Hurricanes, nor‘easters, hail and even lightning strikes can all cause damage to your roof. Even the best roofing products are susceptible to damage when conditions are bad enough. The challenge for homeowners is to know when roofing has been damaged – sometimes the signs are obvious, but not always.

Common Signs of Damage

  • Shingles in the yard – One of the most obvious signs your roof has been damaged is if you see shingles or parts of shingles in your yard. This is often a sign of wind damage, when forces have lifted the edge of shingles, and the wind speeds are high enough to actually tear the shingle. If you find shingles in your yard, first look at the color to make sure it’s from your roof and not a neighbor’s. Look at your roof to identify where the shingle came from and see if there is adjacent damage as well. Then call a professional roofer to do a full inspection and repairs.

  • “Pebbles” or granules near downspouts – As shingles age, it’s natural to have some mineral granules wear from the shingles, and they often wash into your gutters. However, if you notice lots of granules after a storm, you may have damage from hail, branches, limbs or even extreme winds. This symptom is a bit harder to identify. We often get calls from homeowners who notice lots of material in their gutters during annual cleaning. The best option is to get a roof inspection – it may just be a sign of an aging roof, not damage.

  • Hail damage – Damage from hail storms is difficult to detect without physically walking on the roof and looking for impacts to shingles. This is hard to identify unless you know what to look for. One tip – if your car has hail damage, chances are you roof does too.

Get Advice From a Professional Roofer

Many times roof damage is covered by the original roof warranty or by your homeowners insurance, so it’s always a good idea to get a professional roofer involved to help identify your options and the best possible action. If you’re concerned about roof damage, give Roofing & More a call at (703) 828-1620.