Belk Builders knows when it rains, it pours.

Belk Builders wants to offer you an in-depth look at the ways storms and moisture can wreak havoc on your home's exterior... The Southern Piedmont has seen its fair share of wet weather lately, and the Charlotte area is no exception. While the rain is vital to the success of our lawns and gardens, it can also bring with it storms producing hail that can damage our home's exterior. In addition, the added moisture can increase the damage sustained to homes whose exterior is already vulnerable to  rot or degradation from aged, cracked or peeling siding, old windows or windows that were not properly installed.

• Hail - When large hail and strong winds exist near residential areas, homes may sustain considerable hail damage to roofing, siding, gutters. Hail is a large frozen raindrop that is produced by intense thunderstorms where snow and rain coexist. Hail damage can affect your property in many ways, one of which is your home's roof.

Your home's roof -  Hail damage to asphalt shingles can cause soft spots or bruising that may or may not be visible to the naked eye. Hail impacts will also tend to loosen the hard granules that make up the top surface of the shingle. In some cases hail will cause enough damage to break through the shingles felt matting and cause its fibers to be exposed. Another way to tell if hail has damaged your roof is by checking the roof vents. Hail damage will often cause dents or marks on the metal roof venting systems.

Siding and gutters - Hail can also cause damage to your home’s vinyl siding. This is evident by visual breaks, cracks or holes in the siding product. Normally if these items are not present, your siding has not been damaged. Aluminium siding on the contrary shows damage in other ways. Large hail will produce dents throughout the entire elevation of aluminium siding. Even smaller hail with high velocity crosswinds will produce dents large enough to cause significant damage to the aluminium. Hail can cause similar damage to your aluminium guttering system also.

• Wind - High wind speeds can cause significant damage to property. Hurricanes, cold fronts, strong areas of low pressure and even simple thunderstorms can produce winds strong enough to cause damage and threaten your home’s exterior.

High winds - Storms producing severe and high winds can cause damage to your home's exterior. Even good roofs can lose shingles, and weaker roofs will begin to peel off. Higher winds pose a  significant threat from flying objects  because of the larger, heavier items becoming airborne. This can cause damage to your home's siding, windows and much more.

Moderate winds - Even storms that produce less severe winds can uplift small twigs, weak limbs and loose shingles to blow off and cause FOD (flying object damage) to structures and unprotected glass windows. Old or weak structures may sustain minor damage. Shallow-rooted trees may also be pushed over if excessively wet conditions are present.

• Rain and excessive moisture - If your home's exterior is already vulnerable and laden with cracks, holes or areas that are starting to degrade, the moisture brought on by rainfall is definitely NOT your friend. While mold is always a concern if rain seeps into areas that are not protected, rot is a major issue. For example, A small crack in your home's exterior masonite siding can lead to big trouble if left to weather storm after storm -- leading to additional exterior home damage, rot and decay over time.

• Don't forget lightning - There can be damage as a result of a direct lightning strike. This may include damage to roofing materials, siding, windows, chimneys, heating or air conditioning units located on the roof or exterior of a building, or fires caused by lightning igniting combustible material, such as wood-frame buildings or flammable liquids or vapors. Part of the lightning current can also be carried inside a building by electric power, telephone, analog or digital data lines.