Walking around the property, once it is calm again
Let the wind die down before going out. Stay on the ground, away from any fallen wire and any hanging piece. Do not climb onto the roof or up a ladder.
- Look on your property, and on the neighbours' side, for pieces of shingle, metal or membrane.
- Examine the edges and the ridge. Binoculars help.
- Note what is flapping in the wind, what is leaning, what has been bent.
- Inside, inspect the ceiling of the top floor. If the attic hatch is within reach without climbing, shine a flashlight from there, without going in. A spot of daylight or a wet mark are clues.
- Photograph each find and date your pictures.
Why the edges give way first
Air passing over a building pulls the covering upward. This suction is often strongest along the edges, at the ridge and in the corners. As soon as one piece lifts, air gets underneath, and the pieces next to it often follow.
Damage on a shingled slope
A shingle is held in two ways. Nails fasten it, and an adhesive strip, activated by heat, seals it to the course below. An intact seal gives the wind little grip. As it ages, the strip dries out and the shingle breaks more easily.
- Missing pieces. Where a shingle is gone, you see a darker patch or the underlayment.
- Shingles that fell back into place. They look intact, but a crease runs across them and the seal no longer holds. The next gust can carry them off.
- A stripped ridge. The pieces capping the top line take the wind head-on.
Damage on a flat roof
On a flat roof, damage starts at the perimeter, where the membrane ends under a metal protection.
- The parapet cap. This sheet metal laid on the low edge wall can come loose, bend or blow away.
- The flashings. At the bottom of walls and around equipment, metal that has come loose starts to flap.
- The membrane. It lifts at a corner or along an edge, and sometimes an air pocket forms that the wind moves around.
What to keep for the insurer
Call your insurer without waiting. Only your insurer can say what your policy provides for wind. Write down the day and time of the gusts and keep your photos. Photograph and then keep the fallen pieces, which show what came off, wearing gloves for the metal. Before paying for anything, ask your insurer what it requires of you.
Frequently asked questions
Three or four shingles are missing. Does the whole roof have to be redone?
Three or four missing shingles do not necessarily mean redoing the roof. If the roof is still young, we install new shingles in the empty spots. On an old roof whose shingles crack as soon as they are lifted, the patch holds poorly, and replacement will come up.
Will the repair show?
The repair often shows a little. The sun has faded the original shingles, and the shade varies from one manufacturing batch to another. If you still have a bundle from the original installation, mention it in your request.
Nothing was torn off, but the ceiling is stained. Is it the wind?
The wind may be the cause, even if nothing was torn off. When rain falls almost sideways, it slips under a flashing or rises under shingles that stay watertight in an ordinary shower. Tell us which way the wind was blowing.