Asphalt Shingle Wind Damage: Lifted, Creased, or Missing Tabs

Use only checks that match the exact appliance or system and its official guide.

1. Check 1

   From the ground, photograph the roof face and use binoculars or camera zoom to inspect the affected shingle and nearby courses; do not climb onto the roof.

   Expected result: The tab is raised but intact and flat, or it is creased, torn, punctured, missing, or exposing the layer beneath.

   Next step: Give the photographs to a qualified roofer; ask for hand-sealing only if the shingle is otherwise intact and the product instructions support it, and ask for replacement when the tab or shingle is physically damaged.

   Why this matters

   Why: An intact raised tab can indicate a broken sealant bond, while a crease, tear, puncture, or missing material is physical shingle damage that cannot be judged as a simple resealing job.

2. Check 2

   Walk the ground around the building and look for loose shingle fragments, exposed underlayment, granule piles, damaged soffit or fascia, and wind-borne debris; keep clear of anything still falling or unstable.

   Expected result: Fragments are present below one area, several adjacent shingles are lifted, or the roof covering looks continuous from the ground.

   Next step: Photograph the debris in place before moving it and arrange a roof inspection, especially if underlayment or deck is visible.

   Why this matters

   Why: Fragments or a cluster of lifted shingles suggest the wind event affected more than one tab; an apparently continuous surface does not rule out an unsealed or creased tab that needs a closer professional inspection.

3. Check 3

   From inside the house, inspect ceilings and a safely accessible attic area below the damaged roof face for new discoloration, damp insulation, wet sheathing, or daylight through a gap.

   Expected result: The interior is dry, or there is fresh moisture, a drip, wet sheathing, or daylight below the wind-damaged area.

   Next step: Contain drips without touching wet electrical equipment, move belongings away, and call a qualified roofer for temporary weather protection and inspection; do not open the roof from inside.

   Why this matters

   Why: A dry interior does not prove the roof is watertight, but fresh moisture or daylight confirms that the roof-cover failure may already be allowing water entry and needs prompt attention.

4. Check 4

   Ask a qualified roofer to inspect the damaged tab and surrounding courses, including fastener placement, sealant contact, roof edges, nearby penetrations, underlayment, and the deck where accessible.

   Expected result: The roofer finds only a released sealant bond, or finds a crease, tear, puncture, missing shingle, exposed underlayment, loose fastener, or deck damage.

   Next step: Request a written scope identifying whether each affected shingle will be resealed or replaced and whether adjacent courses, underlayment, flashing, or deck need repair; do not accept a surface adhesive as the default for a creased or missing tab.

   Why this matters

   Why: A bond-only failure may be suitable for manufacturer-approved hand-sealing, but physical damage or a fastening/deck defect requires a repair scope that restores the roof's water-shedding layers and wind resistance.