Funny you mention flashing and drainage—those are the first things I look at when someone calls me out for a “roof check.” I’ve seen folks obsess over a tiny scratch in the paint, meanwhile there’s water sneaking in around a poorly done valley. As for Kynar, unless you’re in a spot with brutal sun or salty air, I’m not convinced it’s always worth the upcharge. Most of the time, it’s the hidden stuff that bites you later... not the finish.
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve crawled up a ladder and the homeowner’s pointing at some tiny dent from hail, meanwhile there’s a gap in the step flashing letting water run right in. I get it—those dings look bad, but like you said, it’s usually what you can’t see that causes headaches down the line. Had a place last fall where the finish was scratched but the underlayment was toast from years of leaks... nobody noticed till it started dripping into the attic. Kynar’s nice, but if your seams and valleys aren’t tight, that fancy coating won’t save you.
Kynar’s nice, but if your seams and valleys aren’t tight, that fancy coating won’t save you.
Nailed it. I see folks obsess over cosmetic hail dents, but it’s the hidden stuff—like loose fasteners or poorly lapped valleys—that’ll wreck a roof. Always check those overlaps and flashings, especially after a big storm. Dents are mostly just an eyesore unless the metal’s actually punctured.
- 100% agree—dents are just roof “character” unless you can see daylight through ‘em.
- I’ve seen more leaks from lazy valley overlaps than from hail itself. One guy had a “hail-proof” roof, but water still found its way in through a gap the size of a pencil.
- Anyone else notice how insurance adjusters love to count every dent, but ignore the loose ridge cap? Makes me wonder if they’ve ever actually fixed a roof themselves...
- Curious—has anyone had luck with those peel-and-stick underlayments after hail? Worth the hype, or just another layer to trap moisture?
Peel-and-stick underlayment’s a mixed bag in my experience. I put it down after a nasty hailstorm a few years back—figured it’d be extra insurance. It definitely helped with minor leaks, especially around the valleys, but I did notice some sweating underneath during a humid stretch. Maybe I didn’t get the overlap perfect, or maybe it just traps more moisture than old-school felt. Still, I’d rather have it than not, especially with our freeze-thaw cycles. Insurance folks counting dents but missing the real issues... classic.