Most roof damage is spotted from the driveway: a shingle in the yard after a windy night, a dark patch where granules have washed off, a ridge that no longer looks straight. Some of it is cosmetic. Some of it is the first stage of a leak. The trick is knowing which without going up there.
This guide covers the kinds of damage you can see from the ground, what usually causes each one, the signs that mean the roof needs attention soon, and how a roofer inspects and repairs it. Everything here is done from the ground or from a window. Roof surfaces are steep, slippery and high, and falls from them are a leading cause of serious injury around the home.
What you notice
- Shingles or pieces of shingle in the yard, the gutters or on the driveway.
- A patch of roof that looks a different color, darker or lighter than the rest.
- Shingle edges curling up or tabs lifted so you can see shadow lines under them.
- Piles of sand-like granules at the downspout outlets or in the gutter.
- A dented, bent or missing vent cap, or a satellite dish or antenna leaning.
- A dip, wave or sag along the ridge or in the middle of a roof plane.
- Moss, lichen or dark streaks across the roof.
- Cracked or missing pieces on a tile or slate roof, or rust streaks on a metal roof.
Likely causes
Wind
Strong gusts break the seal strip under shingle tabs and lift or tear them. Damage clusters at the edges, the ridge and the corners facing the wind. A few missing tabs after a storm is the most common visible damage.
Hail
Hail bruises shingles and knocks granules off in round spots, dents soft metal vents and gutters, and cracks tile. Dents on a metal vent cap or the gutter are the easiest ground-level clue that the shingles took hits too.
Age
Asphalt shingles dry out, curl, crack and shed granules in their last years. Uniform curling and bare patches across the whole roof mean it is wearing out rather than damaged by one event.
Trees
Branches that rub the roof scrape granules off. Falling limbs crack shingles, tile and decking. Shade and debris hold moisture and grow moss, which lifts shingles.
Foot traffic and other trades
A satellite installer, a chimney sweep or a painter walking on a hot or brittle roof cracks tiles and scuffs shingles. Damage along a path from the ladder is the giveaway.
Structural movement
A sag along the ridge or in a plane means the decking or framing is giving way: long-term leaks, undersized rafters, or too many layers of roofing. This is the one visible sign that is never cosmetic.
Poor installation
Shingles that were not nailed in the right spot, exposed nails or a ridge cap that was never sealed fail early and in patterns a roofer recognizes.
Safe things to check before anyone comes out
- Walk all the way around the house at ground level and look at each roof plane. Binoculars or a phone photo zoomed in work well. Note the side the wind came from if it followed a storm.
- Look at the gutters and downspout outlets for granules, shingle pieces or nails.
- Look for dents on anything soft and metal that you can see: gutters, downspouts, the vent caps, a metal shed roof. Hail that dents metal has usually bruised the shingles.
- Sight along the ridge line from the street. It should be straight. Any dip or wave should be mentioned when you call.
- Look at the ceilings and the attic hatch area inside for stains, even if nothing is dripping yet.
- Take dated photos from the ground. If a storm caused the damage, the photos and the date help with any insurance claim.
When to stop and call
- A ceiling inside is sagging or holding water, or water is near electrical equipment. Keep people out of that room.
- The ridge or a roof plane is visibly sagging. That is a structural sign, not a shingle problem.
- A tree or large limb is on the roof, or part of the roof has been opened by wind. Ask for an emergency tarp.
- Shingles are missing and rain is forecast. Exposed underlayment leaks within a storm or two.
- A roofer you did not call is at the door after a storm offering a free inspection. Take their card, but get your own roofer or your insurer to look before signing anything.
What the technician does
- Inspects the roof surface, flashing, vents, ridge and edges, and photographs what they find so you can see it without going up.
- Distinguishes storm damage from wear, which matters for whether an insurance claim is reasonable.
- Replaces missing or damaged shingles, reseals lifted tabs, and replaces bent or damaged vent caps and pipe boots.
- Checks the decking under damaged areas for softness and rot and replaces what is needed.
- For hail or widespread wind damage, documents the extent per roof plane, which insurers usually ask for.
- Gives a written repair estimate and an honest opinion on remaining life, with a separate replacement estimate only if the roof is near the end.
What it usually costs
Replacing a few wind-torn shingles or a vent cap is a small job, usually in the low to mid hundreds of dollars including the inspection. Repairs across several planes, hail bruising or decking replacement run higher and, for widespread storm damage, often become an insurance claim and a replacement. A sag is a framing repair priced after the roof is opened. The estimate should list what is being repaired and what is being left before any work starts.
What moves the estimate
- How many shingles or tiles, and across how many roof planes.
- Material: asphalt shingles are the simplest; tile, slate and metal need matching parts and specialized labor.
- Pitch, height and access for safe work.
- Rotten decking or framing found under the damage.
- Storm demand. After a big event, every roofer in the area is booked and prices and wait times rise.
Keeping it from coming back
- Look at the roof from the ground each spring and fall and after any storm with strong wind or hail.
- Keep branches trimmed well back from the roof.
- Keep gutters clear so the roof edge does not stay wet.
- Ask any other trade who needs to go on the roof to use walk pads or ladders rather than walking brittle shingles or tile.
- When shingles start curling across the whole roof, plan the replacement before the first big leak rather than after.
Questions people ask
A few shingles blew off. Is that a repair or a replacement?
On a roof with life left, a repair. The roofer matches the shingle as closely as possible and reseals the surrounding tabs. If the roof is brittle and old, new shingles will not seal well to the old ones, and a replacement may be the better value.
Should I file an insurance claim?
For sudden storm damage, often yes, but get a roofer to assess and document first. Wear and age are not covered, and a claim for a roof that is simply old can be denied and still count against you.
Are dark streaks damage?
Usually algae, which is cosmetic on asphalt shingles. Moss is different: it holds water and lifts shingles. A roofer can treat either without pressure washing, which strips granules.
Can a roofer tell wind damage from an old roof?
Yes. Wind damage is patchy and follows the exposed edges; wear is uniform. Hail leaves round bruises and dents on metal. Those patterns are what roofers and adjusters look for.
Sources
- Owens Corning Roofing: Signs of storm damage on your roof www.owenscorning.com
- Owens Corning Roofing: Roof hail damage www.owenscorning.com
- Owens Corning Roofing: Roofing inspection guide www.owenscorning.com