Latest news with #hailstorm
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Roof contractor urges homeowners to have roofs assessed for damage after Wednesday's hailstorm
AUSTIN (KXAN) – Local Austin roof repair business Quality Exteriors said that even if homeowners are not seeing leaks after the Wednesday hailstorm, their roofs may still be damaged. The Wednesday storm brought damaging winds, large hail, and localized flooding, leading to widespread damage across Austin. Dustin Golden of Quality Exteriors said he and his team have been busy ever since. 'This has been one of the busiest times,' Golden said. 'We have seen trees on people's roofs. We've been seeing a lot of just general hail damage on roofs in Austin.' Leaks are a clear indication that a roof has been damaged in a storm. However, even if it is not leaking, Golden advised people to have their roofs inspected if hail moved through their area. 'You have to get it checked out to see if there is actual damage,' he said. 'You might not have a leak now, but the hail's impact could lead to one in the future.' Golden said most insurance policies cover hail-related damage, and that it's best for a homeowner to act quickly to ensure eligibility. 'The sooner the better,' he said. 'I'd highly recommend at least getting it all documented.' Documenting includes things like taking photos and videos. Also, reporting any issues, even minor ones, to protect long-term property value. If a quick fix was needed to repair damage immediately after the storm, Rich Johnson from the Insurance Council of Texas said to save receipts, as insurance companies often reimburse for those purchases. 'Let's say, you have a broken window and you need to put a piece of plywood over it… that could be reimbursable,' Johnson said. And while both Johnson and Golden recommended having your property assessed after a storm by a contractor, they both encouraged homeowners to be wary of fraudulent companies. 'During storm season like this, we will see contractors and roofers who come from out of town looking to take advantage of the situation,' Johnson said. One 'red flag' would be if a contractor offers to waive a deductible, he said. 'That is totally illegal in Texas,' Johnson said. Johnson recommended taking photos of a contractor's license plate, ensuring the company is based locally and checking for positive reviews. 'Your insurance company may have a list of preferred contractors in the area,' Johnson said. 'Oftentimes, you'll get a little bit of an extra warranty if you do go with one of those preferred contractors.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Farmers devastated as intense hailstorm wipes out crops: 'We are sad and disappointed that all the efforts made throughout the year result in this'
A devastating hailstorm in Lleida, Catalonia, wiped out 50,000 hectares (about 123,553 acres) of crops, reported Catalan News. Fruit trees and grains were among the crops obliterated by a swift and deadly April hailstorm. This extreme weather reduced farmers' yields to a fraction of their usual output. Salvador Nadal, a local farmer, told Catalan News, "We are sad and disappointed that all the efforts made throughout the year result in this." Fruitnet reported that an estimated 90% of fruit crops were lost in l'Horta d'Alcarràs, a region within Lleida. Pere Roqué, the president of Asaja, an agricultural organization, told Fruitnet that this storm could not only lead to widespread crop loss but job loss as well. As proven in Lleida, extreme weather events can and do damage crop yields. This has been a major cause of global food inflation in recent years, as crop production declines and temperatures rise. Unfortunately, this hailstorm is just one of many that have been pelting Spain. In 2022, ScienceNews reported that huge balls of hail rained down on La Bisbal d'Empordà. They were about five inches wide, a size that scientists deemed impossible in preindustrial times. These increasingly intense storms aren't just flukes. They are a critical climate issue, caused by planet-warming pollution. While major storms and natural disasters are common phenomena, rising global temperatures have rapidly worsened them, making them increasingly difficult to deal with. According to Catalan News, the farmers' trade union is trying to secure financial aid from the Catalan government. With the money, they would install anti-hail nets to protect their crops. At the time of writing, the funds have not yet been secured. If you would like to help on an individual level, consider donating money to climate causes. What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home? Not enough time Not enough space It seems too hard I have a garden already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Bloomberg
27-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
How to Protect Your Rooftop Solar Panels From Hail Damage
As the US heads into peak hailstorm season, homeowners that have installed solar power face the prospect of chunks of ice damaging their panels. 'Those instances of damage are rare, but the more extreme weather gets with climate change, it's hard to know what the future brings,' says Lauren Martin, head of marketing at Freedom Solar Power, a Texas-based solar installer. Last year, the company was called in to repair about a dozen solar systems in Austin pummeled by baseball-sized hail. Hail caused more economic losses for solar-panel owners than any other hazard, according to the latest data available from GCube Insurance, an underwriter that insures more than 100 gigawatts of renewable energy assets worldwide. While less than 2% of the total claims the company recorded from 2018 to 2023 had to do with hail, they accounted for more than half of insured damage associated with solar projects. Hailstorms can happen in any part of the US, but they most commonly occur in the central and southern plains states, stretching from Texas to the Dakotas, a region known as 'Hail Alley.' Part of that overlaps with areas that have seen substantial growth in solar installation. Take Texas. Its residential solar adoption increased nearly 650% from 2017 to 2022, according to a report published last year by Frontier Group and Environment Texas Research and Policy Center. Here's what you need to know about protecting your rooftop solar systems from hail damage. Today, solar panels are able to withstand the impact of hailstones roughly the size of a quarter coin (1 inch in diameter) at the speed of 50 miles per hour — as long as you purchase the right products. Consider shopping for solar panels with a UL 61730 rating, says Evelyn Butler, vice president of technical services at Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group. The rating, provided by Illinois-based safety-standard company UL Solutions, signals the panels passed hail testing, she says. Other organizations such as the International Electrotechnical Commission also issue their version of safety standards for solar panels that can operate in rough weather. As soon as you decide to install solar panels, inform your insurance company, says Jason Kaminsky, chief executive officer of kWh Analytics, a firm that specializes in risk analytics for renewable-energy projects. Many carriers will extend homeowners insurance to include the solar equipment, he says. If your panels are mounted on the ground rather than attached to the house structure, confirm with your carrier if the system is eligible for homeowners' insurance or if you need to purchase an add-on. Homeowners who get their solar panels through a lease or a Power Purchase Agreement should check with their equipment provider to clarify who will insure the solar system, Kaminsky says. Typically, the equipment provider is responsible for that.
Khaleej Times
23-05-2025
- Khaleej Times
India, Pakistan denied IndiGo flight permission to cross border to avoid hailstorm
An IndiGo passenger plane attempting to avoid severe weather en route to Indian Kashmir was denied permission to divert towards Pakistan by both the Indian Air Force and Pakistan, India's aviation regulator said on Friday. No passengers were injured when the flight from India's capital Delhi to the northern Indian city of Srinagar was forced to fly through a hailstorm. But a post-landing inspection revealed damage to the aircraft's nose, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement, adding that the incident was under investigation. An image shared by the Times of India newspaper on the social media platform X showed a large hole in the front of the aircraft, while a video also circulating on the site showed passengers screaming and praying during the turbulence. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video. The incident highlights the risks commercial airlines and passengers face after tensions between India and Pakistan led the two nuclear-armed neighbours to close their airspaces to each other's airlines last month. The Airbus A321neo, which typically has seating capacity for 180 to 220 passengers, was first denied a request to turn towards the India-Pakistan border by the Indian Air Force, the regulator said, without specifying the reason. The IAF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The flight crew then contacted the city of Lahore in Pakistan requesting entry into Pakistan's airspace, but that was also denied, the DGCA said. A spokesperson for the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority declined to comment. The crew of flight 6E 2142 then flew through the storm, choosing the shortest route to Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir. "The flight and cabin crew followed established protocol and the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar," IndiGo said in a statement. It later said the aircraft was undergoing checks in Srinagar and would resume operations once clearances had been secured. The two countries declared a truce earlier this month. Their airspaces, however, remain closed to each other's airlines.
Al Arabiya
23-05-2025
- Al Arabiya
IndiGo flight facing severe weather was denied diversion requests, India says
An IndiGo passenger plane attempting to avoid severe weather en route to Indian Kashmir was denied permission to divert towards Pakistan by both the Indian Air Force and Pakistan, India's aviation regulator said on Friday. No passengers were injured when the flight from India's capital Delhi to the northern Indian city of Srinagar was forced to fly through a hailstorm. But a post-landing inspection revealed damage to the aircraft's nose, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement, adding that the incident was under investigation. An image shared by the Times of India newspaper on the social media platform X showed a large hole in the front of the aircraft, while a video also circulating on the site showed passengers screaming and praying during the turbulence. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video. The incident highlights the risks commercial airlines and passengers face after tensions between India and Pakistan led the two nuclear-armed neighbors to close their airspaces to each other's airlines last month. The Airbus A321neo, which typically has seating capacity for 180 to 220 passengers, was first denied a request to turn towards the India-Pakistan border by the Indian Air Force, the regulator said, without specifying the reason. The IAF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The flight crew then contacted the city of Lahore in Pakistan requesting entry into Pakistan's airspace, but that was also denied, the DGCA said. A spokesperson for the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority declined to comment. The crew of flight 6E 2142 then flew through the storm, choosing the shortest route to Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir. 'The flight and cabin crew followed established protocol and the aircraft landed safely in Srinagar,' IndiGo said in a statement. It later said the aircraft was undergoing checks in Srinagar and would resume operations once clearances had been secured. Tensions flared between India and Pakistan following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir in April, eventually triggering the two neighbors' worst military conflict in nearly three decades. The two countries declared a truce earlier this month. Their airspaces, however, remain closed to each other's airlines.
