A roof is made to withstand the elements for years. But extreme or severe weather puts a damper on that, and strong winds play a big part.
Wind is one of the main reasons roofs experience damage. Unfortunately, it’s hard to spot wind damage to your roof if you don’t know what to look for. This could leave your roof vulnerable if left alone, so it’s important to know what to look for when it comes to wind damage to your roof!
How to spot wind damage to your roof
Roofs are very susceptible to wind damage, in part because high winds do not hit roofs uniformly. Rather, wind tends to cause damage to the edges of the roof, or areas of the roof that are already loose. These loose parts of the roof are easy targets because winds can rip up loose shingles, causing a chain reaction. Roofs are commonly damaged by falling objects and debris as well. Eventually, after prolonged wind damage, your roof can start to leak or rot due to water exposure.
Unlike hail damage, which takes a trained eye to see, wind damage is easier to spot. The most common way to spot wind damage to your roof is missing shingles. If you find shingles in your yard, it’s a pretty safe bet that your roof has wind damage. Here are some other things to look out for:
- Spots of Granules Missing from your Shingles: Similar to hail, wind can cause loss of granules (the sandpaper-like part of the shingle). The first place we look to determine if you have missing granules is by inspecting your gutters for the granules, as this is where they tend to pile up.
- Edge of Roof Curling from Peeling Shingles: The edges and other pressure points on the roof are most likely to sustain damage from wind. During our inspection we’ll look for curling shingles where the wind took hold and began to peel the shingles. Shingles keep out water, so if they’re loose it will lead to water damage and a quickly deteriorating roof.
- Entire Shingles Missing from the Roof: As mentioned, one of the easiest ways to tell that you have a wind damaged roof is the loss of entire shingles. If you find shingles in your yard or around your house, you’ll definitely want to have a professional come out and look at what else could cause you trouble. Strong winds can completely rip shingles off leaving your roof vulnerable.
- Cracks or Tears in a Flat, Rubber Roof: If you have a flat roof, we’ll look for missing pieces or tears in the material. Wind can lift up the material and rip it away or leave it with bubbles which hurts the integrity of the covering.
- Damaged Soffit or Fascia: Like shingles, soffit and fascia keep water away from the roof, reducing the chances of getting a leak. When damaged, soffit and fascia can open your home up to water damage and stray critters snaking in. Wind can cause cracks, loose or bent areas or even blow off loose fascia entirely.
- Chimneys: Is your chimney looking a little crooked? This should tip you off to a problem. Sometimes we find missing spots of lashing, which breaks the sealing around the chimney and lets in water.
- Leaks and indoor signs of roof damage: It might seem counterintuitive to go inside your home to look for roof damage, but the signs might be right there on the walls. If you see discoloration, wet spots or peeling paint, there’s a good chance your roof is leaking.
Call us to Identify Wind Damage to Your Roof
If you’ve recently experienced winds of 45 mph or higher or have noticed any of the signs above, then call us and we will get outside and take a look at your roof to confirm if you’ve experienced roof damage.
Contact us for all of Your Roofing Needs
A new roof is a big investment and you should take the time to find a trustworthy company, such as K & M Roofing to complete the job. Get a Free Quote Today for Your Roof Installation in Northern Virginia!
K & M Roofing and Contracting is dedicated to exceeding your expectations with all of our Northern Virginia roofing services, and we do that by always putting our customers’ satisfaction as a top priority. If you need roof repairs or are considering a complete replacement, we’re the company to call—so contact us today to learn more about what we offer!