When the wind blows — Tips on handling storm damage repairs

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

What a storm! Whether it's simple summertime storm or a more complicated microburst or hurricane, strong winds can easily uplift shingles and tear roofs apart.

If you walk outside and see shingles missing from your roof, you’ve got a problem. Especially if you see dangling shingles that could still blow away and potentially strike a person or cause more damage.

First steps

After a storm, the first priority is to secure your family, pets and valuables. Once they’re all safe, then you can assess the wind damage to the roof and your home. Start by taking pictures and video of the damage. And make sure to note the exact date and time of the storm, because your insurance agent will ask for that information.

“It’s a natural instinct to want to start cleaning up and fixing things right away, but hold off,” says Mike Vaughn with DaVinci Roofscapes. “The pictures and video will help your insurance adjuster assess the damage and any potential reimbursement you may receive.”

After contacting your insurance company, follow their lead. They may tell you to have a roofer come out and do an initial assessment. Or they may tell you just to have the roofer cover any problem areas with a tarp and wait for them to come out. Either way, you’re going to need a roofer.

Why were my shingles blown away?

This is the $10,000 question many people ask after a storm. And, it’s the question that leads people to really try to understand the composition of a roof. As you know, there are many kinds of roofing — natural shake, asphalt shingles, metal, composites, cement, etc. Each type has its own features and benefits. However, they also have challenges.

For example, thinner asphalt shingles, that may not be attached securely to a roof underlayment, can experience “uplift” and be torn off a roof during severe winds. This can also happen with other types of roofing.

Is there a BETTER roofing shingle than what I have?

If it’s time to repair or replace your wind-damaged roof, you have the opportunity to really consider what type of roofing material to use. Since you’ve experienced how poorly your old roof handled severe weather, consider the options for a different roof… a smarter, more durable roofing solution for your home.

Manmade composite shake and slate tiles from DaVinci Roofscapes are created (and certified) to withstand winds up to 110 mph. Those are the kind of winds you’ll find during a Category 4 hurricane. In addition, if there’s hail coming down during that storm, you’ll have no worries. That’s because DaVinci tiles are Class 4 impact resistant.

“When installed per installation guidelines, wind damage shingles really don’t exist at DaVinci,” says Vaughn. “Installers should take special care in high wind areas to take proper steps in securing roofing tiles to roofs to assure they are securely installed.

“Our DaVinci experts are available to give guidance in this area. Once securely installed, our products won’t randomly blow off roofs. Plus, they should not get damaged by severe weather like other roofing products. That’s what brings peace of mind to homeowners.

“In addition, these tiles are so dependable that many insurance companies give homeowners discounts on their insurance policies. They simply know they won’t be paying out on storm damage repairs when it’s a DaVinci roof overhead.”

Putting DaVinci to the “wind test”

Homeowners Carol and Ray Knoff purchased a DaVinci roof in 2012. They selected a custom color to top off their 121-year old home. The true test came for the roof’s durability on August 10, 2020. That’s when a derecho raced through Iowa. The equivalent of experiencing a Category 4 hurricane, the wind gusts hit 130 mph where the Knoffs live.

Hail, sustained high winds and rain lashed the home for 45 minutes. After the storm, the Knoffs feared the worst, and were stunned to discover the best. Their roof was in perfect condition. Just one roof tile was raised a tiny bit. Otherwise their home was in great shape.

“This was so different than other storms we experienced in the past,” says Ray Knoff. “With the derecho, there are sustained winds over an extended period of time. These are power storms produced by long-lived thunderstorm complexes that produce bow echoes. It happens so quickly that there’s really little way to give the public advance warning.

“Our initial efforts to find the right roofing product were worth it. And now, we are experiencing even more benefits. This composite slate roof really held up to the derecho. That gives us confidence that the DaVinci roof can stand up to Mother Nature.”

For more information on how composite roofing stands up to the “wind test,” check out more “Wild, Wild Wind” stories and testing and certification data on the DaVinci website.