Besides rain and hail, many storms bring high winds that cause roofing damage. Some damage like missing shingles is obvious; other damage can be harder to detect. When the storm winds blow, it is important to have a roofing contractor check your installation if there is any possibility of wind damage. Detecting problems and arranging for necessary roofing repair now can save you from greater damage and expensive repairs later.
Cracked and Unsealed Shingles
Missing shingles are not the only result of high winds. Although your shingles may still be present, they may have experienced strain from the wind getting underneath them. Strong winds that unseal layered shingles and lift them up slightly can cause roofing damage in multiple ways. Lifted or loose shingles reduce the watertightness of the installation, allowing leaks to start. Wind lifting up the shingles can also cause minute cracks in the material that will speed up the aging of the roof.
Because these types of damage are challenging to detect, many homeowners end up needing significant roofing repair after months or years of slow leaks caused initially by wind damage.
Loosening of the Structural Framework
In addition to lifting and cracking the shingles when it gets under the layered material, high winds can affect the roof's entire structural framework. Wind that blows under the eaves and decking wherever there is an entry point due to improper sealing can cause stress to the roofing joists and decking as a result.
Although your installation may look completely fine from the outside, a skilled roofing contractor can find areas where strong gusts have blown the framework out of adjustment and loosened it. Exposure to more strong winds could eventually lead to a roof blowing off.
Impact from Blown Debris
Another unsuspected cause of damage that requires roofing repair is impact from blown debris. When tree limbs, yard items, or anything else becomes airborne and strikes your roof, there is always a possibility of damage. Your shingles could be cracked, torn, or even broken off if struck hard enough by some item picked up and blown around during the storm. In worst cases, your roof could even be penetrated, leaving behind a hole.
Not all of this damage is obvious. Large holes in your roof or shingles ripped off your roof are easy to locate after the fact; however, more hidden effects must be looked for and found. If you ever hear the house being hit by windblown debris or find evidence that a tree limb has fallen on your house, call a roofing contractor to go up and take a closer look.
Wind damage can be devastating, many times causing severe and obvious roofing damage to your home. Other times, the damage may be hidden, leading you to believe everything is fine until bigger problems surface. Instead of taking that chance, do your roof a favor. Call a roofing contractor who can inspect your roof after severe weather and make sure there is no hidden wind damage. Handling any roofing repair now as the damage occurs is your best option to prevent ongoing problems that can shorten the life of your roof. Never underestimate the power of the wind!
