A shingle on the lawn is the obvious clue. The damage that causes leaks is usually less obvious. Wind damaged shingles in Lilburn tend to look fine from the driveway after a storm, because most tabs that lift also fall back down. What changes is underneath: a broken seal, a crease across the shingle, a nail that backed out. This guide covers the three kinds of wind damage roofers look for, lifted, creased and missing tabs, and what each one means for the roof.
Wind damage starts at the seal strip
Wind damage to a shingle roof almost always begins where the shingle is glued down. Modern asphalt shingles are self-sealing. According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, they carry a temperature-activated adhesive strip applied at the factory, and the strength of that seal is the most important factor in how they hold up in high wind.
Once the seal lets go, the tab becomes a flap. Each gust can lift it a little further. The nails still hold the shingle in place, so nothing falls off. But the shingle is now working against the wind instead of lying flat with it.
Roof pitch plays a part as well. The same IBHS article notes that the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association recommends hand-sealing shingles on slopes steeper than 12:12, roughly 45 degrees. It also points out that hand-sealing is not common practice on winter or steep-slope installs, even where manufacturers call for it. On a steep gable or a tall front dormer, that is one more reason a tab can let go before the rest of the roof does.
Seals can fail in one strong storm. They can also weaken slowly on an older roof until an ordinary gust finishes the job. Either way, the result looks the same from the ground: nothing, until rain finds the gap.
How strong does the wind need to be?
There is no single wind speed that damages every roof. Condition matters more than the number. The National Weather Service’s spotter guide defines a severe thunderstorm as one producing wind gusts of 58 mph or greater, hail an inch across or larger, or a tornado. Gusts in that range are strong enough to bend trees, and they are worth a roof check.
Shingles are tested for wind in a lab. The National Roofing Contractors Association’s Professional Roofing magazine explains the two common standards. Under ASTM D3161, shingles that pass a fan test at 60 mph are Class A, at 90 mph Class D, and at 110 mph Class F. ASTM D7158 uses Classes D, G and H, tied to design wind speeds. Those classes describe new, properly sealed shingles. They do not tell you how a 15-year-old roof with tired seals will behave.
Around Lilburn, the usual culprits are spring and summer thunderstorm lines moving across Gwinnett County. Tall pines and hardwoods near many homes add a second risk: limbs and debris thrown onto the roof.
Lifted tabs: the shingle came up and went back down
A lifted tab is a shingle whose seal has broken, even if it now lies flat. It is the most common wind damage and the easiest to miss.
Signs to look for:
- A tab edge that sits slightly proud of the shingle beside it
- A straight line where the sealant strip is visible or clean, with no bond to the tab above
- Tabs that flutter or lift when you run a gloved hand under the edge (a job for whoever is on the roof, not a homeowner on a ladder)
- Granule loss in a neat band along the lower edge, where the tab has been slapping
A lifted tab that never creased can sometimes be re-sealed. Whether that is the right call depends on the shingle’s age and how many tabs have let go. One loose tab is a repair. Whole courses of unsealed shingles on one slope point to a bigger problem.
Creased tabs: the shingle bent past its limit
A creased tab is a shingle that folded backward in the wind and cracked across its width. The crease usually runs horizontally, often near the sealant line or the nail line, and it shows as a straight dark line or a slight ridge in the shingle.
A crease is damage, not wear. The mat inside the shingle has been bent beyond what it can take. Even if the tab lies flat again, it no longer sheds water the way it should, and it will tend to lift and tear at that line in the next storm.
Creases are hard to see from the ground. Low morning or evening light helps, since the ridge casts a small shadow. Binoculars from the yard help more. But confirming a crease usually means someone on the roof, looking along each course.
Missing tabs and missing shingles
A missing tab is the clearest wind damage: part or all of a shingle is gone, and the layer below is exposed. Look for:
- Shingle pieces in the yard, gutters or driveway
- A dark or differently colored patch on the roof where underlayment or older shingle shows
- Exposed nail heads in a row
- Ridge caps or hip caps that are torn or gone, since they take the full force of wind at the top of the roof
Missing shingles let water reach the underlayment directly. That layer is not designed to be the roof’s only defense for long, so missing pieces are the type of wind damage that should be repaired first.
What each type of wind damage means
| Damage | What you see | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| Lifted tab | Tab sits slightly high, broken seal line | Seal failed; may be re-sealed if the shingle is sound |
| Creased tab | Straight line or ridge across the tab | Shingle mat is damaged; tab should be replaced |
| Missing tab or shingle | Exposed underlayment or older shingle | Direct water path; repair first |
| Damaged ridge cap | Torn, lifted or missing caps at the peak | Highest wind exposure; check the rest of the ridge |
What to do after a windy storm in Lilburn
Start from the ground. Walk the house, check the yard and gutters for shingle pieces, and look at each slope with binoculars. Take photos with the date on them. Do not climb onto a wet roof, and stay away from any lines a fallen limb has brought down.
Check inside too. A fresh stain on a ceiling or a damp spot in the attic after the storm is a sign water has already found a gap.
If you plan to file an insurance claim, photos taken soon after the storm help. Our insurance claim assistance covers how we document damage with photos, meet the adjuster on the roof and submit supplements for items missed on the first pass. Policy terms vary, so confirm what your policy covers with your insurer or agent.
Questions homeowners ask about wind damage
Can a roof have wind damage if no shingles are missing?
Yes. Lifted and creased tabs are wind damage even when every shingle is still on the roof. They are often the bigger problem, because they leak slowly and go unnoticed until a ceiling stain appears.
Will lifted shingles reseal on their own in summer heat?
Sometimes, but it is not something to count on. The adhesive strip is activated by heat, yet dirt, granules and age can keep a broken seal from bonding again. A tab that creased will not recover, whatever the weather does.
Should wind damage be repaired or the roof replaced?
It depends on how much damage there is and how old the roof is. A handful of damaged tabs on a sound roof is usually a repair. Widespread lifted and creased shingles across several slopes, or an older roof with failing seals everywhere, can make replacement the better value. Our storm damage roof repair page explains how we make that call.
How soon should a wind-damaged roof be checked?
Before the next rain if you can. Damage that is dry today can let water into the decking the next time a storm moves through, and that is when a small repair turns into a larger one. If you need help, Roofing Lilburn can inspect the roof and photograph what the wind did.