Disaster Safety Blog

Monster hailstorms rack up repair bills in Texas

Cleanup continues in El Paso, Texas, nearly two weeks after a monster hailstorm caused $150 million in property damage.

The Texas Insurance Council reports the Sept. 16 storm damaged 10,000 homes and 20,000 vehicles in and around East El Paso and Horizon City. Hailstones as large as tennis balls were reported in some areas.

The hailstorm was the costliest in El Paso history, according to the insurance group. Damage rivals that of the $200 million caused by the city's historic flooding in the summer of 2006.

This is not, however, the most expensive hailstorm to hit Texas this year. In March, hail in the Austin area caused an estimated $160 million in damage to 15,000 homes and 22,000 vehicles, the Texas Insurance Council reported.

Still, neither storm reached the $1.1 billion pricetag for damage caused by the state's most expensive hailstorm that hit the Dallas-Fort Worth area in May 1995, which also remains the nation's costliest hailstorm.

Living in a hail-prone area can cause the average homeowner to replace their roof every seven to 10 years, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). Avoid costly roof repairs and replacements by choosing impact-resistant roofing materials with help from IBHS.  

Late Season Hail Blankets El Paso

Insurance adjusters, roofers, window companies and home supply stores were all busy yesterday responding to thousands of people in East El Paso, Texas  with damage to their homes resulting from blankets of hail that covered roofs, yards, and streets from Wednesday’s monstrous storm.

Hailstones as big as golf balls poured down in sheets on parts of the East Side and Horizon City totaling over $50 million in damage from Wednesday’s storm.

According to State Farm and Farmers Insurance, more than 6,800 insurance claims for damage were reported yesterday. Allstate and Progressive Insurance were also flooded with claims. The insurance companies sent catastrophe response teams to El Paso to more quickly respond to customer’s claims.

IBHS is researching ways to better protect properties against hail damage. Using impact-resistant roofing materials is one option and can save thousands of dollars over the life of a home or business located in an area that is frequently pelted by hail. Learn more about the benefits of impact-resistant roofing.

The opening of the IBHS research laboratory next year will make new opportunities available to explore other options for reducing hail damage. Read more about the lab.

Reduce the risk of future hail damage

Cleanup efforts continue in parts of Iowa after a powerful hail storm pounded the state on Sunday.

The hardest hit was Eldora, but the storm also ripped through Hardin and Grundy counties. It shattered windows and shredded siding. Exposed homes and businesses then suffered additional damage from torrential rains. Hail stones toppled weakened chimneys on some houses, sending debris through the roofs.

Sunday's storm was the second major hail-related calamity to hit Iowa this year. Two weeks ago, hailstorms hit Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette and Winneshiek counties.

Reroofing after the storm? Consider using impact-resistant roofing materials that can reduce the risk of future hail damage. Unlike in most states, roofs in hail-prone areas usually must be replaced every seven to 10 years - extend the life of your roof with free information from the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

Residents question what's causing increased hail storms

From ping-pong balls to peas, the sizes of hail stones that have fallen in New York and New Jersey in the last three weeks has varied along with the levels of damage. The latest hail storm was Tuesday night in Yonkers, N.Y.. Before that, it was Rochester, N.Y., that was pelted with hail on June 26. A similar storm June 15 left behind hail damage in Westwood, N.J.

Damage estimates are just beginning to emerge. Residents who have been following the weather patterns are beginning ask, "What's behind all these hail storms?" and "Is El Niño to blame?"

Here's what Joe Pollina, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told The New York Times when these questions were posed.

“Normally, we do see thunderstorms, some of which do become severe in spring and summer, but this year, especially with the amount of rain, it’s been a little on the abnormal side,” he told reporter Libby Nelson.

Neither El Niño nor global warming, often scapegoats for strange weather, is to blame, Pollina went on to say.

The culprit is the polar jet stream: a fast-moving air current that controls the movement of fronts and weather systems and is usually north of New York by summer, he said. This year, the jet stream has stayed on a southerly course, causing more storms to develop.

“It’s just an abnormal pattern that we seem to be in, and we can’t seem to break it,” Pollina added.

In a typical year, the United States experiences about 3,000 hail storms, according to the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). So while some areas may be getting more than their fare share of hail right now, residents in typically hail-prone areas should expect more of the same.

IBHS is researching ways to better protect properties against hail damage. Using impact-resistant roofing materials is one option and can save thousands of dollars over the life of a home or business located in an area that is frequently pelted by hail. Learn more about the benefits of impact-resistant roofing.

The opening of the IBHS research laboratory next year will make new opportunities available to explore other options for reducing hail damage. Read more about the lab.

Hailstorms continue to pound parts of Colorado

So far the month of June has brought severe storms and large hail three separate times to northern Colorado.

The latest hailstorm hit Wednesday and produced hail stones up to 1-3/4 inches, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder. The hail stones combined with heavy rains resulted in localized flooding and widespread damage to trees and some properties. 

The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is continuing to work to educate consumers and contractors about the benefits of using impact-resistant roofing materials in hail-prone areas, such as parts of Colorado. IBHS is working with the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) to promote a broader understanding of how to choose and install impact-rated roofing materials.

The new IBHS disaster research lab, which is still in development, will offer new opportunities to test the effects of hail on siding and other products and to explore the result of aging on impact-rated construction materials. Learn more about protecting your property against hail.

Southern Illinois Hit by Rain, Hail and High Winds

Severe storms permeated areas of southern Illinois last night bringing heavy rain and golf-ball size hail to parts of Jackson and Williamson counties – between Murphysboro and Marion.

Authorities reported damages to car windows due to the hail; trees were also down.

Cleanup is also underway in Alton, Ill. after a severe storm caused the collapse of a building in the Mississippi River’s city’s downtown.  No injuries were reported as a result of the collapse of the upper floors of the building that housed an antique store and graphic design shop on the first floor. The strong winds accompanying the storm were also responsible for blowing out windows and toppling over a billboard in Alton.

More bad weather is anticipated today in southern Illinois as a system over southeast Kansas is expected to bring more hail, high winds and heavy rain to the region.

Hail manages to cause more than $1 billion in damage to property in the United States each year. Since the roof is the largest component of a house it can also be the most vulnerable to severe storms and the costliest single site of damage. It is important to recognize signs a roof may have hail damage:

• When it rains, do too many roof granules wash away?
• Are there water stains on your ceiling?

Roof care and maintenance are equally as important to avoiding hail damage. The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers several tips for protecting your roof from hail damage including proper eave and ridge ventilation, keeping roof, valleys, gutters and downspouts free from debris, and limiting weathering effects using available preservatives.

Keeping wind and water out is also critical to your home’s survival. IBHS offers several tips to help prevent wind and water intrusion including how to strengthen entry doors and soffits, brace gable ends and install shutters.

Golf Ball Size Hail Hits Central Texas

Insurance claims have begun to pour in after golf-ball size hail penetrated Central Texas on Wednesday, damaging houses, cars, windows and trees.

The storm originated in southern Mason County, approximately 125 miles west of Austin, eventually fell apart east of Manor, dropping 2 to 3 inch hail in some areas and about 1 ½ inches of rain.

According to spokesman Ryan Gauna, as of 1p.m. yesterday, State Farm Insurance has filed 5,142 storm-related auto claims and 2,183 home claims in the Austin area.

Hail manages to cause more than $1 billion in damage to property in the United States each year. The risk of hail is greatest during the spring and summer. Since the roof is the largest component of a house it can also be the most vulnerable to severe storms and the costliest single site of damage. It is important to recognize signs a roof may have hail damage:

• When it rains, do too many roof granules wash away?
• Are there water stains on your ceiling? 

Roof care and maintenance are equally as important to avoiding hail damage. The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers several tips for protecting your roof from hail damage including proper eave and ridge ventilation, keeping roof, valleys, gutters and downspouts free from debris, and limiting weathering effects using available preservatives.

If you live in a hail-prone area, IBHS strongly advises using roofing materials tested to withstand hail damage. Shingles that have a class four rating under the Underwriters Laboratory 2218 standard are recommended. Impact resistant roofing is designed to reduce the damage caused by direct impact and adding it to your home is considered a wise investment.

Storm damage reported in parts of Florida, Georgia

Strong storms buffeted the Southeast on Thursday, downing power lines and trees, pelting towns in Georgia and Florida with quarter-sized hail and spawning a tornado near Fargo, Georgia.

In the Florida Panhandle, a also tornado ripped through several neighborhoods, damaging homes and businesses near a state park in Panama City. In southeastern Alabama, an apparent tornado touched down in Enterprise, causing structural damage to the city's civic center. About 2,600 homes and businesses in the area were without power during the height of the storm.

The destruction hit not far from the former location of Enterprise High School, where eight students were killed on March 1, 2007, when a tornado spun into the building, collapsing the roof and walls on students huddled in a corridor.

Damage reports are still coming in this morning, but more than 50 homes in Georgia and 20 in Florida appear to have hail damage, according to local emergency officials. Downed trees resulted in widespread roof damage in both states.

With winter approaching now is the time to consider how to prepare homes and businesses against damage. Trimming trees is one way to reduce the risk and inspecting attics for proper insulation also will lessen the chances of ice dams forming once the temperatures drop.

If hail does damage a roof, consider replacing the covering with an impact-resistant roofing material.

Building Solutions through Science

Building Solutions through Science will bring together broad perspectives on a variety of perils and will address some of the latest efforts to reduce property losses throughout the United States.

By popular demand – there will be morning workshops on both conference days – conducted by sponsors on Thursday and by IBHS staff on Friday. Topics include building codes, wildfire mitigation, and reducing flood losses through smart land use, among many others.

Because tornadoes and hail storms generated billions of dollars in damage this year, IBHS has invited Dr. Greg Forbes, Severe Weather Expert for The Weather Channel, and Derek Arndt, Climatologist with the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, to share their insight into these disastrous events.

Conference attendees also will hear from:

• Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink
• California State Fire Marshal Kate Dargan
• Insurance Information Institute President Dr. Robert P. Hartwig

Early-Bird Rate (Before or on 9/29/08)
Members $400
Non-Members $450
Gov’t/Academic $420

Regular Rate (9/30/08 and after)
Members $450
Non-Members $500
Gov’t/Academic $470

Hotel Reservations
Embassy Suites Tampa - Downtown Convention Center
513 South Florida Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33602
(813) 769-8300

Group Rate: $174

Reservations can be made at www.DisasterSafety.org/conference or by calling the hotel directly. Be sure to mention IBHS when booking your room and reserve by Oct. 12 to take advantage of the group rate.

Sponsors and Exhibitors
Please visit the Website below or contact Joy Whaley for information, (813) 675-1050 or jwhaley@ibhs.org.

Register now at www.DisasterSafety.org/conference!