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Asphalt Roof Shingle Wind Damage Causes & Evaluation RoofAPedia © Enter your search terms Submit search form   Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com Workmanship as a cause of wind damage to roofs Shingle sealant defects as a cause of wind damage Asphalt roof shingle blow-off, photographs

This document discusses how to evaluate wind damage to asphalt shingle roofs and tells readers how to identify & explain the most-common failure mechanisms such as improper nailing, failure of shingles to seal. This information is useful when considering how to obtain asphalt roofing shingle failure claims assistance. These defects occur on both organic-mat or fiberglass-mat asphalt roof shingles. Readers are also invited contribute roof failure information to the web author for research purposes. web author for research purposes. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

Workmanship and Wind Damage Assessment for Asphalt Shingle Roofs

Workmanship: Fasteners/Nailing Problems, Wind Damage appeared to have led wind blow-off of these Atlas shingles, though an investigation of whether or not the shingles had self-sealed was also needed. Wind damage can happen to any asphalt shingle roof in severe weather conditions. However if shingles are not properly nailed, shingles are far more likely to blow off of the roof in even a modest windstorm. Manufacturers are careful to specify where shingle nails should be placed in each shingle and the number of nails required. These specifications may vary by shingle type and building location, with more nails specified for high-wind areas such as asphalt shingle roofs applied in coastal areas. Asphalt shingle wind resistance combines several factors including the effectivness of the glue strips on the shingle backs which adhere the shingle courses against wind-uplift, roof pitch, roof orientation with respect to prevailing winds, and importantly, proper shingle nailing patterns. Not only must nails be properly placed and spaced, improper nailing itself, such as driving a nail through the shingle, leaving a nail sticking up to cut a shingle above, or using a roofing stapler improperly leaving cocked staples or shingle-cutting staples will all encourage shingles to fly away with the wind. If an new roof has the bad luck to encounter a severe wind storm shortly after asphalt shingles have been installed, it is possible that the shingles will blow off of the roof because their self-sealing tabs have simply not had time (or warm enough weather or enough sun) to adhere. The photographs here include examples of improperly or inadequately-nailed shingles which blew off in modest windstorms of far less than hurricane strength. In the first photograph below, our correspondent has laid-out shingles retrieved after the storm, showing the location and pattern of nail holes in each shingle - clear evidence of just how they were nailed. Workmanship: Fasteners/Nailing Problems lead to holes or wind blow-off Workmanship: Fasteners/Nailing Problems lead to holes or wind blow-off. Notice that not only has one shingle already fallen or been blown off of the roof, but its neighbors are sliding down. Diagnosis from a photograph is questionable but there appears to be a nailing problem here. Workmanship: Installation Pattern Problems:Laddering [Photo: Carl Gerosa, New Rochelle, NY.] Workmanship: Flashing and underlayment problems Workmanship: Improper materials/roof-slope problems Holes and nail-pops in shingle roofs

In discussing wind damage to roofing with your insurance adjuster or roofing contractor, be sure to review the details of original and replacement shingle installation as this can give evidence about the underlying cause of roof failure as well as informing you of how to avoid roof shingle blow-off in the future.

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Technical Reviewers

Particular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.

• Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
• Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com
• Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY.
• Daniel Friedman - principal author
• Technical reviewers are invited to comment or ask questions - contact us

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