As I reviewed the weather yesterday afternoon, I saw a severe storm was coming to all of south Charlotte including Matthews, Indian Trail, Stallings, Weddington, Waxhaw, Monroe, and south from there. The one aspect that stood out that was the cause for greatest concern was the up to 60 MPH winds.
That is serious wind!
Spring and summer bring damaging winds with the storms they accompany. This storm was no different. Post-storm, one look around and you see leaves, limbs, and trees on the ground. It’s all kind of a mess. All of it, wind damage.
While I wish it wasn’t, one of the more overlooked damaged items after a storm is the roof of your house. Simply put, high winds are tough on roofs.
People think extreme winds in a tornado or hurricane is what is needed to cause wind damage to your roof. And while of course, that is true that tornadoes and hurricanes can destroy roofs, for the point of this article, we are focused on those other less extreme storms. That seemingly random thunderstorm that shows off its tropical winds. Winds like these while they can cause immediate roof problems, can also less knowingly break down roofing materials over time. While a hurricane, for example, may create the obvious damage, a summer storm may not, and that can be a real problem for homeowners.
One way to find wind damage to your roof (if you can see from the ground) is to see if the edges or corners of the roof where higher pressure is exerted looks more stressed than other parts of the roof. Curling shingles or missing shingles is common. I would also examine the roof, gutters, and ground for signs of loose roofing materials.
While we think of the wind causing direct damage to the roof, sometimes the wind can cause indirect damage to the roof. Wind damage could be from flying debris that impacts the roof–flying debris can leave a mark. We talked about tree limbs being down on the ground from the recent Charlotte area storm. But fallen tree limbs can land on your roof. It’s probably the most common debris to damage a roof. Since trees can create substantial damage, it’s critical to trim back any trees close to your roof as an important preventative measure.
If you have any concerns about your roof or if any areas of your roof appear to be weakened due to the wind, it would be wise to have a professional roofing company come by. The last thing you want is further damage. Water leakage brings problems out of your house into your home. It goes without saying you want to avoid that! And finally some good news–often times your insurance policy will help cover the cost of restoration.
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