Problem
Missing shingles after wind
Wind does not always tear a whole side of the roof off. It creases shingles, lifts nails, and peels the starter row at the edges. Those openings leak on the next rain—or they sit dry until the underlayment wears through. You can often see the damage from the ground.
In short
Missing shingles after wind
Wind lifts, creases, or peels tabs. A few missing shingles on a sound roof can be a repair. Widespread lift or a worn covering usually means replacement. Hail bruises look different from wind crease.
Signs we look for
- Shingles on the lawn, driveway, or in the gutter
- Tabs that look folded or creased even if they are still attached
- Bare spots at corners, hips, and ridge
- Exposed nail heads or torn underlayment
Why it happens
Aging sealant strips lose their bond. High winds along the Kansas hail corridor, St. Louis thunderstorms, and Charlotte summer storms all peel the same weak edges first. A poor nail pattern from a prior roof makes it worse. A few missing shingles is a repair if the rest of the roof is sound. A whole side of creased shingles is often a replacement.
What we do next
We write down missing, creased, and lifted shingles, check flashing the wind may have opened, and give you a repair or replacement estimate. Stay off the roof. Your insurance company decides coverage.
What not to do
Do not walk the roof to count missing shingles after a storm. Wet, creased shingles tear underfoot. Photograph from the ground and call.
Services that address this
Markets where we see this often
Related: All roof problems · Request an estimate.
People also ask
If only a few shingles are missing, is that always a small repair?
- It can be, if the nearby shingles are still stuck down and the roof has life left. Creasing across a whole side, or shingles that keep blowing off in ordinary wind, is a different conversation.
Topic cluster
More on wind damage
Wind creases, lifts, or peels shingle tabs. Hail bruises the face and knocks off granules. The same storm can do both. A few missing tabs on a sound roof can be a repair. Widespread lift or a worn covering usually means replacement. Full topic.
Next step
Request an inspection for this problem
Send the address, the storm date if you have it, and what you have noticed. We inspect, then give you a replacement or repair price. Your insurance company decides what they pay.