Wind storm damage to my roof… help

So you’ve found a couple of shingles in your yard or perhaps you see some blown off shingles on your roof. The next question is, how bad is it?

Most of the times, a couple of shingles blown off your roof isn’t too big of a deal. It could be as simple of a solution as getting your roofer to perform a repair. Perhaps there was a problem with the manufacturing process of the product and a few shingles didn’t have a tar strip activate, or possibly there was an issue during installation that caused the shingles not to seal down properly.

Other times, however, the wind event could have actually caused a lift of large sections of shingles that create a zipper effect. This is where the wind lifts the shingles successively up the roof on the staggered pattern which they were installed. When this happens, the wind rips the nail through the back of the shingle and although the shingle looks like it is still properly in place, it is in actuality hanging on by a thread. This is particularly dangerous because the next wind event will likely take off large areas of the roof leaving you open to leaks into your home.

So whether it’s just a few shingles in your yard, missing shingles on the roof or a flapping sound you hear when the wind blows, it is always good to have your roof checked out by someone who knows how to look for wind damage. Find a roofer that will take the time to carefully inspect your roof, that has experience with wind claims. Not every roof needs replacement, but if you do have to file a claim, you will want to work with a roofer who knows how to explain the damage he found to the insurance company professionally.