Santa Ana winds came through Orange County this weekend. The National Weather Service in San Diego forecast northeast winds gusting to 25 to 30 mph in inland cities like Irvine, Anaheim and Mission Viejo, with stronger gusts below the passes and canyons.
Wind is hard on a roof, and the damage is not always easy to see from the driveway. With a slight chance of showers in the forecast late this week, now is a good time to know what to look for.
What Wind Can Do to a Roof
1. Lifted or Missing Shingles
Strong gusts can catch the edge of a shingle and break the seal that holds it down. A lifted shingle may lay back flat, but it no longer sheds water the way it should.
2. Cracked or Slipped Tile
Concrete and clay tile are heavy, but wind can still shift tiles at the edges, hips and ridges. Branches and debris blown onto the roof can crack them.
3. Ridge and Hip Caps
The caps along the ridges and hips take the most wind. When they loosen, the top of the roof is open to the next storm.
4. Debris in the Valleys
Leaves and branches blown in by the wind collect in the valleys and along the edges, where they hold water against the roof when the rain comes.
What to Look for From the Ground
Walk around the house and look at the roof from the yard and the street. Pieces of shingle or tile on the ground, in the gutters or on the patio cover are usually the first sign that something moved up top.
Look for shingles that sit out of line, tiles that look shifted or broken, and caps along the ridges that are out of place. Please stay off the roof. Wind-loosened shingles and tile are easy to slip on and easy to break.
If a ceiling stain shows up after the next rain, take a photo and note where it is. That helps us find the source faster.
Repair or Replace
Most wind damage on a roof in good shape is a roof repair. A few shingles or tiles get replaced, the caps get reset, and the roof is ready for the rain.
On an older roof, wind damage can be a sign of a bigger issue, like shingles that have lost their seal across the whole roof or tile underlayment that is near the end of its life. In that case a roof replacement or a tile lift and relay can make more sense than repeated repairs.
If the winds left you with questions about your roof, Call Fox Roofing Company today to schedule an estimate. We will go over what we find and give you a clear price.
Fox Roofing Company - Ready for Whatever the Weather Brings
📞 Call Now: (949) 520-1555
📧 Email Us: team@foxroofingoc.com
