Author Archives: Roofers Guild

Jun '21

8 Most Common Silicone Roof Coating Problems

Although silicone roof coatings are a smart choice for many reasons, silicone roofing problems are quite common.

On the bright side, silicone coatings possess very high solids content, so they don’t necessarily have to be applied in multiple layers to provide adequate protection.

This saves time and money, and even more so when they do not require a primer (which is often true).

Many commercial buildings have silicone coatings protecting their roofs for these and other reasons. However, silicone roof coatings are not perfect—no type of roof coating is. They have inherent flaws.

As a contractor, property manager, or business owner, you should be aware of how silicone roof coatings can fail and thoroughly understand their most common problems.

Common Silicone Roofing Problems

Incompatibility With Other Materials
Adverse to Foot Traffic
Compromised Reflectivity
Limited to Flat Roofs
Shorter Warranties
Vulnerability to tearing
More Expensive
Difficult installation

Below, Roofer’s Guild outlines eight silicone roofing problems to consider:

1) Not All Roof Materials Adhere to Silicone

When it comes to selecting the best roof coating, you must consider your circumstances. Right off the bat, this could be a big problem. Not all existing roof materials will adhere to silicone.

A lack of adhesion means you must remove the entire surface or opt for materials that will stick to silicone. Investing in adhesive materials can drive up your installation costs.

2) Not The Best for Heavy Foot Traffic

An ideal candidate for silicone roof coating is a roof that will not see much foot traffic. There are a couple of problems that can arise if a silicone roof coating is applied to a roof that gets a lot of foot traffic:

Silicone becomes more slippery than other roof coatings when it gets wet, presenting a safety hazard for people on your roof.
Frequent foot traffic can damage silicone, reducing its projected lifespan.

Foot traffic may not be an issue if your building’s roof rarely receives visitors. However, if you frequently need roof-top HVAC maintenance, have people working on skylights, or your roof requires a lot of care, this may be a problem.

3) Compromised Reflectivity

One of the main advantages of installing a silicone roof coating is that it can reflect a lot of UV light, saving you money on cooling costs.

However, this is not an infallible advantage. Silicone roof coatings attract dirt and dust more than other materials. Dirt and other build-ups will compromise its reflectivity and negate energy savings.

While investing in regular roof cleanings can negate many of these concerns, doing so adds more maintenance to your property.

4) Limited to Flat Roofs

A silicone roof coating will not work very well on pitched roofs. Very few homeowners are clamoring to install a silicone roof coating on their houses, but not all commercial roofs are flat.

Silicone will not hold up or perform as well as other roof coating systems if you have a pitched commercial roof.

5) Shorter Warranties

While some other types of roof coatings typically come with warranties that last up to 25 years, the warranty you are likely to get from a silicone roof coating is significantly shorter.

You can usually expect a warranty period of only ten years. While some manufacturers/contractors may offer you 15-year warranties for silicone roof coatings, you can also expect to pay more for them.

6) Prone to Tearing

Silicone roof coatings are inherently prone to tearing. They are not as durable as some other roof coatings and should not be installed in areas where hail, foot traffic, and abrasion are common.

Hail and debris whipped up by the wind could tear the coating and expose the substrate. When a tear occurs, the entire coating can become compromised.

Tears can occur in many ways, including hailstones, heavy tools hitting the surface, pest infestations, falling debris from trees, and more.

7) More Expensive

One of the most unattractive silicone roof coating problems is that it is typically more expensive to install than other materials.

For example, installing a silicone roof coating costs around $2 to $3.50 per square foot. On the other hand, the average price to install an acrylic roof coating is only about fifty cents to a dollar per square foot.

Silicone roof coatings are also more expensive than other coating options because they require more cleaning and are more prone to tears.

When it comes time to replace your silicone roof coating, you are likely to pay more because, depending on the replacement materials, the entire surface may have to be removed.

8) Difficult to Install

Many roofers dislike working with silicone because it is messy and difficult to apply correctly. As a result, most contractors offering silicone coating installation have undergone special training, which will again drive up the installation cost.

On the other hand, an inexperienced contractor installing a silicone roof coating could cause more problems. That’s because improperly installed silicone roof coatings can damage your roof.

Making Sense of Silicone Roofing Problems

Vetting the problems of any roofing material will yield concerns. The goal is not to dissuade you from choosing silicone as your next roofing material but to equip you with the knowledge to make a more informed decision.

While we’ve clearly outlined potential problems with this popular material, it’s worth noting that its popularity is based on many positive attributes.

Ultimately, your choice of silicone roofing will likely be positive for your property.

Nevertheless, gaining awareness of silicone roofing problems is essential before investing time and money.

Jun '21

How To Generate Exclusive Metal Roofing Leads

Niching down your roofing company to a specialized service offering like metal roofing is a great way to differentiate your business from local competitors.

However, when restricting yourself to a specific segment of the marketplace, it’s important to create a process for acquiring customers that fit this bill.

Key Takeaway

Roofers focusing on metal roof repair, installation, and maintenance must establish a reliable method to generate metal roofing leads.

As one of the most trusted resources for roofing contractors across the United States, Roofer’s Guild knows first-hand what it takes to create an effective lead generation system.

Our system uses various marketing strategies to produce exclusive metal roof leads. We share those with you below:

Components of a Metal Roofing Lead Generation System

Whoever you buy leads from uses a process to generate those leads. As a metal roofing contractor, you should ask yourself, how do I implement their strategy for my brand?

If you can successfully master this system, you won’t need lead brokers or sellers. Instead, you will intercept their leads at the source and cut them out of the financial loop.

Here’s how you do it:

Organic SEO

The best way to generate metal roof leads is through organic SEO. You can get leads when users type in terms like metal roofing near me or metal roofing services into Google.

The results are a combination of Google Ads, Google Maps, and organic search results. Your website can rank in the organic search results and garner regular clicks for related keywords.

In addition, optimizing your website helps you generate consistent leads.

Local SEO

Another great way for roofers to get metal leads is to rank in Google’s Local Map 3-Pack. You achieve this by optimizing your Google My Business listing and generating customer reviews.

As you gain more reviews and optimize your profile, you begin satisfying the three local ranking factors: relevance, prominence, and proximity.

In addition to helping your GMB profile rank on the Map 3-Pack, reviews also help you convert potential customers. Using local SEO software to automate review requests can make a big difference.

Google Ads (Pay-Per-Click)

Running PPC ads is another way to get roofing leads for your local company. You can bid on groups of keywords relating to metal roofing, both commercial and residential.

While Google Ads yields fast leads, it does cost more than SEO to implement and sustain. In contrast to SEO, PPC ads cost money every time users click on an ad, whether they convert or not.

Still, PPC can be a beneficial factor when looking to generate metal roof leads.

Types of Metal Roofing Leads

There are several variations of metal roofing leads, each holding different values for roofing companies. For instance, shared leads hold lesser value because multiple companies get alerted of the prospect.

Conversely, exclusive roofing leads have greater value because only your company gains access to the prospective client. Of course, value is demonstrated in pricing, though there are ways to generate leads for free, as well.

Exclusive Leads

Exclusive leads give a single roofing company access to the future client. Exclusive leads convert better because of the lack of competition and the fact that the consumer demonstrated interest in your brand rather than a 3rd party platform.

You can buy exclusive leads from 3rd parties, but they will cost much more than shared leads from the same providers. However, you reserve the option to generate exclusive leads from your own branded efforts, which Roofer’s Guild can help you with.

Shared Leads

Shared leads are the worst type because they convert less than any other variation. Metal roofing companies should avoid shared leads if possible because they cause more trouble than they’re worth.

Furthermore, shared leads don’t help sustain your roofing business long-term. While getting some quick jobs might seem wise for startup companies, the reality is that those consumers will not seek you the next time they need work done.

In their mind, you are simply a contractor for the lead broker brand, whom they trust.

Free Leads

Free leads can be good or bad, depending on their nature. A lead given to you from a friend or relative is often hit or miss but can help your business. Referrals are one of the best ways to grow your roofing company long-term.

However, word-of-mouth leads also come with their downside. Some people aren’t serious about using your company, and others don’t understand the problems with their roofing system to begin with, making them less likely to invest in a serious project.

Never trust free leads advertised online since there’s almost always a catch. Of course, if you generate leads through your website, they are free, in a sense.

Guaranteed Leads

Guaranteed metal roofing leads are a myth. The only guarantee you can have is to speak with the customer, which doesn’t mean you service their home or property.

The reality is that having multiple lead generation platforms can help sustain your roofing business. However, as you know, there are no guarantees in the roofing business.

You can do your part by investing in the most appropriate lead sources and doing great work on your performance. Eventually, you won’t need any guarantees because your business will thrive in the market.

Long-Term Benefits of Metal Roofing Leads

Creating a lead generation system for metal roofing jobs is a gift that keeps on giving. When using the techniques described above, you will increase sales and revenue without investing more money.

The key to reaching your lead generation goals is to take the time and effort required to create an effective system.

Distancing yourself from 3rd-party lead sellers refocuses your efforts on your own brand and contributes to the long-term success of your business with consistent metal roofing leads.

May '21

The Roofing SEO Guide for Dallas, TX

Dallas roofers looking to invest in SEO should understand its principles before committing to an SEO agency or firm.

While SEO has proven to generate leads (68% of online experiences begin with a search engine), it only matters if your strategy results in your roofing company ranking in relevant, high-intent searches.

In the following post, Roofer’s Guild will explain how SEO in Dallas can work for roofing contractors and how to avoid common SEO mistakes.

The Principles of SEO

SEO for roofers is particularly active in the Dallas, TX marketplace, where competition is fierce for keywords such as roofing company dallas and roof repair dallas tx.

Modern SEO requires an investment in each component rather than taking shortcuts or putting all your eggs in one basket.

Let’s look at the principles of SEO for roofers:

Technical SEO

The foundation of SEO is technical optimization. Every website must meet search engine crawlability and indexing standards.

A good SEO company will crawl your website and fix any crawl errors, broken pages (404s), and untenable URL strings.

Additionally, technical SEO focuses on site speed, which has become more prevalent with Google’s Core Web Vitals. Think of technical SEO as the foundation for subsequent optimization.

On-Page SEO

On-page SEO is the insertion of title tags, meta descriptions, and URL slugs onto your web pages. It can also include keyword insertions into your page content along with relevant synonyms and related terms.

Roofing companies in Dallas need to create a page for each of their roofing services. Everything from residential roofing to slate tile roofing should be included (as long as you offer it).

Similarly, it would help if you crafted 100% unique location pages for every city in your service area (within a 25-30 mile radius).

Local SEO

Google uses an entirely different algorithm for Google Maps rankings, with the top 3 appearing in regular search results.

Most consumers will click one of the top 3 Google Maps results, especially when searching for terms like ‘roofing company near me’.

The Google Maps algorithm considers distance (proximity), relevance, and prominence, two of which you can influence by optimizing your Google Business Profile and the website URL attached to it.

To appear in these local packs, you need a Google Business Profile. Keep in mind that to rank for Dallas-related queries, your profile must be verified with a Dallas address.

Completing your profile and accumulating reviews improve relevance and prominence, while proximity is beyond your control (unless you decide to move your physical office location).

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

ChatGPT users send 2.5 billion prompts per day, and Google has implemented Gemini into its search experience, including for Dallas-based queries.

There are also several other AI platforms that are being used regulalry includign Perplexity and Claude. The moral of the story is that Dallas roofing companies must now expand their SEO strategy to AI, which is called Answer Engine Optimization, or AEO.

Many of your SEO tasks will translate to AI visibility, but additional measures should also be taken, including optimizing for query-fan-outs, which are 7 or 8 subqueries that AI platforms break a user’s prompt into.

It’s also in your best interest to get listed in as many credible directories as possible, especially Yelp and Better Business Bureau, which often show up in branded searches for your roofing company.

AI platforms use those kinds of trustworthy platforms to look for consensus about your company and its customer reviews.

Content Writing

Roofers have all heard the term “content is king” in the context of SEO. While the phrase may be overstated, a website without content won’t rank well. Creating content for each of your services is a key to ranking in Dallas.

One thing to keep in mind is that the relationship of content to SEO has changed drastically. The emergence of ChatGPT, along with Google’s Helpful Content Update, has created a new set of guidelines for roofing companies crafting SEO-driven content.

Google’s stance is relatively clear: create content for people, not search engines. There has been an influx of roofing SEO agencies mass-producing content using ChatGPT and other AI content creation tools.

This behavior clearly violates Google’s latest guidelines and is not a worthwhile long-term investment for your business.

Content must demonstrate E-E-A-T (expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness) on your website to maximize rankings.

Link Building

The basis of ranking online is inbound links from 3rd party websites. Links serve as a vote of confidence, which Google uses to determine authority and trustworthiness.

Despite being a top-ranking factor, link building is also one of the most controversial SEO aspects and can get your website penalized if you aren’t careful. Purchasing links from 3rd-party websites or creating fake websites to link to your money site are black-hat SEO tactics.

Google’s algorithm is now more sophisticated and can filter through spam links algorithmically, which means those types of links no longer help you rank.

The best way to build natural links is to build your roofing brand through offline relationships and to create high-quality content.

The relevance of your backlinks determines how much they increase your rankings on search engines. As a Dallas roofing company, it’s important to get links from credible websites in the roofing industry and in the Dallas area.

For example, the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas would be a highly relevant resource for any roofing contractor in the Dallas area.

Getting The Most Out of Your SEO Campaign in Dallas

Dallas roofing companies can build a sustainable stream of high-quality, high-intent roofing leads through search engine optimization, but only if it is properly implemented.

A comprehensive SEO strategy covers all components: technical, on-page, local, AEO, content, and link building, which sets the stage for sustainable online visibility.

By educating yourself on the specifics of search engine optimization for your industry and location, you arm yourself with the knowledge and awareness to maximize your digital marketing success in Dallas.

May '21

The (2024) Guide to Exclusive Roofing Leads in Los Angeles

Let’s face it: most websites offering roofing leads are run by talentless hacks who try to manipulate local roofing contractors. The idea of buying a consistent stream of exclusive roofing leads in Los Angeles for $15 per lead is a pipe dream.

Don’t get us wrong, you can generate leads for $15 or less in L.A., but it requires an initial investment in your roofing company’s brand.

At Roofer’s Guild, we speak with local roofing companies daily to understand where their leads are coming from, their conversion rates, and outside variables that influence the lead generation process.

If you are a Los Angeles-area roofing contractor who is serious about creating a sustainable lead generation model for your business, this guide is for you.

However, if you are a short-sighted roofer who prefers to live in the gig economy, ignore your brand, and go bankrupt within a year, please exit this website, as it is not for you.

Benefits of Exclusive Roofing Leads in L.A.

As a roofing contractor, you might already know that exclusive leads are the best type available for your business. Leads with exclusivity guarantee that your roofing company gets direct contact from the prospect rather than competing with several other roofers in your area.

Aside from the obvious reasons, let’s take a look at why exclusive L.A. roofing leads help your business thrive:

Avoid Competition With Other Roofers (Unlike Shared Leads)
Increase Repeat Customers
Improve Brand Awareness
Improve Return on Investment (ROI)
Improve Reputation

Avoid Competition

Exclusive leads ensure your company avoids competition with other roofing companies in the area, which is the case with shared leads. As you might imagine, the initial focus on your roofing brand sets the stage for a better business relationship between you and the customer.

Increase Repeat Customers

Having set the stage for a good business relationship with the prospect, their chances of becoming a repeat customer increase.

When the customer needs future roofing services, they contact your company directly rather than going through a 3rd party lead vendor, which may result in them using a different service.

Improve Brand Awareness

Perhaps the most underrated aspect of lead exclusivity is its impact on your company’s brand and awareness. To grow your business over time, consumers must grow more familiar with your brand, logo, and mission statement.

By investing in exclusive leads, you build brand equity rather than paying lead brokers to develop their own brand.

Improve ROI

Exclusive leads are the best bang for your buck for many reasons we’ve mentioned. Shared leads guarantee a low ROI, while exclusive leads can only improve your return on investment. As your brand grows, your ROI will continue to increase in the long run.

Improve Reputation

Customers generated through exclusive leads are more likely to leave a review for your company on Google, Facebook, or another platform. This reputation boost helps you generate even more leads in the future, creating a snowball effect that stimulates the growth of your roofing business.

Best Way to Get Guaranteed Roofing Leads in Los Angeles

Simply put, SEO is the best way to generate leads in California. However, not just any SEO will make it happen. It would help if you approached SEO for roofers from a different angle than your competitors.

Most rely on highfalutin marketing agencies that use “tactics” to bring in leads through your website, Facebook and Google accounts, and PPC ads.

Here’s how you should use SEO to get quality roofing leads:

Google My Business (Optimized)
Custom WordPress Website
High-Quality Web Content
Branded Authority
Reputation Management
Schema JSON Data (The one factor most people ignore)

Google My Business

To get roofing leads from Google My Business, you must rank your listing in the top 3 on Google Maps. When consumers search for a roofing company or service from a local device, they see a pack of the three top results known as the Local Map Pack.

The pack comprises the three most appropriate listings based on proximity, relevance, and prominence. Like when Phil Jackson ran the triangle, you must satisfy this triangle of local ranking factors. To do so, you will need:

Automated Review Requests
An Effective GMB Company Name
A Strong Website Connected To Your GMB

Los Angeles Roofer Google Map-Pack Results (Screenshot)

Local map ranking factors include proximity, relevance, and prominence

Custom WordPress Website

While Google My Business is a powerful platform for lead generation, it works best when connected to a custom WordPress website with a top-level domain name. You should not use a “Google Business Site” as your main website. Instead, invest in an SEO-optimized WordPress website to boost your GMB.

Website Content

The emergence of ChatGPT has made content production a breeze, but it’s also resulted in some penalties for roofing websites. ChatGPT tends to hallucinate and may produce false or incoherent text that devalues the credibility of your website.

Make sure to fact-check, proofread, and edit your content before publishing on your website.

Branded Authority

Branded authority comes from off-site SEO signals like backlinks and citations. As a Los Angeles roofing company, you want to appear in various online directories with your company’s name, address, phone number, and a link to your website.

Sponsorships or partnerships with other L.A.-based companies also build authority. If you can secure a link on these companies’ official websites, that authority is reflected in the online ecosystem and helps your website rank higher on Google.

Reputation Management

Earning customer reviews, especially on Google, helps boost your online rankings. Your Google My Business listing will rank for more keywords (within the Map 3-Pack) as it accumulates more reviews.

You can use software tools to automate review requests to your customers through text and email. However, this should not replace asking in person but instead serve as a digital reminder.

Combining in-person requests with digital reminders can increase review frequency by 200%.

Schema JSON Data

You’ve likely heard about the previous suggestions, but Schema JSON Data is new and fresh to most roofing companies. It is one SEO factor that most local businesses ignore or do not understand.

Schema JSON Data essentially serves as “proof” that you completed a roofing job in a specific area. These signals are crawled by Google and relayed in a language made specifically for search engines.

When Google and other search engines can verify your work in a particular area, you earn credibility and what they call “E-E-A-T,” which stands for expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness.

The Best Type of Roofer Leads in Los Angeles

Southern California has homes with various roofing systems, allowing contractors to work on different types of materials. Depending on the system type, a lead or job may be worth more or less to a roofing contractor. The same goes for commercial roofing projects vs. residential ones.

Commercial roofing leads can bank a roofer even more than a residential variation. Let’s take a look at the best roofing types in L.A.:

Commercial Roofing Leads
Slate Roofing Leads
Metal Roofing Leads
EPDM Roofing Leads

Commercial Roofing Leads in Los Angeles

As mentioned, commercial roofing jobs are high-ticket projects that can significantly boost your revenue and long-term financial aspirations. As a result, getting commercial leads is a boon for most roofing companies.

You can produce commercial leads by optimizing your website and Google My Business listing for commercial roofing queries like TPO roofing, EPDM roofing, flat roof repair, and commercial roofing contractors.

Other Lead Types

Companies should follow the same process with other specific roofing types like slate, metal, and EPDM. The key is producing a website service page for each roof type. Google wants an entire page about these roofing systems rather than bullet points on the homepage.

Another pro tip to earn more of these specific lead types is to get customer reviews that mention the particular project. For example, if a commercial business owner specifically mentions “EPDM” roofing in their Google review, you will likely rank higher on Google Maps for EPDM queries.

Lead Generation Platforms in Los Angeles

We mentioned SEO as the best method to generate L.A. leads for roofers, which makes Google the #1 platform. You can get free leads from Google on the Map 3-Pack and regular organic results.

While Google is easily the top platform to get new customers for your Los Angeles roofing company, there are other platforms to pay attention to in the City of Angels.

Google
Facebook
Nextdoor
Southern California Roofing Contractor’s Association

How To Get a Consistent Lead Stream

Investing in your roofing company’s brand removes you from the gig economy and allows you to generate consistent roofing leads on the platforms above.

Many roofing companies fall into the trap of operating on a lead-to-lead basis. Unfortunately, there’s no way to scale your business using this mode. As a result, it’s essential to invest in your brand and its presence on the top online platforms.

Invest in Your Roofing Company Brand
Avoid “Buying Leads” and Operating in The Gig Economy
Think Long-Term and Focus on Your Online Reputation

Final Thoughts on Los Angeles Lead Generation

Removing your roofing company from the gig economy is the best way to generate consistent leads in Los Angeles. You can achieve this by creating a high-quality business website and investing in on-page SEO.

In addition, it’s vital to claim and optimize your Google My Business to show up on the local 3-pack for L.A.-based queries. Don’t forget to promote your Los Angeles roofing business on Facebook and Nextdoor. Finally, remember to join local roofing associations and network with businesses.

Apr '21

(Exclusive) Roofing Leads in Dallas, TX

Are you searching for roofing leads in Dallas, TX? Roofer’s Guild provides exclusive roofing leads in the Dallas, Texas, area, as the home of the Cowboys is a great place to do roofing work.

An unexpected hailstorm may hit various areas throughout Dallas and its surrounding metroplex. The good news is that Roofer’s Guild has a method to help Dallas roofers generate and maximize leads.

With so many commercial buildings throughout DFW, contractors will have both residential and commercial opportunities. Read below to learn more about lead generation from Roofer’s Guild.

Exclusive Dallas Roofing Leads

Dallas is one of the most competitive markets for roofing work. It’s also conducive to hailstorms, which instantaneously generate a high demand for roofing services. This combination increases the value of exclusive leads, which are those generated through your own business assets (usually SEO or paid ads).

By investing in a branded lead-generation process, you begin building a sustainable business model that protects you from “price wars,” dead leads, and disappointing ROI. Aside from the clear financial benefits, exclusive leads also lessen the headache of traditional lead-gen platforms.

You won’t fight competitors for the same customer, since these prospects have shown direct interest in your services. Also, exclusive leads produce long-term outcomes, such as getting a customer review on your Google Business Profile, boosting its prominence, and generating more future leads.

Lead Source	What It Costs to Start	Cost Per Lead	How Many Close	Real Cost Per Job	Who Owns It
Shared Leads (Angi, Thumbtack)	$0 – $300	$25 – $85	5% – 10%	$500 – $1,200	Rented (Shared w/ 3+ roofers)
Google LSAs (Local Service Ads)	$0 (Gotta verify)	$75 – $160	15% – 25%	$450 – $800	Rented (You get the call)
Google Ads (Traditional PPC)	$1,500+	$150 – $350	10% – 15%	$1,500 – $3,000	Rented (Pay every click)
Your Own Website (SEO/Google Rankings)	$1,500 – $5,000	$10 – $45*	30% – 50%	$40 – $150	Owned (They found YOU)

* Once your site is ranking, ongoing cost per lead drops significantly

3 Tips for Better Roofing Lead Generation in Dallas

Local Marketing Generates Leads

Roofers grow their business by generating local leads through marketing investments. While the marketing costs money, the leads are free when they come from organic SEO, Google Maps, or AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini.

Local Service Ads (LSA) are also a marketing channel through which Dallas roofing companies can generate leads. However, LSA uses a pay-per-lead model and requires a background check before your business is eligible to run ads.

Leads Become Reviews

The lead generation process can be cyclical for your roofing business. For example, you start generating leads, and those people become customers. From there, they leave reviews on your Google Business Profile, Yelp, and Facebook pages.

Reviews build trust with future prospects and can also increase search engine visibility. The next prospect who comes along sees those reviews and decides to use your services. With this cycle in mind, generating high-quality leads can pay off significantly over time.

Branding Improves Lead Quality

Consumers base their purchasing decisions on trust and authority, and your roofing company’s brand should establish both qualities to get the best leads.

Some ways to brand your roofing company include investing in a website, updating your logo, and generating reviews on your Google Business Profile and Facebook Business Page.

It also helps to create video content and post it on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook to encourage people to engage with your business.

Leads To Look for in Dallas, TX

What Kinds of Roofs Are Most Common in Dallas?

Asphalt shingle roofs are most common in Dallas, followed by metal roofs. You will also encounter synthetic tile roofs, concrete tile roofs, flat roofs, TPO roofs, and Class 4 roofing systems.

Each roof type offers opportunities for lead generation through repairs, replacements, and restorations.

Seasonal Roofing Opportunities in Dallas, TX

Typically, March through June is the peak season for roofers in Dallas. This is the period when tornadoes and hailstorms are most common, resulting in a high demand for roofing repairs and replacements.

The fall season (September through November) is also active for roofing installations, as conditions are conducive to curing materials and allow contractors to work longer days.

Get More Exclusive Dallas Roofing Leads Today

Roofer’s Guild helps Dallas roofers generate more exclusive roofing leads through our proprietary lead-generation process. Our services include GuildMapz, a software tool that boosts online visibility and reputation for specific roofing services.

Reach out today to learn more about how you can generate roofing leads in Dallas, Texas.

Apr '21

Roofing Advertising: 7 Ideas To Boost Your Company in 2024

Roofing advertising is an ever-shifting beast you must adapt to or get left in the dust. If your roofing advertising strategy stagnates, it’s time for a change.

At Roofer’s Guild, we consult with roofers daily to help them reach more customers through advertisements and other promotional materials.

7 Quick Advertising Ideas for Roofers

Simplify CTAs (Calls-To-Action)
Run Social Media Ads
Target Customer Pain Points
Include Reviews or Testimonials
Target Specific Locations
Optimize Your Landing Page
Diversify Your Platforms

The fact is that the way people view your ads changes almost every year. With new technological advances and changes in how people search for information online, advertising also shifts.

Now is the perfect time to evaluate your roofing advertising strategy and see where to improve.

In the following post, Roofer’s Guild will discuss the latest roofing advertising trends to help you stay ahead of the curve.

Strategy #1 – Simplify Calls-To-Action

Did you know that people who click on your roofing ad from a search engine are typically ready to spend money on your services?

Pay-per-click ads are usually a smart strategy for young roofing companies to gain traction in their local markets. However, if you are not making it easy for people to take action, you will likely lose out on leads.

You have to make it easy for qualified leads to schedule an appointment, get more information about your business, or learn more about your services.

For instance, you should make sure that your landing pages include:

A button people can click that takes them directly to an appointment form
The phone number of your roofing business
Your hours of operation
A map that shows your business location
Links to the services you offer

That will cover everything a qualified lead needs to know to move further along the sales funnel. A well-crafted landing page will make your PPC advertising dollars more effective and help you close more leads.

Strategy #2 – Social Media Advertising

Social media advertising isn’t anything new, but it’s worth mentioning in 2024 because it’s still a powerful advertising medium.

There are nearly 3 billion active Facebook users, making it one of the hottest places to advertise your company.

In addition to the vast pool of potential leads, roofing companies can zone in on a target demographic.

The great thing about Facebook and Instagram ads is that you can set specific parameters to ensure the people most likely need roofing services to see your ad.

You can target geographically by age, interests, and interactions with other platforms.

Social media advertising is also a great way to connect with your audience. They can be crafted in such a way as to relate to people who would be interested in roofing services.

Strategy #3 – Target Customer Pain Pints

To increase engagement, you must ensure that your ads speak to the needs of those who see them.

No matter what advertising platform you are operating on (even in print), it’s essential to convey to the viewer that you can solve a problem.

Going beyond that, you must also convey that you can cordially solve the problem. For instance, when someone needs a roof repaired, there’s simply no getting around it; the hole needs to be patched.

Most roofers can patch a hole, so you must ensure you convey to the customer that you can do the work more agreeably than your competition.

In the hypothetical case of the hole in the roof, there are two main points of emphasis that your ad should be hitting:

The Pain Point: Someone has a hole in their roof that needs to be fixed. Your ad’s first point of emphasis should be to convey to the customer that you can fix the hole.
The Differentiating Qualities: Next, your ad should highlight how your roof hole repair service is better than the competition – free estimates, prompt completion, 24/7 service, etc.

Of course, this is a formula you will want to follow for roof hole repair and any service you provide.

Strategy #4 – Include Reviews

Wherever possible, on your digital ads, include glowing customer reviews.

Why? For one thing, 88% of consumers feel that ads with customer reviews are more trustworthy than ads with none.

That’s a huge consumer pool that will be likelier to click through your ad if they see a good customer review.

These days, people trust online reviews as much, if not more, than word-of-mouth referrals. So, seeing how much more effective digital ads can be when they include a customer review is not shocking.

For your 2024 roofing ads, make sure that you leave space to have at least one customer testimonial.

Be careful not to let the review dominate the ad, however. Remember that your ad must still convey all the vital, actionable information that customers seek.

Strategy #5 – Go Hyper-Local

Unlike some other industries, roofing is a hyper-local market. You earn more trustworthiness when you market directly to your local consumers.

Homeowners and even commercial property owners want to work with someone they consider a part of the local community.

Both Google and Facebook ads allow roofing companies to target their reach to local consumers. It makes sense to cover your primary service areas while avoiding the urge to cover too much ground.

Remember that your conversion rate increases with hyper-local targeting, and your spending lowers.

However, it’s not enough to merely reside in your target market. You must prove your company’s local stature with hyper-local content and indicators.

For example, your Google Ad landing page should showcase recent jobs you’ve performed in the area and include customer reviews from other residents.

Strategy #6 – Optimize Your Landing Page

You can have the most creative ads with the most refined targeting and still fail to convert users because of a subpar landing page.

That’s why landing page optimization is one of the best advertising strategies for roofing companies in 2024.

The landing page is an extension of the ad and should match its tone, topic, and narrative.

Perhaps most importantly, the landing page should offer an exceptional user experience that encourages the user to complete the ad’s intended goal (i.e., quickly a form submission).

Other considerations for landing page optimization include mobile optimization (the ease with which mobile users can navigate the page), a prominent CTA (call-to-acton), and a demonstration of social proof (awards, badges, certifications, etc.)

Strategy #7 – Diversify Your Platforms

Facebook Ads became the most popular platform for roofing company ads in 2024.

However, beyond Facebook and Google Ads is an entire world of advertising opportunities for local roofers.

Learn How to Run Facebook Lead Ads

Consider emerging platforms like LinkedIn, which can be particularly useful for companies focusing on commercial roofing.

You might even consider hyper-visual ad platforms like Pinterest, which can pull users through compelling job site images and graphics.

Don’t forget about local advertising opportunities on Nextdoor, which can help you appeal to entire neighborhoods of potential customers.

Diversifying your ad impressions across multiple platforms insulates your company from shifts in any one algorithm or policy.

Work With Advertising Professionals

So, what’s the hottest roofing advertising tip for 2024? It’s the same as in previous years. If you are new to marketing your roofing company, it’s best to enlist the aid of professionals.

As your company enters the advertising world, our Roofer’s Guild stays rooted in optimization and reach principles. Be sure to consult with the leading experts in emerging ad trends and technologies (like AI) on various platforms.

A small investment in professional roofing advertising and marketing services can significantly increase your lead conversion rates.

At Roofer’s Guild, we specialize in helping roofers market their businesses. We only focus on roofing, so we are exceptionally qualified to help you win more customers. Contact us today to learn more.

Mar '21

10 (Fresh + Unique) SEO Tips for Roofers in 2024

If you found this article by searching for “SEO for roofers,” you already understand the fundamentals of Google search.

You searched Google for a topic and were delivered a relevant result that matches the intent of your query.

That, in essence, is the purpose of SEO. Now, you want to know how to apply it to your roofing business.

You may already know that SEO helps generate qualified roofing leads at a lower cost per acquisition than paid advertising.

But you want to learn more about how to actually “do SEO for roofers.”

And hopefully, you want to learn it from a collective of roofing industry experts rather than a self-proclaimed “SEO Guru” who has never walked a roof.

Check out Our Guide to Roofing Marketing

Does DIY SEO Actually Work?

Before we dive into our roofing-specific expertise on SEO, it’s vital to assess whether or not DIY or do-it-yourself SEO is worth your effort.

Let’s be clear: DIY SEO can work for roofers – if done correctly.

The best of the best are able to do multiple things. Take Michael Jordan, who won 6 championships in the NBA and was the best post-up guard, ball-handler, defender, and big-shot maker in the league.

He also stole 30 bases for a minor-league baseball team. Talk about multi-talented.

But not everyone is Michael Jordan, and most players (and business owners) make their money by being great at one thing.

Perhaps, most importantly, time is required to be great at something. Since you are already a great roofing professional, leaving the SEO to one of the top-rated companies might make sense.

That said, we are a community of roofing experts here to support you if you want to undertake DIY SEO.

Types of SEO for Roofing Companies

You can break SEO into two primary categories: organic SEO and Local SEO. Organic SEO refers to the traditional ten blue links on most search engines. In contrast, Local SEO deals with Local Map-Pack listings and Google Maps results.

Organic SEO: Traditional ten blue links on Google search results

Local SEO: Map-Pack listings and Google Maps results

Organic SEO and Local SEO influence one another, so roofers should invest in both variations. For example, a robust roofing company website makes your Google My Business listing more likely to rank higher. Similarly, a popular GMB listing can drive traffic to your primary website.

Organic SEO

Organic SEO was once the only way to rank on Google search results. Although many new SERP features have appeared on Google over the years, organic SEO remains integral to your overall optimization strategy.

Your goal is to rank on organic search results with your primary website. You want to rank for industry keywords, local keywords, and your brand.

Local SEO

Local SEO has grown steadily over the years and is perhaps the essential part of an SEO strategy for roofing companies. Map-Pack results appear on top of traditional organic results for most local queries, making your local optimization efforts crucial to online success.

Aside from proximity, relevance, and prominence, brand reputation is an essential Local SEO factor for roofing contractors.

Critical SEO Tips for Roofers in 2024

1) Choose an SEO-Friendly Domain Name

One of the most overlooked components of a successful SEO strategy is the roofer’s domain or web address. Many roofers operate under the false narrative that any domain can rank on Google.

While you can build a domain from scratch, it will take at least 12 months to start ranking for significant keywords (in most cases.)

Some companies have old domains that haven’t been worked on for years. Others have a live website but have failed to invest resources in an effective SEO strategy.

You can check your domain age by looking up the WHOIS information or checking with your registrar. Existing domains have a far better chance of ranking quickly, particularly if they possess the following qualities:

Age: Domains registered over a year or more ago rank better
Backlinks: Domains with an existing backlink profile rank better
Keywords: Domains with keywords in the web address rank better

How To Choose a Domain Name
Instant Domain Search

You can check domain age at whois.com

2) Create Helpful Content for Users

Another misnomer in the SEO industry is that content is king. There’s an idea that writing a bunch of content (or having ChatGPT do it) guarantees a high ranking for your website. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, thin content can have the opposite effect on your rankings.

300-word blog posts, for example, hurt roofing websites in most cases, especially when they cover topics already detailed throughout your website.

Another example of thin content is city pages or doorway pages that use the same headers and similar content to rank for multiple cities. When contractors mass-produce these types of landing pages, they dilute their site’s overall content quality and may restrict their crawl budget.

Producing higher-quality content less frequently is a better optimization strategy in 2024.

Well-written content helps rankings, but thin, low-quality content hurts them

3) Build Local Links

Roofing companies get caught up in follow vs. nofollow links when the more critical distinction concerns location. A nofollow link from a local directory is more valuable than a follow link from a furniture website in Boise, Idaho. Industry-related links for roofers are also beneficial.

Google doesn’t expect local roofing websites to have national links from Forbes and USA Today, but they value links from local chambers of commerce and other reputable institutions. For example, a link from a regional roofing directory is far more relevant than a random citation on an unrelated national platform.

Local and industry links instill trust in your website

4) Invest in Google Map 3-Pack Rankings

Ranking for organic terms is excellent, but the local map pack gets the most clicks. Local roofers should focus on ranking within the Map 3-Pack and present the best possible Google My Business listing with reviews.

Since prospects can compare your company against others in the area, most of the conversion process happens directly on the SERP.

Google’s Local Map algorithm considers proximity, relevance, and prominence. You can’t influence proximity unless you move your address.

Relevance considers your company name and category with the searcher’s intent. On the other hand, prominence looks at your reviews and reputation, along with your attached website URL.

Google Map 3-Pack rankings generate the most local traffic

5) Ensure an Optimal User Experience

Since SEO is a form of marketing, some roofers get caught up with the result and lose sight of the process. The ultimate goal is to facilitate a great user experience for website visitors, which is SEO.

Consider things like site speed, navigation, internal linking, and the most obvious need for quality content.

Although Google says bounce rate does not impact SEO, you can be sure that user experience (however defined) influences rankings.

Search engines aim to provide the best results to their users, and your website must hold up its end of the bargain by providing a satisfactory experience.

Websites with strong performance enhance user experience

6) Create Pages for Each Roofing Service

Some roofers try to rank for all their services on a single page. Here’s some advice: bullet points won’t do the trick. You can’t include TPO roofing as a bullet point on your homepage and expect to rank for the keyword.

Instead, you should create the bullet point and a separate TPO roofing service page. It would be best if you linked to the service page from the homepage so that Google crawls the URL more easily.

It’s vital to publish unique content on each service page, as using duplicate content can lower your overall quality and appear as spam.

Search engines prioritize pages with the most narrow intent, meaning a page about TPO roofing will outrank a general page that merely mentions the term.

Breaking your services into individual pages helps them rank higher

7) Understand The Limitations of Keyword Research

SEO professionals used to rely primarily on tools like SEMRush for keyword volume, but we learn each year that many keywords fall through the cracks, especially in terms of volume.

Local keywords may have a much more extensive search volume than such tools indicate. It’s best to use your Google Search Console data to monitor queries, impressions, and clicks and cater your content to those keywords.

Another factor to consider is user intent. For example, a search query like epdm roofing may imply multiple intents, including information and commercial (transactional).

Long-tail queries like epdm roofing services clarify that the intent is commercial. You can also use lesser-known keyword tools like Answer The Public to gain new insights.

Queries with location modifiers may have a higher volume than keyword tools indicate

8) Incorporate YouTube Videos on Your Website

Text-based content remains essential for rankings, but multimedia is vital for engagement. Pages with video, audio, and images foster higher engagement than those without such elements.

Video, in particular, can keep visitors on your website longer, create familiarity with your company, and increase conversion rates.

You don’t have to host videos directly on your website, as they will take up a lot of space and may slow down your site speed.

Instead, upload a video to YouTube and embed it onto your homepage, service pages, and blog posts for the ultimate effect.

On-page multimedia can increase user engagement

9) Establish a Roofing Brand on Google

One of Google’s primary jobs is to weed out spam websites from their search results. When Google showcases brands to its users, it wants to ensure, at the very least, that the user is dealing with a legitimate roofing company.

So, how does Google determine what a brand is?

Consider things like your staff and equipment’s unique photos, a robust about us page explaining your company vision, and clear and accurate contact information throughout your website.

Each of these things helps establish your roofing company as a brand, which helps with SEO in 2024.

Unique staff images help establish your brand

10) Request Customer Reviews

As a roofing company, your SEO efforts work faster when you can earn customer reviews on Google and other credible platforms. Receiving regular reviews on your Google Business Profile, in particular, can have an immediate impact on your Local 3-Pack rankings.

You should consider automating review requests through a software application to increase engagement with recent customers. However, this tactic should not replace the act of asking for reviews in person.

Combining automated requests (through text and email) and a friendly in-person request will move the needle in favor of your Google reviews.

Google My Business Reviews For Houston-TX Roofer

Check out The Best Roofing CRMs for a Software-Driven Solution

(Bonus Tip) Boost Conversions With Strategic CTAs

SEO services aim to bring in more sales for your roofing company. The best way to convert your traffic is to implement engaging calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout your website.

Your site’s header is a great place to showcase your company’s phone number, while the middle part of the homepage is ideal for a contact form.

Be sure to create urgency around your CTAs with phrases like Free Estimate or First Time Discount. Remember, search engine optimization generates high-quality leads for your roofing business.

Showcase CTAs with urgency

What’s The Next Step?

If you need help implementing strategies shown on this list, reach out to Roofer’s Guild today. Our team of marketing experts can optimize your business on search engines like Google and help you convert traffic into sales.

If you want to continue reading more about SEO for roofers, marketing, and other business strategies, feel free to browse our helpful marketing resources. We continually publish new content to help roofing companies thrive in the digital age.

Feb '20

How Much Weight Can a Concrete Roof Support?

When considering roofing materials, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. Durability, cost, and a litany of other things can impact which material you go with for your residential or commercial roof. But weight capacity is another important one.

Some mistakenly believe that concrete roofs are endlessly sturdy, regardless of contributing factors. That is not the case. In the following article, Roofer’s Guild explores the nuances of this topic.

How Much Weight Can a Concrete Roof Support (Cover)

Key Takeaway

A concrete roof can support about 1,200 pounds per square foot. However, variables like thickness, reinforcements, and installation quality all contribute to its maximum capacity.

How Much Weight Can a Concrete Roof Hold Per Square Foot?

While the answer to this question can vary greatly on several factors within the concrete itself, a good rule of thumb is around 1,200 pounds per square foot, depending on the thickness of the concrete and whether or not it has any reinforcements.

A common mistake is that amateur roofers just assume that concrete is impossibly strong, but it has weight restrictions just like any other material.

Reinforcing the Roof

With newer installations, this is likely a common practice performed by the roofer doing the job. But in older homes, the question of weight support becomes irrelevant if it is quite old or has experienced a lot of damage.

While a complete replacement is the most ideal of scenarios, the cost of a new roof is often not so realistic.

That is where reinforcing the roof can help get a longer life out of your roof while implementing a fast, quick repair and reinforcement that will keep the structural integrity of the roof sound for some time.

Again, it is highly recommended that you get a new roof wherever you can. Still, there are a couple of ways to reinforce your roof to give it a little boost in terms of life span.

Addressing Repairs with Patching

If the deterioration or damage to your concrete roof isn’t terribly bad, it can be patched to extend its life a little longer.

But if you are implementing extensive patchwork, it is important to note that you should not assume that it can take on a proper load and will never be able to handle the maximum weight.

The condition and age of the roof are essential factors for determining the amount of weight it can support so that you or a roofing contractor can safely traverse the roof.

Strengthening Existing Trusses

This is a way to add durability to your roof. By using 2×4s, you simply combine them with any existing trusses that may be in place from one end of the structure to the next. This can allow for extra stability.

However, this is not meant to be a long-term solution if the roof is showing signs of wear and deterioration.

Exercise caution whenever getting on the roof and understand that this is just prolonging the eventual replacement of the roof entirely.

Signs That the Roof is Failing

While not every roofing structure will provide clear warning signs, the question of weight support becomes moot once the damage is obvious.

Existing damage makes traversing the roof unsafe and a serious hazard.

There are definitely a few things to keep an eye out for regarding the condition of your roof and whether or not there may be issues currently occurring.

Leaks

The biggest issue plaguing roofing systems, concrete roofs, too, is in the form of leaks. If you see multiple wet spots in your ceiling or moisture retained on the roof, it is a strong sign that the roof has a weak spot that can lead to bigger issues.

Leaks are a huge issue not only for the roofing system itself but for the structural integrity of the rest of the building.

If that water is allowed to persist, it has the chance to rot and decay wood that could provide structural support and lead to mold growth, making it a hazard to the air quality in the building.

Cracks

Cracks are a clear indication that there may be problems with your roof. This can mean that stress is being implemented onto the roof and spreading outward in other directions.

This can lead to serious problems with your concrete roof, making it structurally vulnerable and making it unsafe to be near.

Small cracks are not a terribly big idea, but calling in a proper roofing contractor to survey the scene and understand the situation will allow you to stay ahead of any potentially disastrous situations.

It is always better to exercise caution in scenarios such as these.

Other Weight Considerations for Concrete Roofs

So many factors determine “how much weight can a concrete roof support” that it isn’t a black-and-white question.

A concrete roof can safely support around 1,200 pounds (0.54 t) per square foot when completely healthy and showing no signs of wear and tear.

But that figure can drop exponentially when leaks, cracking, chipping, and other damage rears their ugly head. If you see areas of your concrete roof that look concerning, the safest bet is to avoid stepping in those areas and leave it to the professionals.

Your concrete roof can stand up to a lot and prove to be a durable choice in roofing material, but it is certainly not immune to its own issues. You can consult this roof load calculator if you are worried about snow.

Final Thoughts

A concrete roof can typically support about 1,200 pounds per square foot. However, variables like thickness, reinforcements, and the quality of installation can all alter that general threshold.

Roofing contractors and property owners can both take measures to maximize the concrete roof’s weight capacity, including performing repairs, adding reinforcements, and strengthening the trusses.

Nov '19

Common Causes of a Loud Banging Noise on The Roof

Loud banging noises from the roof are unsettling, especially at night. It’s easy for your mind to wander to the worst-case scenarios, such as severe structural issues. However, in most cases, the source of the noise is actually less severe.

Either way, it’s worth diagnosing the culprit for your peace of mind and to ensure your roof’s functionality today and into the future. In the following post, Roofer’s Guild will outline some of the common causes of a loud banging noise on the roof.

Key Takeaways

The loud banging noise on the roof is typically caused by thermal shock, which is most common during winter when rapid temperature fluctuations cause a sudden release of tension in the roofing materials.

The noise is not always a cause for alarm. However, a professional roof inspection can diagnose a potentially dangerous cause, such as snow buildup or ice dams.

1) Thermal Shock

The winter months cause tension between your warm attic and the cold air. Meanwhile, various roofing materials (wood, metal, plywood, etc.) expand and contract at different rates, leading to thermal shock.

The popping sound itself normally comes from nails slipping under shifting wood members when they can no longer hold the tension. The attic amplifies this slip into a loud bang.

2) Loose Gutters

If the loud noise occurs during windstorms, the culprit is most likely to be a mechanical issue, likely with your gutters. This is especially true if the noise is louder near the corners of your property.

For example, a loose gutter bracket empowers the wind to lift the gutter and slam it back against the fascia board, generating a hollow thud that can echo through the rafters.

3) Tree Branches

Extended tree branches can reach the roof deck during windstorms, even if they don’t appear close enough during calm weather days.

The sound of an oak tree or a pine branch hitting your roof deck is extremely loud, like a sledgehammer. When trees are the cause, it’s best to contact a professional tree trimmer or arborist.

4) Animals

If the banging sound is rhythmic or is followed by a scratching noise, the culprit is most likely an animal, such as a squirrel, opossum, or raccoon.

Squirrels can also generate this sound by dropping walnuts or pine cones onto your roof from overhanging branches.

5) Ductwork

Properties with an attic furnace or rooftop AC unit have another possible suspect for the loud banging noise, as duct walls can expand and contract, generating a metallic pop or bang loud enough to wake a deep sleeper.

This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as oil canning and is normally resolved by a professional adding V-crimps to the flat side of the duct or attaching angled metal across the flat span.

Investigating The Cause of a Roof Banging Noise

While you should never go onto your roof because of the grave danger it presents, there are ways you can investigate the noise without putting yourself at risk.

Weather Monitoring

Identify the weather conditions that overlap with the noise, if one exists. It’s often windstorms that foster these sounds, but there are also cases where they occur only with sunlight or at night.

Attic Test

If you are comfortable going up to your attic, bring a flashlight. You are looking for any rays of sunlight peeking into your attic, which indicates the presence of holes.

The attic is also a place where you will notice evidence of animal activity, such as finding nests.

Shiner Check

Observe your roof from the ground and look for any exposed silver nails, called shiners. You can also keep an eye out for loose shingles.

Depiction of Roof Expansion and Contraction During Winter

Next Steps if You Can’t Diagnose Loud Banging Noises from Roof

While the banging noise might be alarming or frustrating, it is fairly common in colder regions of the country, especially with asphalt shingle or metal roofs.

If you cannot identify the culprit of the loud banging noise, it’s best to contact a professional roofing company for an inspection.

In many cases, it will not require a roof replacement or an expensive repair. However, there are less common cases in which snow or an ice dam is causing consistent creaking noises on your roof.

Snow or ice dams can put your roof, your property, and its occupants in danger and would qualify as an emergency roof repair situation.

Nov '19

Hail Size Roof Damage Chart

When a storm rolls through your town, there are a lot of things that can do damage. Heavy winds are the usual culprit, but hail is another type of storm that can do significant damage. The most recent annual data estimates over 3,700 hail storms in the United States.

After these storms, it’s handy to have a hail size roof damage chart at your disposal, like the one below:

Key Takeaway

Any hail larger than a ½ inch can damage a roof, meaning ¾-inch to 1-inch hail (quarter size) and 1 ¾-inch to 4 ½-inch hail (golf ball size) should prompt a call to your insurance company.

Assessing Roof Hail Damage by Size

When hail grows in size, you can be concerned about things like your car or, even worse, your roof. The costs can be heavy when there is damage to your roof. Even minor damage can cost thousands of dollars, and most of us do not have that kind of money lying around.

They say they are there for us when disaster strikes, but most insurance companies will find any reason not to pay out a claim. After all, it is how they strengthen their bottom line.

When hail becomes a concern, it can help to know what size hail can damage your roof. Again, not all hail is worth worrying about, but when those bigger chunks begin to hit, you can wonder what to do. Inspecting your own roof is dangerous, and you may not know what to look for.

Most people won’t be able to manually measure hail during a storm, so you can estimate using common identifiers like “golf ball size” and “marble size.”

Understanding which hail sizes can damage your roof gives you a good idea of when to call in an inspector to check for damage on your roof. Here are a few of the most common hail sizes that damage roofs nationwide.

¼-inch Hail (Pea-sized Hail)

Milder hailstorms generally produce this size of hail, but only for a few minutes at a time before it shifts over to steadier rainfall. When dealing with this size of hail, a roof can often fair pretty well.

Use some common sense and judgment before jumping to any conclusions.If you have an older roof with existing damage, pea-sized hail could exacerbate the present damage. Be aware of the condition of your roof before judging whether it needs an inspection after a hailstorm.

½-inch Hail (Marble-sized Hail)

Marble-sized hail can also fall into the safe zone when it comes to hail, meaning it generally doesn’t cause damage to roofs that don’t already have substantial damage.

Remember that hail is produced by updrafts of wind that shoot raindrops higher into the atmosphere. It freezes when it gets higher into the atmosphere and then falls back to Earth.

When you have more extreme winds, the hailstones will generally be larger. While the quarter-inch-sized hailstones might not be of much concern, exercise caution and common sense again.

If you have any thoughts that there might be damage to your roof, call in an inspector immediately.

¾-inch to 1-inch Hail (Dime to Quarter-sized Hail)

You should call an inspector immediately when you see hailstones larger than the ½-inch described above. Finding a reputable local roofer is a great place to start, and you also need to make sure that you place a call to your insurance agent.

Hail this size generally damages roofs in the form of dents and cracks, though in some cases, it can definitely cause greater damage.

Do not leave this unaddressed. As expensive as it can be, if you leave the damage unaddressed, it could become a more expensive, extensive, and potentially dangerous condition to live in.

In any event, you must talk to your insurance agent immediately. Knowing what your policy covers and what might be paid for can help you determine your budget and which contractor to use.

Part of the headache of dealing with damage to your roof is dealing with the insurance company; try to get that duck in a row as soon as possible.

Once hail size approaches 1 inch, you will most certainly have roofing damage of some form. It’s important to contact your insurance company as soon as possible.

1 ¾-inch to 4 ½-inch Hail (Golf Ball-sized Hail)

While not an uncommon hail-size range, golf ball-sized hail can still substantially damage your roof, car, and home. Like with dime-size hail, you should contact your insurance agent by phone to discuss your options.

Agents might send a roofer to determine the overall damage before proceeding. Your policy may cover a portion of the damage your roof sustained.

Hail can be a nasty beast, even if it only occasionally rears its ugly head. Whenever there is hail in your area, you must assess the size of the hailstones first and foremost. Under ¾-inch, you are probably fine unless your roof already has substantial damage and age.

Anything larger than 1/2 inch should prompt you to discuss the next step with your insurance agent and find a roofing contractor to inspect your roof.

The Bottom Line for Roofs With Hail Damage

Being calm and knowing the steps to take when a hailstorm hits your area can make all the difference in the world when trying to get the necessary repairs done.

The key is not to panic and not jump to conclusions. Make sure that you take all of the proper steps so that you can not only get your roof repaired but get it done in a cost-effective way.

Because hail damage leads are often hot items for roofers, cities recently hit by storms will be ripe with them. Be aware of whom you’re dealing with.

If you are unsure whether or not your roof was damaged by a hail storm, getting an inspection is the best option. Even if the hail is around 1/2 inch in size, it can exacerbate existing problems with the roofing system.

When hail is larger than 1/2 inch, including quarter and golf ball size, your roof is almost certainly in danger. The more quickly you address damage from hail storms, the less future complications arise.