Siding Damage in the 2020 Southern Alberta Hail Storm (Photo Gallery)

is james hardie siding hail resistant?

Yes it is. James Hardie’s fiber cement substrate and baked on ColorPlus finishes do a great job of resisting impact damage.

As the following case study clearly shows, Hardie can withstand hail. No doubt about it.

case study: one billion dollars in damages.

According to Canadian Underwriter, a magazine published for insurance industry professionals, the June 13 2020 Calgary and Airdrie hail storm could approach $1B in total damages. Check out some of the pictures and it’s easy to see why: windows smashed, streets flooded, and homes in tatters. (Check out a local article and photo album here)

When we worked for James Hardie Building Products, Hardie siding’s resistance to damage from hail was one of the most common conversations we’d have with homeowners. These conversations happened most often in Southern Alberta, also known as “Hailstorm Alley”. Well, this most recent hail storm is the biggest (in terms of damage) that we have seen ever in this province, and the results are dramatic:

2020 hail damage - airdrie, ab

Hardie Siding vs. Vinyl Siding

James Hardie siding on the left, vinyl siding on the right.

HardiePanel Hail Resistance

HardiePlank and HardiePanel on the left, vinyl siding on the right.

Vinyl Siding Wall

One wall of vinyl siding destroyed. The next photo is the exposed wall from the house on the right…

Hardie Siding Hail Results

This wall was facing the same direction as the vinyl wall in the previous photo. The window broke, but the Hardie siding didn’t.

Vinyl Board & Batten Hail Damage

This wall features vinyl board and batten above the trim line, and HardiePlank siding below it. One is destroyed, the other could use a coat of paint.

Photos courtesy of James Wakefield and used with permission

is a james hardie exterior “hail-proof”?

Well, not quite. I would bet that there are some homes in the area with cracked, dented, or chipped pieces of Hardie. Luckily, single boards are easy to replace, and Hardie siding can be re-painted fairly easily if needed.

The most significant damage to the homes with James Hardie siding would have been to the metals installed on the exterior: aluminum fascia cladding, eavestrough systems, and window flashings. It will certainly cost the insurance companies a bit of money to fix these items, but it shouldn’t cost nearly as much as a full siding replacement.

the verdict

If you are concerned about hail damage to your home’s exterior, James Hardie siding is a great option. While you’re at it, you might also want to consider upgrading some of the aluminum accessories to steel.

Thanks for reading our article! If you found this to be interesting, you might enjoy reading our other articles about James Hardie siding.