Wind Damage Repair

How wind actually damages a roof

Wind creates uplift as it moves across the roof surface — a pressure difference that can catch a shingle's edge and pull it away from the deck. Uplift concentrates hardest at ridges, edges, and corners, which is why wind damage almost always starts at those points and spreads inward if it isn't caught.

What roofing material can actually withstand

• 3-tab asphalt shingles — typically rated for 60–70 mph, and the most prone to granule loss and wind-driven lifting even within that range.
• Architectural asphalt shingles — typically rated for 110–130 mph when properly installed, a meaningful step up in wind performance over 3-tab.
• Standing-seam metal — typically rated for 140–180 mph, among the most wind-resistant roofing options available.

Even within a rated range, actual wind resistance depends heavily on installation — nailing pattern, fastener count, and how well the seal strip bonded. A shingle rated for 110 mph installed with four nails instead of six will fail well below that number.

What to look for after a windy day

A lifted shingle that didn't fully tear off can reseal on its own in warm weather, or it can stay lifted and let water track underneath every time it rains, with no obvious sign from the ground. Creased shingles — bent but not torn — are a similar quiet failure: the crease breaks the shingle's waterproof mat even though the shingle is still nailed in place.

Repair after a wind event

Isolated lifted or missing shingles are replaced individually, matched to the surrounding roof where the shingle is still available. Widespread lifting across a slope, or damage concentrated at multiple ridges and edges, points toward a larger repair or, on an older roof, a case for replacement — see 7 Signs You Need a Roof Replacement.

For hail-specific damage, see Hail Damage Repair, or return to the storm damage overview.