According to NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, “Hail is precipitation that is formed when updrafts in thunderstorms carry raindrops upward into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere and freezes into ice. Hailstones grow by colliding with super cooled water drops. The stronger the updraft, the larger the hailstone can grow.” Large hail and strong winds can cause damage to your home or business’ roofing, siding, gutters, etc. Hail damage to asphalt shingles can cause granule loss, puncturing, soft spots or bruising that’s difficult for non-professionals to identify. In some cases, the damage from hail can be strong enough to rupture the reinforcing mat of the roofing shingle, which exposes the underlying fibers (bitumen). Once these fibers are exposed, the roofing shingle’s ability to shed water deteriorates, reducing the life-expectancy of the roof and allowing water to get into the house.