Roof Repair in Winston-Salem, NC After a Hurricane

Here in North Carolina, we’ve seen a few hurricanes in recent years. It looks like that won’t be changing in the years to come as well! Because of the combination of heavy rain and powerful winds, even a “minor’ hurricane (is there really such a thing?) can wreak havoc on your roof. The extent of the damage depends on the severity of the storm and the condition of your home, but there are some common roof damages that you can expect from any hurricane.

The type of storm damage you can expect

Whether it’s a Category 1 or a major Category 5, a hurricane should be taken seriously. Your house, particularly your roof, can take a major beating as the storm passes over our area. The most susceptible areas of the roof are the windward eaves, corners, and ridges. This is because an uplift from the hurricane winds cause serious damage to these areas in particular. Of course, all roof elements are at risk when hurricane-force winds come into town. The most common forms of hurricane damage to your roof include:

#1 Cracked or torn tiles or shingles

#2 Missing shingles or tiles

#3 Water and wind damage to roof deck and underlayment

#4 Leaks

#5 Hail damage to shingles or tiles, including dents

#6 Removal of protective granules

These six problems are the most common reasons to need roof repair in Winston-Salem, NC after a hurricane. Understanding exactly why these happen so often requires knowing about the water and wind damage your roof takes during the storm.

Understanding wind damage

The wind damage your home takes from a hurricane generally involves your shingles or tiles. Depending on the exact category of hurricane winds, shingles and tiles may be damaged or torn off completely. While it’s easy to see that a Category 5 with 185 MPH winds would tear roof tiles clear off, even a Category 1 can do this as well. It would be a mistake to think of this as “only 75 MPH winds.” That is still very strong! In addition to torn off tiles and shingles, these heavy winds may rip off your gutters, downspouts, or any other structures attached to your roof.

Understanding water damage

Of course, a hurricane is more than just fierce winds. Heavy rain from a hurricane will often cause leakage or water damage to your roof. Tile and asphalt shingles are designed to shed water, but the wind-driven rain brought by a hurricane can penetrate cracks and cause water to leak into your home. This type of heavy rain can also wear down the granules on your shingles and expose them to further damage. In extreme cases, the heavy volume of water can lead to collapses in a section of your roof!

After looking at this, it is easy to see why roof repairs in Winston-Salem, NC are so common after a hurricane. If you fear your roof is not in ideal quality right now, be sure to have it fixed before the next hurricane comes to town. Another storm could cause so much damage it needs to be completely replaced.

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colbymortonshomerepair Joined: June 26th, 2018