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How Does Wind Damage a Roof

Wind damage to roofs can be severe. If wind speeds reach a certain level, even secure shingles can be stripped away.

Loose or torn-away shingles leave areas exposed which can lead to water leakage and structural damage.

Additionally, the wind has the ability to lift shingles and loosen nails, causing them to lose their suction and sealant.

If shingles are lifted, it can weaken the roof’s upper structure and compromise its integrity leading to further potential leaks or even worse, costly repairs.

Other possible wind damage to roofs includes objects hitting the roof, such as branches from trees or power lines that have fallen down causing punctures in the protective layers of your roof.

If not repaired or replaced these types of damage can cause further damage to the roof’s surface and structure costing you more in the long run.

What is considered Wind Damage to a Roof

It’s understandable that people believe wind damage to roofs is only caused by storms. Understandable, but incorrect.

On clear days, high-speed winds can cause the same amount of damage, but with a lower likelihood of water infiltration.

Identifiable signs of wind damage to roofs include creased shingles caused by the lifting of the lower portion of the shingle, curling or peeling shingles, and granule loss.

Loose Shingles

Wind damage to roofs can come in the form of loose shingles.  This can be shown by shingles that are easily lifted by light wind or by hand.

Shingles that have come loose can also show in the form of being pulled away from their nail fasteners.

Missing Shingles

The loss of entire shingles is one of the most obvious signs of wind damage to roofs.

If you discover shingles in your yard or around your house, you should have a professional inspect the area to see what other unseen issues could cause you problems.

Strong winds can completely rip shingles off your roof, leaving it exposed and vulnerable.

Damaged Fascia or Soffit

Other signs of wind damage to roofs include soffit or fascia damage and indoor leaks when no other signs can be identified.

Soffit and fascia, like shingles, keep water away from the roof, lowering the likelihood of a leak.

Soffit and fascia damage can expose your home to water damage and stray critters. Wind can cause cracks, loose or bent areas, or even completely blow off the loose fascia.

Chimney Flashing

A leaky chimney or roof, which causes water damage to ceilings, walls, and structural beams, is a common result of unrepaired wind damage to roofs.

Going inside your house to look for roof damage may seem counterintuitive, but the signs may be written on the walls.

If you notice discoloration, wet spots, or peeling paint on your walls or ceiling, your roof is most likely leaking.

Some signs of wind damage to roofs require an up close inspection to identify.

How to Tell if a Roof Has Wind Damage

The most common way to tell if a roof has wind damage is to look for obvious signs.

These signs include crooked shingles that have loosened, missing shingles, peeled back shingles and underlayment, or fallen debris such as branches and other items laying on your roof.

How Much Wind Does it Take to Damage a Roof?

While roofs are built to withstand high winds, there is still a level of wind speed that can cause damage.

Winds are classified as High Winds when speeds reach a sustained 40 mph or occurrences of 50 mph gusts.

These destructive winds do not hit roofs uniformly and strike damaging blows to corners, angles, and ridges loosening, lifting, and often tearing shingles away from a roof.

When winds reach higher speeds more severe damage can cause tearing of underlayment or in the worst case structural damage to a roof can occur.

What to do After You Have Identified Wind Damage

If you have identified obvious signs of wind damage to your roof or suspect your roof has wind damage, many roofing contractors offer free inspections by trained professionals to identify the less obvious signs.

Depending on the extent of the damage a professional roofer can identify and document the damage as well as provide repairs or replacement.

An experienced roofer can provide you with an estimate for all work to be performed or provide assistance in filing an insurance claim.

How to File an Insurance Claim for Roof Wind Damage

Assess Your Damage

The first step in filing an insurance claim for wind damage to roofs is getting a full picture of what you are dealing with so that you can include it in your claim.

Some damage is easily seen from the ground level and some will require an on-the-roof assessment.

If you are comfortable getting on your roof and know what you are looking for in the less obvious damage, you can do this yourself.

Documentation

Regardless of if your roof has a loose shingle or your roof has been ripped off of its frame, it is important to document EVERY aspect of damage to your roof.

The best way to document damage is with photos and/or video with a phone or camera.

Have roof maintenance records (if available) to show that you have kept good care of your roof and the damage is not due to neglect.

Schedule a Roof Inspection

If you are not comfortable getting on your roof, or would simply rather have a trained professional assist in identifying even the smallest damage to your roof, contact a local roofing company to conduct an expert roof inspection.

You and your insurance company will need this inspection prior to installing a new roof.

On The Roof Contracting offers free roof inspections as well as free insurance claim assistance for those with wind damage to roofs.

Contact Your Insurance Company To File a Roof Claim

This is usually the easiest step after an inspection, with about a 30 minute phone call with your professional roof inspector on-site, your insurance company can gather all information needed to get your claim started.

Meet With The Adjuster

After the claim has been filed, your insurance company will schedule a time for an insurance adjuster to do an inspection on the part of the insurance company.

Don’t be afraid to ask your professional roof inspector to be present during this inspection. 

They can often provide their professional opinion regarding wind damage to roofs while speaking with the adjuster during the inspection.

Schedule Your Roofing Services After Claim Approval

After your insurance company approves your claim, you are finally ready for your roof repair or replacement.

While you are awaiting payment, there may be a need for “tarp overs” or other temporary fixes that need to be made to prevent further damage.

Although there may be an immediate charge for these temporary repairs, they are, in most cases, reimbursable by the insurance company as long as you submit a receipt.

Expert Roofing Services and Insurance Claim Assistance from On The Roof Contracting

If you find yourself in need of filing a homeowners insurance claim after wind damage to the roof, On The Roof Contracting can walk you through every step of the process from initial assessment and documentation to filing your claim and repairing or replacing your roof.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you file a claim and get your home back to its pre-storm condition as soon as possible.