Damage Repair Expert Answers
As you likely know, hail is a kind of precipitation consisting of solid ice balls or lumps that fall from the sky during thunderstorms. Unlike typical raindrops, which are liquid water droplets, hailstones are pieces of ice originating in the updrafts of violent thunderstorms. While hail is often linked with severe thunderstorms, it may range from small pellets to enormous, golf-ball-sized stones or even more significant sizes. Hailstone size and severity are determined by storm strength and updraft intensity.
How Does It Form?
Hail originates in a storm cloud, which is distinguished by powerful updrafts, massive numbers of supercooled water droplets, and freezing temperatures. Hail creation occurs when a little ice particle forms in the cold parts of a storm cloud. The storm's powerful updrafts carry this first ice pellet back into the cloud's higher, colder areas, where supercooled water droplets freeze and create an initial coating of ice.
The stronger and more intense the updraft, the more likely the hailstone will expand and become deadly. Strong updrafts may propel hailstones to high altitudes when the temperature is much below freezing, causing them to collect even more layers of ice. The hailstone then grows too heavy for the updrafts to sustain and falls to the earth causing damage where it lands.
How Is Sleet Different?
While hail and sleet are both kinds of frozen precipitation, they differ substantially in formation and destruction. Sleet forms when raindrops freeze before they strike the ground. This occurs when a layer of warm air becomes caught between two cold levels in the atmosphere. As raindrops fall through the cold layer, they freeze and form little, transparent ice pellets that are smaller and softer than hailstones.
What Makes Hail So Damaging?
Hail is very harmful because of its density, speed, and size. Combining these variables produces a powerful impact when hailstones strike with ground-based items. The damage may be severe, mainly when the hailstones are huge and fall fast.
Hail may shatter windows, damage roofing materials, and dent metal siding and gutters. Large hailstones may penetrate roofs or tear shingles, causing water damage and expensive repairs. Cars are likewise susceptible to hail, with dents, shattered windshields, and damaged body panels, which are standard during heavy hailstorms. Crops and agricultural infrastructure are equally devastated, with hail ruining crop fields and damaging farm equipment.
In addition to the immediate need for Fort Collins hail damage repair, there may be long-term consequences. For example, water damage to buildings due to roof leaks can lead to mold and other issues if not addressed promptly. The need to restore damaged vegetation can also have long-term effects on the landscape and ecosystem. Due to their unexpected nature and the severity of the damage they produce, hailstorms are a continual source of anxiety for residents and businesses in areas prone to severe weather.
How Do You Pick a Storm Damage Repair Expert?
When dealing with hail damage, hiring reputable repair professionals like Ethos Roofing & Restoration to analyze the situation and perform the required repairs is critical. Choosing the proper specialist significantly improves the quality and efficiency of the repairs. Working with knowledgeable specialists who can promptly and efficiently inspect and repair hail damage allows you to reduce a storm's impact while protecting your property from additional damage.
Not sure if you’ve fallen victim to hail damage? Contact us for a FREE inspection!
