How to Spot Wind Damage to Roofs

Whether its climate change or just ongoing bad weather, Toronto and most of Southern Ontario have seen more than its fair share of strong wind storms in recent years. We should know, as a roofing contractor, we’ve fixed more wind damage to roofs over the last few years than ever before.

But, if roof damage from high winds is becoming more common, that doesn’t make it any easier to identify. The truth is, with few or no visible signs, a wind storm may have harmed your roof enough to cause water damage inside the home.

To underline the importance of spotting wind damage sooner than later, your home insurance policy may not cover all the roof replacement or repairs or water damage to your home. So you should be ready to file a claim with your insurance company as soon as you can.  

4 Signs of Wind Damage to Roofs

Most homes in Toronto and the GTA have asphalt shingle roofs. The shingles are layered on the roof deck. The most common high-wind damage a roof suffers happens when the wind is strong enough to start lifting the shingles off the roof.

Following a wind storm, you should do a roof inspection for the following signs of damage.

1. Missing Shingles – It may sound obvious, but missing shingles aren’t always easy to spot. In addition to checking the roof, check the ground around your home too.
2. Curled, Cracked or Broken Shingles – Winds may not be strong enough to actually remove shingles, but they can get underneath and damage one or more shingles.
3. Excessive Shingle Granules – Roofing shingles are coated with a layer of protective granules. The granules may be loosened by high winds, falling branches or other flying debris that was blown onto the roof by the winds. Check your eavestroughs and the ground underneath them for excessive granules.
4. Roof Leaks – Again, the water damage to your home that results from wind damage to your roof is really the problem. Check the underside of the roof deck from inside your attic for signs of a water leak after particularly bad storms.

If you found this post helpful, check out our recent article “Should I Repair or Replace My Roof?”