Shingles Missing After the Wind
A bare patch on the roof means the underlayment is the only thing holding water out, and it is not built for that. The bigger issue is what you cannot see: wind that pulled one area off usually broke the seal on shingles all around it.
Signs people notice
- A bare or lighter-colored patch on one slope
- Shingle pieces in the yard, the driveway or the gutters
- Shingle tabs standing up or flapping in the wind
- Exposed nail heads or black paper showing
- A pile of granules at the bottom of the downspout
- A new stain on the ceiling after the storm
How urgent is it?
This one is time sensitive. Bare decking leaks in the next real rain. If shingles are gone and rain is coming, ask for emergency tarping. Take photos from the ground first, because insurance will want to see the damage before it is covered up.
What could be causing it
These are the usual suspects. Which one it is on your house is decided by looking at it, not by reading a list.
- Broken seal strips
- Shingles glue to each other with a tar strip. Strong wind breaks that bond, the shingle lifts, and the next gust takes it.
- Age and brittleness
- Old shingles lose their oils, curl at the corners and snap instead of bending. Wind finds those edges first.
- Nailing problems
- Nails driven too high, too few per shingle, or overdriven leave the shingle held by almost nothing.
- Exposed edges and corners
- Rakes, ridges and the windward corner of the house take the worst of it, which is why the bare spot is often up high.
- Impact from limbs and debris
- A branch does not have to fall through the roof to tear a row of shingles loose on the way down.
What this looks like
These pictures show wind-damaged and missing shingles as examples of the problem and the repair, not a named customer's roof.
What the inspection checks
- 1. Photograph the loss
- The bare area gets measured and photographed from the roof and from the ground for your records and any claim.
- 2. Check the shingles all around it
- We lift nearby tabs by hand. Ones that come up with no resistance lost their seal even though they are still on the roof.
- 3. Look at the whole roof, not the one spot
- Wind hits more than one area. Ridge caps, rakes and the other slopes get checked too.
- 4. Check for water inside
- Attic and ceiling get looked at, because bare decking above a bedroom means water may already be in the wood.
- 5. Match the shingle
- We look at what is up there so a repair blends instead of standing out as a square patch.
What the repair can involve
- Emergency tarp
- When rain is coming before the repair can happen, the open area gets covered and strapped so water stays out.
- Replace the missing shingles
- New shingles are woven into the existing rows and hand-sealed at the edges. Loose tabs nearby get sealed down at the same time.
- Reseal a wind-loosened area
- Shingles that are still on the roof but unsealed get hand-sealed, which is quiet work that prevents the next loss.
- Replace damaged decking
- If the exposed wood got soaked and soft, it gets cut out and replaced before new shingles go on.
- Document it for insurance
- Photos, measurements and notes are put together so your adjuster has what they need. The insurer writes the estimate, not us.
Repair or replace?
A patch is honest work when the roof still has real life left, the shingles are not brittle, and the damage is in one area. It is the wrong answer when shingles crack in your hand across the whole roof, when there are already patches over patches, or when the same slope keeps losing shingles every storm.
What changes the price
- How many shingles and how large the bare area is
- Whether the shingle color and style can still be bought
- How much hand-sealing the surrounding area needs
- Whether decking under the bare spot has to be replaced
- Steep or high slopes that need extra safety setup
- Emergency tarping before the repair, if rain is coming
We do not post prices we cannot stand behind. The price comes in writing after the roof is looked at.
Questions about missing shingle repair
- Is a few missing shingles an emergency?
- It is urgent, not always an emergency. The felt underneath buys you a little time, not a season. Get it covered or repaired before the next storm.
- Will the new shingles match?
- Close, usually. Older shingles fade, so a repair can look slightly newer even with the same product. We show you the match before it goes on.
- Does insurance pay for blown-off shingles?
- Often for wind damage, depending on your policy and deductible. The insurer sends an adjuster and writes the estimate. Document the damage right away.
- Can you just nail the old shingles back down?
- Only if they are intact and still flexible. Cracked or curled shingles get replaced, because nailing through a brittle shingle creates the next leak.
What the visit is like
Please be home if you can. The roofer needs attic access when the house has it, and you should hear the findings in person.
More on missing shingle repair
Straight to the pages that deal with this same part of the roof.
Leak in a Roof Valley
Another leak point people mix up with missing shingle repair.
Water Coming In Around Your Chimney?
Another leak point people mix up with missing shingle repair.
Storm Damage Roof Repair
Service page: Storm Damage
Emergency Roof Repair
Service page: Emergency Repair
Missing Shingles After Wind: Repair Or Replace?
Guide
Roof Repair Or Replacement: How To Decide
Guide
Have it looked at before the next storm
Free inspection, photos of what we find, and a written price. The estimate request already knows you are asking about missing shingle repair.
GET A MISSING SHINGLE ESTIMATE