Weather · Wind damage

Wind damage — thresholds, signs, and next steps

Most 3-tab shingles are rated to 60 mph; architectural shingles to 110–130 mph. Gusts above those numbers can lift tabs, break the seal strip, and start slow leaks even when nothing is visibly missing.

Wind speed reference

• • 39–54 mph: Loose flashing and ridge caps at risk.
• • 55–74 mph: Older 3-tabs begin lifting; check seal strips.
• • 75+ mph: Architectural shingles can blow off on ridges & rakes.
• • 110+ mph: Full-slope failure and decking exposure likely.

What wind actually does to shingles

Asphalt shingles bond to each other with a heat-activated sealant strip. Wind damage is usually a broken seal rather than a missing shingle: the tab lifts, flexes, and the adhesive never re-bonds, leaving a flap that lets wind-driven rain reach the underlayment. From the ground the roof looks perfect. That is why post-storm inspections check seal integrity by hand-lifting tabs, not just counting bare spots.

Age is the multiplier. A shingle’s sealant softens and re-bonds in summer heat for the first decade, then stops. Roofs past 15 years frequently fail well below their printed wind rating, and cold-weather installations that never reached sealing temperature can fail in their first spring storm.

Where to look after a windy day

Start with the ridge and hip caps — they take the highest uplift and are the cheapest early warning. Then the rake edges and the first three courses above the eave. Look for granule piles at downspout outlets, lifted or missing drip edge, bent gutter hangers, torn pipe boots, and displaced ridge vent sections. Inside, check the attic with a flashlight for daylight at penetrations and dark staining on the decking.

Photograph anything you find with something for scale, and note the date. Carriers regularly deny wind claims filed months later as “wear and tear,” and a dated photo set is the simplest counter-argument.

Repair or replace after wind

A handful of blown tabs on a young roof is a repair. Widespread seal failure, brittle shingles that crack when lifted, or a discontinued product with no color match usually pushes toward replacement — and carriers do pay for full slopes when matching is impossible. If more than roughly 25 percent of a slope is affected, most estimating software prices the slope rather than spot repairs.

When you do replace, the wind rating on the box is only as good as the nailing pattern. Six nails per shingle placed in the nail zone, a sealed starter course at eaves and rakes, and correct fastener depth matter more than upgrading to a premium line.

Frequently asked questions