Your roof is your home’s primary defense against the elements and protects your home from catastrophic damage that can be caused by storms and wind. Although roofs are built to withstand this kind of damage, eventually, your roof may start to show some signs of wind damage.
Read on to learn how wind can damage your roof, what to look out for, and how Aegis Construction can help you to keep your roof in perfect working order to continue protecting your home.
Any kind of damage to your roof, whether it is caused by storms, hail, or wind, is oftentimes difficult to spot unless you thoroughly inspect your roof. Wind can especially cause severe damage to your roof which is difficult to spot from the outset.
The very nature of the way roofs are constructed and placed on top of a home makes them extremely vulnerable to damage caused by heavy winds. A big reason why this is the case is because strong winds don’t hit your roof uniformly.
Instead, winds tend to damage the edges of roofs, and can get under the edges to rip up shingles and other attachments, especially if they are already loose or compromised from previous storm or wind damage.
Strong winds can lift tabs and shingles, exposing the underlying layers of your roofing system, and potentially allowing water and debris into the supporting layers of your roof, causing further damage.
The main problem that comes up together with wind damage is water damage, which tends to seep in through gaps and breaks that wind damage causes in the first place.
Underlying water damage causes disastrous complications with your underlying roof systems, and can lead to leaks, damp, and rot in not only your roof, but your home’s walls too.
Wind damage is not limited to just your roof. High winds can cause damage to other parts of your home and can compound already existing problems. High winds can cause branches to fall on your property, can tear down power lines, and can uproot trees. Fallen branches can land on other parts of your home and cause damage which can be costly to repair.
Wind damage can structurally damage your home and can cause objects to fall onto your home and property which can cause further damage.
Although it can be hard to spot wind damage on your roof at first, taking a careful look at your roof can reveal some signs that it may have sustained some wind damage.
Creased shingles are found on asphalt roofs. You will notice wrinkles or pleats on the shingles, which is a sign that they were blown back and could be flapping from strong winds. Creased shingles are a sign that your shingles are unsecured, and these can blow off with repeated strong winds.
Shingles can be completely torn off during strong winds, and missing shingles are easy to spot. The problem, however, is that where there are missing shingles, the surrounding shingles may be compromised, as they are left unsealed and have the potential of blowing off as well.
Missing shingles tend to cause a chain-reaction of further damage by wind, as the wind has new places to enter and thus, do damage.
A common symptom of damage in asphalt roofs is granules that are missing. As time goes on, the granules that make up your asphalt shingles will wear away and thin. This is a normal part of the aging process of your roof, and the loss of granules in this manner is usually minor.
However, after wind damage, you may notice completely empty spots on your asphalt shingles, as well as long cracks along the length of the shingles. This type of damage is usually a sign that the seal on your shingles have broken, and this is often due to wind damage, where it has managed to lift the shingles from their original sealed position.
If you notice that your chimney is leaning to one side, it’s a sure sign that your roof has sustained some wind damage. Loose or torn flashing around your chimney is also a common sign of wind damage.
Water damage in your home is an indisputable sign that your roof has sustained some degree of damage. When shingles have been damaged by strong winds, they leave your living space vulnerable to water damage. This is because compromised shingles can allow water or melting snow (or even melting hailstones) to enter the cracks and can cause serious water damage.
If you are noticing dark spots and stains on your ceiling, or inside your attic, as well as mold or mildew, it is a sign that water has managed to get through your roofing system (through compromised shingles that could have been damaged by high winds), and it is a good idea to get professionals involved at this point.
Water damage can wreak havoc on your home, and can result in water sitting between your walls, which can cause problems such as mold, mildew, and rot, and can compromise the structural integrity of your home.
The most important thing to do when you notice damage to your roof is to act quickly. This is because if there is any damage, it will need to be repaired as fast as possible before the next storm or wind spell rolls in and does further damage.
The first thing to do is to contact us for a free inspection on your roof. Here, we will be able to determine what type of damage your roof has sustained, and we will be able to ascertain the extent of the damage.
Aegis Construction has experienced roofing contractors that can assist with any repairs or even full roof replacements, should they be required. We pride ourselves on the best workmanship in the industry and having the most experienced contractors that can assist with any advice you need along the way, all at a competitive price.
As an added bonus, Aegis can assist you through the insurance claims process, to ensure that your roof is repaired or replaced timeously and to the highest standard, which you can expect from Aegis Construction. Contact us today to see how we can help.
