High Winds: How To Check Your Home For Serious Roof Damage

While Minnesota homeowners should always be prepared for wind storms, the past few months have already seen storms that have caused high wind damage to countless homes. Before the next one hits, let the Roof Guys of the Twin Cities area educate you about the most common signs of roof damage after wind storms.

Shingle Damage

One of the easiest ways to tell if your roof has sustained wind damage is by examining the shingles. You don’t even have to get up there to notice these three signs:

• The most common sign of wind roof damage is missing shingles. Look for bare patches on your roof or shingles around your property.
• Asphalt shingles are covered in granules for decoration and UV protection. After a windstorm, you may notice lines across your roof and tiny, pebble-like debris in your gutters. This means wind has stripped your shingles of granules.
• If the edge of your roof looks curled or buckled, wind has almost stripped the shingles off. This creates gaps that could cause leaks or structural damage.

Many modern shingles are rated for wind speeds up to 150 MPH. However, if they’re already damaged from a previous storm, they’ll go flying at the first sign of a gust. Always schedule roof repair as soon as possible after a storm.

Damaged Chimneys, Vents and Gutters

If you have a chimney, make sure it’s not leaning or missing any masonry. For vents, make sure the shingles around them aren’t curled and the vent is clear of debris. When it comes to gutters, if the wind didn’t completely tear them from your home, they may still be dangling dangerously after the wind partially pulled out any nails.

Around any roof installation, including skylights, make sure all flashing and seals are firmly in place. Otherwise, they’ll leak. It’s hard to notice this kind of damage, so hire a professional for a full roof inspection.

Soffit and Fascia Wind Damage

Soffit is the underside of your roof’s overhang. Fascia is the area right above it. This is often where gutters are installed.

These two areas are highly susceptible to wind damage. If wind has pulled the gutters from your home, the fascia is probably splintered and damaged. If there are any leaks, you may have a dangerous amount of water resting above the soffit.

Wind Damage to Flat Roofs

Many commercial roofs have flat roofs covered in tar, gravel or more modern materials like PVC or rubber membranes. Find the seams in your flat roof and look for parts where the wind has pulled them up.

It may look like minor damage at first, but this can cause problems for your drainage system or structural integrity. All it takes is another wind storm for the damage to become serious.

The Roof Guys: Minnesota’s High-wind Home Damage Experts

If you have high wind roof damage after a storm, call the Roof Guys for a full inspection and roof repair. From simple roof fixes to more complicated structural work, our 20 years of experience in Minnesota’s roofing industry has made us experts in repairing roof damage due to high winds. Need emergency roof repair? We’ll lend a helping hand as soon as possible.