Keeping property safe from hailstorms
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Wind storms are not the only damaging weather to be on the lookout for here in Southern Colorado. With hail season just around the corner, there are a few things to be aware of when it comes to safety and protecting property this time of year.
Colorado’s hail is known for its potential to cause damage to cars, roofs, plants, windows, and more. Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association said in the last 10 years, hailstorms have caused more than $5 billion in insured damages in Colorado.
And while many try to prepare and protect their homes and property, these storms can be hard to predict. Colorado’s hail season stretches from April to September, with the highest number of storms typically happening in June.
“It’s starting to look like it’s going to be a very active whole season this year,” said Richard Heizer, the owner of Heizer Hail Repairs.
The Centennial state is one of the most at-risk for hail because of its elevation, with storms capable of creating large, damaging hailstones, like the one below, measuring 4.83 inches in 2019.
“I definitely make sure I put my car in the garage as soon as possible. I actually even put blankets on my car, the last time we got like a hail warning,” said Britney McDonald.
Experts say it’s important to make sure you are covered and have good car insurance.
It can be hard to predict hail, so turning on local weather alerts could save you thousands of dollars in damage.
“We’ve seen a lot of totaled vehicles just in Colorado Springs alone over the past several years.
I think it was 2019 we were seeing storms that were totaling up 60% of all vehicles,” said Heizer.
Heizer said hail damage can cost up to $12,000 depending on the severity, but cars are not the only property at risk.
“It was when we had the golf-ball sized hail, and we had an emergency assessment for our condo association, and each person in the… HOA had to be $1,300 to basically get somebody out to just assess the damages on the roof,” said McDonald.
Experts say it’s also good idea to inspect your roof and make repairs on any weak points to prevent damage and water leaks.
“Honestly, if you know hail is coming, just get ready for it. It can be tiny. It can be big. It’s Colorado. So you really don’t know,” said McDonald.
It’s also important to remember to store outdoor items inside if you don’t want things like patio furniture to get damaged. It can also ruin plants, trees and other landscape so keeping plants trimmed can reduce damage from wind and hail.
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