Lifted and creased tabs
Wind bends a tab up, the crease cracks the shingle's mat, and the tab may lie flat but no longer shed water properly. Creased shingles are normally replaced, not re-glued, because the crack is permanent.
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Wind Damage Roof Repair in Hartford
Wind lifts shingle edges, creases tabs and strips ridge caps. Learn how roofers find the damage and how repairs are made.
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Wind Damage
Wind Damage Roof Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
Wind damage shows up as missing, creased or lifted shingles, loose ridge caps and bent edge metal, often along the edges and ridge first. A roofer can repair a localized area or recommend more if the sealing strips have let go across a slope. Hartford Roofing connects Hartford County callers with an independent roofer.
Wind attacks a roof from the edges inward. Air pushes up under the lowest shingle courses, the rakes and the ridge, and it pulls on every tab that has lost its seal. A shingle that has lifted and settled back down may look normal from the street, but its adhesive strip is broken, and the next gust can take it.
Connecticut has seen what strong wind does. On October 3, 1979, an F4 tornado began in the Poquonock area of Windsor and cut through Windsor, Windsor Locks and Suffield, tearing roofs off dozens of buildings and destroying 65 homes. Tornadoes are rare here, but the lesson holds for ordinary storms: roofs fail at the edges first, and a small lift can become a large loss.
This page is about the shingle and edge side of wind: what a roofer looks for, how repairs work and where a repair stops and a replacement starts. If you have missing shingles or an open roof, call (833) 751-2102; you will be connected with an independent roofer who serves your town.
- Service area
- Hartford & Hartford County
- Availability
- Call to reach a local roofer, emergencies first
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
Why do shingles fail at the edges and ridge first?
Wind flowing over a roof creates suction along the edges, corners and ridge, so those areas see the most upward force. A shingle there that has lost its seal is the first to lift, and a lifted shingle exposes the one beneath it. That is how a small failure spreads.
A shingle is held by nails and an adhesive strip. If the strip has aged or never bonded well, the shingle relies on the nails alone, and an upward pull can bend the tab and crack it.
The edge metal matters as well. When the metal at the eave or rake is loose, wind gets under the first course and works its way up the slope. That is why a roofer who finds wind damage will usually check the drip edge and rake metal, not only the shingles that came off.
Are some Connecticut locations more exposed to wind than others?
Ridge-top, hillside and open river-valley sites take more wind than sheltered lots. Avon sits beneath Talcott Mountain on the Metacomet Ridge, and river towns like Simsbury and Portland see valley wind. A tall tree line can shelter a roof, or drop limbs on it.
In Avon, hillside and ridge-top homes can take more wind, and in Simsbury and Portland the Farmington and Connecticut River valleys funnel it. The 1979 tornado struck the river towns of Windsor, Windsor Locks and Suffield, with the worst damage along River Road, Hollow Brook Road, Pioneer Drive and Settler Circle.
That does not mean a hill home will fail or a valley home will not. It means that on an exposed site, the edges, ridge and metal deserve a look, particularly after a storm. A roof inspection is a sensible way to get that look.
Can wind-damaged shingles be repaired, or is the roof done?
Repair works when damage is local and the surrounding shingles are still sealed and flexible. If the sealing strips have failed across a slope, or the roof is already old and brittle, replacement is often more sensible. A roofer should explain which case applies and show you.
Older shingles can crack when they are lifted for a repair, which limits what can be done without making the damage worse. A re-roof needs a building permit under the 2022 Connecticut State Building Code, and asphalt shingles are limited to two layers, so a second look at the layers matters before a repair is chosen.
The asphalt shingle roofing page explains how shingles are installed, and what to expect from a replacement.
What does the 1979 Windsor Locks tornado tell us about roofs?
It shows how quickly roofs can be lost in a severe wind event. The F4 tornado ripped roofs off dozens of buildings and destroyed 65 homes across Windsor, Windsor Locks and Suffield. It is rare, but ordinary storms use the same weak points: edges, ridges and loose shingles.
The tornado began in the Poquonock area and carved a path through three towns. For most homeowners the useful point is not the tornado itself but the way roofs fail: edges and ridges give first. Fix those and an ordinary storm has less to work with.
Nothing here can tell you whether your roof will hold up in any particular storm. A roofer who looks at it can tell you what the roofer sees and what it means.
Warning signs
Signs you need wind damage roof repair
Do not go onto a roof after high wind to look for damage, and do not pull on hanging shingles or edge metal, which can drop on you or tear more roofing off. Keep clear of loose pieces and wires. Photograph from the ground and call.
- Shingles missing from an edge, a corner of the roof or along the ridge, leaving bare felt or boards
- Tabs that are curled up or folded over, sometimes lying flat again but visibly creased across the middle
- Ridge caps that are lifted, cracked or gone, so the peak shows a line of exposed material
- Metal edge pieces along the eaves or the gable ends that are bent, sticking out or pulled away from the deck
- Granules in unusual amounts in the gutters or on the ground below one slope
- A tarp or a vent cover that blew off, or a satellite dish or roof attachment that has shifted
- Fresh water stains on the ceiling that follow a windy storm even though it was not raining heavily
- Shingles in a neighbor's yard or on the street, a good hint that yours came from the same wind
Our process
How our wind damage roof repair visit works
Check the edges first
The roofer starts at the eaves, rakes and ridge, where wind gets under the roof first. Missing shingles are the easy damage to see. The harder damage is lifted tabs whose sealing strips have let go.
Test the seal on nearby shingles
Shingles around a missing patch are lifted gently to see if they are still stuck down. If a whole run of tabs is loose, the repair is wider than the hole. That is the point at which a localized repair may stop making sense.
Protect the exposed spots
If the roof is open, a roofer may tarp the area or fasten loose material temporarily. Expect to be told if that is only a stopgap and what comes next.
Replace shingles and reseat the edges
Damaged shingles are removed and new ones nailed to the pattern the manufacturer specifies, then sealed. Ridge caps, drip edge and rake metal are re-fastened or replaced, and flashing near the damaged area is looked at too.
Look for hidden damage
A roofer checks the deck under the damage and the attic for moisture. Wind that stripped shingles may also have let rain reach the underlayment, which is worth checking before the repair is closed up.
Options
Types and options for wind damage roof repair
Missing shingles and ridge caps
Wind strips shingles clean off, often along the edges and peak. Replacing them is simple, but matching color and wear on an older roof is not, so expect a visible patch if the roof is old.
Edge metal and drip edge damage
Bent or lifted metal at the eaves and rakes lets wind under the shingles. Re-fastening or replacing it is one of the most important parts of a wind repair, because it closes the way the wind got in.
Job stories
Typical jobs for wind damage roof repair
Shingles lift along a gable edge in Windsor after a summer storm
- What homeowners notice
- Following a thunderstorm with strong gusts, a Windsor homeowner finds shingle pieces in the yard and a patch along the gable edge where the roof looks bare. There is no leak yet, but rain is forecast for the end of the week.
- What we do
- A roofer inspects the damaged slope, checks whether the neighboring shingles have lost their seal, and replaces the missing and creased shingles or lays a temporary cover if the weather will not wait. The roofer notes the age of the roof and whether repairs are likely to hold or whether the slope is due for replacement.
- What to expect
- The homeowner has written photographs of the damage and the repair for their own records, and a plain explanation of whether this roof can be repaired again or is approaching replacement.
Cost
How much does wind damage roof repair cost in Hartford?
A dollar figure is not given on this page; Connecticut sources for roofing prices disagree, and wind repairs range from a handful of shingles to a whole slope. The drivers are straightforward.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing a few lifted or missing shingles | Small scope | Includes re-sealing neighbors where possible |
| Re-capping a ridge or re-fastening edge metal | Small to moderate scope | Priced by length and roof height |
| Replacing a section of shingles across a slope | Moderate scope | Matching an older roof can add to the work |
| Repairing deck boards beneath damaged shingles | Moderate scope | Found after the shingles are off |
| Replacing a whole slope or roof | Larger scope | See the roof replacement page for permit and layer rules |
The roofer you reach sets the price and gives it to you in writing before any work starts. Your insurer decides what it will cover, and no outcome can be promised here.
Skip the guesswork. Call for a straight answer.
Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what wind damage roof repair should cost.
Hartford County
Why wind damage roof repair is different in Greater Hartford
Windsor Locks is home to Bradley International Airport, the weather station used for Hartford-area climate figures, and it recorded a 60 mph gust on May 15, 2018 during the microburst that damaged trees and power lines in a string of towns north of Hartford. Wind-damaged shingles and storm repairs are a recurring topic there.
Tropical Storm Isaias brought gusts of 68 mph in Bridgeport and 66 mph in New Haven in August 2020, a reminder that summer tropical storms reach Connecticut as well as winter storms.
If wind took a limb down onto the roof along with shingles, the storm damage roof repair page covers tarping and the sequence of repairs.
Related
Related services
Storm Damage Roof Repair
Wind, fallen limbs and wind-driven rain damage Connecticut roofs. See what to document, what a temporary tarp does and what repairs follow.
Roof Repair
Missing shingles, lifted tabs and slow leaks on Hartford-area roofs, repaired by an independent local roofer you reach with one call.
Asphalt Shingle Roofing
How asphalt shingle roofs are built, what winter does to them in Greater Hartford and what to ask an independent roofer before a quote.
Where we work
Wind Damage Roof Repair across Hartford County
- Wind Damage in Hartford
- Wind Damage in West Hartford
- Wind Damage in East Hartford
- Wind Damage in Wethersfield
- Wind Damage in Bloomfield
- Wind Damage in Newington
- Wind Damage in Rocky Hill
- Wind Damage in Windsor
- Wind Damage in South Windsor
- Wind Damage in New Britain
- Wind Damage in Manchester
- Wind Damage in Glastonbury
- Wind Damage in Avon
- Wind Damage in Farmington
- Wind Damage in Simsbury
- Wind Damage in East Windsor
- Wind Damage in Berlin
- Wind Damage in Cromwell
- Wind Damage in Plainville
- Wind Damage in Windsor Locks
- Wind Damage in Bolton
- Wind Damage in Portland
- Wind Damage in Canton
- Wind Damage in Burlington
- Wind Damage in Marlborough
- Wind Damage in Middletown
- Wind Damage in Bristol
- Wind Damage in Southington
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
After a Storm: A Roof Damage Checklist for Hartford County Homes
After a storm, stay off the roof and look from the ground.
FAQ
Wind Damage Roof Repair FAQs
Can wind damage a roof without any shingles blowing off?
Yes. Wind can break a shingle's sealing strip or crease a tab without removing it, so the roof looks fine from the street. The damage may show up later as a leak, so ask a roofer to check the edges if a storm was strong.
Why did only one slope lose shingles?
Wind pressure depends on direction and the roof's shape, so the slope facing the gust, or the side near the edge or ridge, often takes the damage. The other slopes may be stressed even if nothing came off.
Are creased shingles worth replacing?
Usually yes. A crease cracks the shingle's mat, and it no longer sheds water as it did, even if it lies flat. A roofer typically replaces a creased shingle rather than gluing it back.
Will the new shingles match the old ones?
Often not exactly. Sun and weather fade an older roof, so new shingles can look different even in the same color name. A roofer can tell you what is likely, and whether a slope repair or replacement would look better.
What does a roofer check besides the missing shingles?
The edges, ridge, flashing, vents and the deck under the damage. Wind can bend metal and loosen vents without leaving an obvious mark, and water that entered under missing shingles can sit in the underlayment or insulation.
Is wind damage something I can do myself?
Not safely. Roof work at height in wet or windy conditions is dangerous, and a poorly set shingle can fail in the next storm. Photograph the damage from the ground, move belongings away from leaks and call for a roofer.