Has your home’s siding, windows, or roof been damaged by hail recently? Wondering how you can best protect your home from the damaging effects of such a hailstorm as the city saw two weeks ago? Our Calgary renovation company outlines the steps you can take before the next big one strikes.
Calgary was hammered by a massive hailstorm in the middle of June which may have caused up to $1 billion in damage according to mayor Naheed Nenshi. The city is estimating tens of thousands of homes were damaged in the storm, which stripped siding off of houses and shattered windows. While the mid-June hailstorm is sure to go down in history as one of the most expensive natural disasters ever to hit a Canadian city, there are ways you can protect your house from suffering a similar fate to those that were decimated. Read on to find out more.
While some of these measures may not have made a difference with the utter destruction that was wrought upon NE Calgary by the recent major hailstorm, that storm was truly an outlier compared to the regular and frequent ones we get in our city come July and August. Seeing as we’re still in the thick of things when it comes to hail season, here are the top ways you can protect your home from a hailstorm.
Invest in Impact Resistant Shingles
Your roof is your home’s first line of defense against a hailstorm. If you’re looking to protect it from the destruction that loonie or toonie-sized hail can inflict, then choosing Class 4 Impact Resistant shingles from a manufacturer such as IKO is the way to go. These types of shingles have been specifically designed to withstand the destructive forces of hail and are made out of heavy-duty fiberglass and coated with polymer modified asphalt. If you outfit your roof with Class 4 Impact Resistant shingles, you might even be able to score a discount on your home insurance premiums.
Triumph Renovations is proud to offer IKO shingles to our roofing clients. For more information on our roofing services and how we can help you restore your home following a hailstorm, click the button below.
Install Storm Shutters
The images of shattered windows across NE Calgary following the massive hailstorm last June won’t soon be forgotten. While boarding up your windows every time a storm threatens the city isn’t a realistic solution, storm shutters are. These additions to your windows can add some charm and differentiate your home from the others on your block while also acting as a strong protection measure against the dangers of shattered windows and flying glass due to a hailstorm. These manual window fittings come in a variety of styles and colours and can quickly be installed by a qualified exterior reno company in Calgary like Triumph Renovations.
Upgrade or Reinvest in Hail-Resistant Siding
Some of the most remarkable images from the recent major hailstorm in Calgary centred around siding that had been stripped or destroyed by the sizable hail that pelted the homes in NE Calgary. In every image we saw, the siding that had been damaged was of the vinyl variety. While vinyl siding is an extremely cost-effective choice, there are other siding options out there which provide better protection against hailstorms such as fibre cement, engineered wood, or stucco. While these siding options are more expensive, they’ll provide you and your home with the protection you need from hail strikes.
Signs of Water Damage
Water can be the most destructive force you’re home comes up against, yet it can do so in a silent and unnoticeable way. Here are some signs of water damage that you should always be on the lookout for:
- Your ceiling is discoloured or brown in one or more spots
- Your windows have pools of water on the ledge near them or there is ‘bleeding’ on the inside below the window frame/casing
- Your walls have weird bubbles in certain spots (this is usually the last sign of water damage as it takes a long time for the water to make its way through your vapour barrier and insulation)
Make Sure You’re Covered
While the first three tips have focused on how to physically protect your home from a hailstorm, it’s important that you protect yourself financially from one too by making sure your homeowner’s insurance is up to date and includes comprehensive coverage. For those who were hit hard by the massive hailstorm last June, the province has announced they will be stepping up to help cover uninsured damages. You may not be so lucky the next time a big storm blows through. And if your home does become damaged by a hailstorm in the future, be sure to call us to assess the damage for free. We have experience working with insurance companies and can help you get the most out of your coverage without causing your premiums to skyrocket.