HAIL IMPACTS ON AGED ASPHALT ROOFING PRODUCTS

Year after year, hail causes billions of dollars in property damage each year in the United States. Roofs are the first line of defense against severe weather events and the hazards they present. With asphalt shingles composing about 80% of residential roof covers in the United States, the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) launched a 20-year roof aging initiative to study how natural weathering affected the performance of asphalt shingles. The study considers the length of exposure, climate, and product type. In 2019 and 2020, roof samples were harvested for the first round of 5-year samples and tested using the IBHS Impact Resistance Test Protocol for Asphalt Shingles. Results indicate that performance for all products deteriorated significantly after 5-years of natural weathering.