Wind Damage to Roof Shingles

Wind is one of the elements that are virtually impossible to control. People, of course, use wind energy for their own purposes. But, alas, we are not able to prevent wind damage to property yet. Let's talk about one of the most common types of wind damage - damage to roof tiles. Since roofing is one of the most vulnerable locations in terms of wind exposure, it is not surprising that shingles suffer from gusts of wind most of all.

How Wind Can Damage Roof Shingles

Regardless of the type of tiled roof, the very principle of roof covering is generally similar. Individual tiles are stacked in a specific order to partially overlap each other. In most cases, shingles are not attached to the battens. Only the upper and lower rows of tiles are always fastened, as well as cut tiles in valleys, near dormers and pipes. In the other parts of the roof, the tiles are supported by their own weight. On the one hand, this makes the tiled roof one of the most wind-resistant types of roofing, but, on the other hand, its damage is still possible. For example, in case of straight-line winds, when the gust speed reaches 50 miles per hour, some individual shingles can be blown off the roof. This is critical for ceramic tiles as they most likely will break. Metal tiles and shingles are less susceptible to such damage, but they can also be affected by the wind. Lighter metal tiles can easily be blown off the rafters by the wind or individual fragments can bend. Shingles can also suffer.

In addition, wind damage to roof shingles can be caused not only by the gusts and movements of air masses. Often, the wind lifts and hurls a variety of objects in the air, ranging from tree branches and debris to fairly large objects. And if, during a storm or strong wind, gusts damage a tree growing near your house, it can fall onto the roof and breakthrough a large segment of it. It is also an example of wind damage.

How to Avoid Wind Damage to Roof Shingles

First of all, let's figure out how to prevent wind damage to roof shingles, as forewarned is forearmed!

• Check regularly the condition of the roof tiles. There is often no visible damage, but the roof already requires some repairs. If this is the case, the first strong wind will damage it. As a result, you will have to shell out the money not for small repairs of individual fragments, but for re-laying a large area of the roof.
• If you can, try to improve your tile roof. Often, when laying, masters attach only the upper and lower rows, but the tiles in the middle rest under their own weight. However, more and more often, roofers fix the tiles on the roof slopes so that they do not get blown off in the event of a strong gusty or hurricane wind. Skate bindings and brackets also come to the rescue, which is the best roof protection. In order these measures to be effective, the number and placement of staples must be carefully designed. These calculations are influenced by the angle of inclination of the roof slope, the height of the house, the shape of the plots and the type of the roof structure.
• If you have a bituminous roof, it is better to install bituminous shingles using special assembly nails. This is the most secure mounting method. If you have bituminous shingles laid only on an adhesive layer, it is better to call a service team and replace such a fastener.

All in all, regular inspections, cleverly reinforced tile fastening and monitoring their condition is the key to strengthening your roof. These guidelines are a must for the regions where wind damage to roof shingles occurs regularly.

The Best Tips on How to Repair Roof Shingles after Wind Damage

What if wind damage to roof shingles has already occurred? First of all, you should look into your homeowners insurance policy and read whether it covers wind damage. If this is the case, and most often it is, you need to contact your insurance company and call an insurance adjuster to inspect the damage. It is also beneficial to immediately hire a wind damage public adjuster, especially if getting compensated for an insured event is critically important for you. Then you have a choice:

• repair the roof yourself,
• call the roof repair service.

The first option is quite cheap, but it requires at least basic understanding of how shingles are installed. The second option will take less time and hassle, but will require payment for the technicians' work. The choice, in any case, is up to you. By the way, if your roof has been damaged by the wind, and, at the same time you have postponed its repair or reinforcement for a long time, insurance compensation will allow you not only to eliminate the damage caused by the wind, but to update the fastening of the tiles as well, as it has been mentioned above.

Wind damage to roof shingles is not critical, yet it could be costly. Do not ignore filing a claim with your insurance company and try to control the condition of the shingles regularly to avoid this kind of damage in future.