Wind is usually seen as a harmless or even benevolent force of nature. It helps pollinate flowers, makes wind chimes sing, and offers you a cool breeze on a hot day. However, when it gets fast enough, it can do more harm than good.
Even before it reaches tornado or hurricane speeds, wind can do a number to your roof. It’s important to watch out for these 6 signs of roof wind damage so you can get your roof repaired before it starts to leak or gets damaged further.
1. Shingle Damage
Shingle damage is often (but not always) visible. If you have shingles that are missing, it’s pretty clear you have roof damage. Whether it is from the wind or not doesn’t really matter at that point. The same is true if the shingles are peeled, clearly missing material or otherwise visibly damaged. We’ll talk about specific, less-known signs of damage in a bit. Before that, know that if you look at your roof and it appears to be damaged, it is. There is no clear sign of obvious damage that can be safely ignored.
2. Granule Loss
The granules on your shingles will wear and thin over time. There’s no need to be worried about minor or barely visible granule loss. The real warning sign is when you see horizontal lines. They can look like bare spots or cracks. These lines are showing you that the seal on your shingle broke. The granules rub off when the shingle flaps in the wind and crashes into other shingles on the roof.
If those granule lines are visible, you have roof damage. The good news is that this type of damage isn’t always major. Sometimes it’s localized, and you’re only facing a minor repair. Of course, that won’t always be the case.
3. Water Leaks
Sometimes, the best way to find a roof problem is to look at your ceilings and walls. If the shingles are compromised, rain can get past them, and you’ll end up with water damage. Usually, this problem starts small and grows. Any time you see discoloration on the ceiling or walls, there’s a good chance your roof needs some love. Similarly, if you smell mold that you can’t see (it will often smell like bad breath), then you probably have moisture between your walls. This isn’t always from a roof leak, but it’s one of the possibilities.
Remember that water damage is one of the biggest reasons we have roofs in the first place. While many leaks start small, if they are left alone, the damage will accumulate, and you will end up with a major problem. Always nip leaks in the bud as quickly as possible.
4. Debris
This sign doesn’t exactly involve the roof itself. If there’s a bunch of tree branches and trash and other stuff in your yard and around your house, you know there was some wild wind. Take a close look at the debris and see whether anything resembles shingles. In many cases, small parts will tear off in the wind when damage starts to accrue. In other cases, you might find whole shingles down there.
Regardless, debris is always a good indicator that you should grab a ladder and take a look at your roof. You can check for all of the other signs and see whether the latest wind storm caused you any trouble up there.
5. Flapping in the Wind
As humans, we don’t always look up a lot. Weather happens all the time, and there’s plenty of wind throughout the year. Every once in a while, you should look up at your roof while the wind is blowing. If you see some shingles flapping, know that they aren’t supposed to do that. It’s time for a repair.
Now, this doesn’t mean that you need to run outside and stare at your roof every time a storm blows in. There’s a good chance you’ll drive up while it’s windy anyway. Just look up every now and then.
6. Divots
This issue is far more common with hail, but it’s not impossible with wind. Besides, knowing how to spot hail damage won’t hurt you. Divots typically form at the edge of your shingles when they’re hit by several blunt impacts. You can see why hail is usually the culprit, but high winds can bang things into your shingles too.
Divots often come with broken seals, which is no good. If you have divots, it’s important to get your roof a checkup. It’s worth talking to your insurance company. Sometimes, they’ll help you get an inspection, as they would much rather help you pay for an inspection and minor repair than shell out money for a major repair later.
When you find damage, it’s not fun, but you need a repair. Contact Bert Roofing today. We can make sure you get a good repair that protects your home. We can help you explore warranty options, and we’ll work to make sure you get the best possible measures to keep your roof in top shape.