Missing or torn-off shingles
The most visible kind. A gust takes shingles right off, usually starting at an edge, the ridge or a corner where wind catches the roofline. Replacement is straightforward when the shingles around them are still sound.
Urgent? Call to reach a local roofer
Wind Damage Roof Repair in Winston-Salem: Lifted Tabs, Missing Shingles and Edges
What 60 to 70 mph gusts do to roofs around Winston-Salem, and how lifted, creased or missing shingles get repaired.
- Roof repair and full replacement
- Storm wind, leaks and fallen limbs
- Connected to an independent local roofer
Get a fast quote
Fastest: call (833) 751-2102. Or send this and we call you back.
Wind Damage
Wind Damage Roof Repair: what it covers
Quick answer
Wind damage repair replaces shingles that were lifted, creased or torn away, and fixes the ridge, edges and flashing the gusts loosened. Severe thunderstorm warnings for Forsyth County have cited 60 to 70 mph gusts and wind damage to roofs, siding and trees. Winston-Salem Roofing connects you with an independent local roofer in Forsyth County.
Straight-line wind from a thunderstorm does not need to be a hurricane to hurt a roof. The warnings issued for Forsyth County have cited gusts of 60 to 70 mph, with damage reported to roofs, siding, outbuildings and trees. Wind gets under the edge of a shingle, lifts it, and either breaks the seal that holds it down or tears it loose altogether.
The remnants of Hurricane Helene in September 2024 showed the other side of the same problem. In Winston-Salem it brought down trees and an awning, and a tree fell on a house on Oak Ridge Drive. When the wind is not the thing that hits the roof, the debris it throws is.
Winston-Salem Roofing does not send crews of its own. You describe what you can see from the ground, and a call to (833) 751-2102 puts you through to an independent roofer who serves your town and will look at it when a roofer is free.
- Service area
- Winston-Salem & Forsyth County
- Availability
- Call to reach a local roofer, emergencies first
- Phone
- (833) 751-2102
Why do shingles blow off even when the roof looked fine?
Shingles are held down by a strip of sealant that softens in warm weather and sticks. Over time or after a gust, that seal can lose its grip, so a roof that looked fine can have tabs ready to lift. Wind finds those weak spots at edges, corners and the ridge first.
A shingle roof depends on every shingle sticking to the one below it. When the sealant strip lets go, the tab is held only by its nails, and a gust under the edge can bend it back or pull it free. A creased shingle never lies flat again.
Many Winston-Salem roofs are older coverings. The city's median home was built in 1977, so there are plenty of roofs on their second or third layer, and older sealant has had years to dry out and let go.
Where on the roof does wind do the most harm?
Edges, corners and the ridge take the worst of it, because wind gets under the shingles there. The rake edge along a gable, the eave overhang and the ridge cap are checked first, along with any shingle already loose.
A roofer inspecting after a blow starts at the perimeter. The rake and eave edges and the drip edge there are the lead line for wind to get underneath. The ridge cap is the other weak line, because it is only a strip nailed across the top.
The side of the house facing the storm usually shows the most damage. Corner houses and homes with exposed ridgelines take more wind than ones tucked among older trees, though those trees can add their own damage.
What happens when a tree or limb hits the roof?
A fallen limb or tree can crush shingles, crack rafters and puncture decking. The first priority is water: a temporary cover goes over the opening, then a roofer assesses what the structure needs before shingles go back on.
Tree damage is a different job from lifted shingles, because the decking and framing underneath may be involved. Forsyth County has had storms that brought down trees across the Triad, from the February 2021 freezing rain that left more than 75,000 outages at its peak to the remnants of Helene in 2024.
Do not go onto the roof to pull a limb off. A limb resting on the roof may be holding damaged material in place, and removing it can drop a section. Call, take photos from the ground, and let a roofer and a tree service handle it. See also roof leak repair if water is already coming in.
What should I photograph before anyone touches the roof?
Take wide shots of each side of the house, close shots of anything hanging or missing, and any debris on the roof, all from the ground. Date-stamped photos show what the roof looked like after the wind and before repairs, which helps your roofer and any insurer you contact.
Stand back far enough to get the whole slope in frame, then move in on the damage. Include the yard, because shingle pieces on the grass show how much was lost. Photograph gutters, soffit and fascia too, since wind often works on them in the same gust.
Keep the photos, the date of the storm and any receipts for a temporary cover in one place. Do not throw away shingle pieces you pick up from the yard until the roofer has seen them, because a roofer can sometimes read a broken piece for how it failed.
Warning signs
Signs you need wind damage roof repair
Stay off the roof and away from anything that looks unstable. A roof with missing shingles or a limb on it can give way, and a downed limb can be touching a power line. Take photos from the ground and call.
- Shingles missing from a slope, leaving bare underlayment or decking, or tabs found in the yard
- Tabs that stand up or flap at the edges where the sealant strip has let go
- A shingle with a horizontal crease across it where a gust folded it back
- Ridge cap shingles missing or shifted along the top of the roof
- Edge shingles and drip edge peeled back along the rake or eave
- Loose or hanging soffit, fascia or gutter sections after a blow
- Granules and shingle fragments scattered around the foundation
- A limb, a fallen tree or neighborhood debris resting on the roof
Our process
How our wind damage roof repair visit works
Look from the ground first
Walk the yard and take photographs of anything missing, hanging or lying on the roof. Note which side of the house took the wind. Keep your feet on the ground while you do it.
Cover any open spot if rain is coming
If decking or underlayment is exposed, a temporary cover limits water entry. See emergency roof tarping for that stage, which is separate from the repair.
The roofer inspects the full roof
Wind damage is not limited to the spot you can see. A roofer looks along every ridge and edge, checks whether the seal on neighboring shingles has lifted and checks flashing and vents that the gust may have shifted.
Replace, re-seal and secure
Missing and creased shingles are replaced, lifted tabs are re-sealed where the shingle is sound, and ridge and edge pieces are fastened or replaced.
Final check and clean-up
The roofer checks for nail pops, damaged gutters and exposed decking, then clears the debris from the roof and yard.
Options
Types and options for wind damage roof repair
Creased or unsealed shingles
Quieter damage. A shingle that was folded back by a gust stays on the roof but has a crease that will crack, and a tab whose sealant strip let go can flap and wear loose. These are the ones that fail in the next storm.
Debris and tree strikes
Limbs and whole trees can puncture decking, so the repair goes past shingles into the structure underneath. Read storm damage roof repair for the wider job that follows a tree strike.
Cost
How much does wind damage roof repair cost in Winston-Salem?
No sourced dollar figure for wind repair in Winston-Salem is available to this site, so none is shown. These are the factors that change a roofer's quote.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| A handful of replaced shingles | Small scope; quoted on site | Labor, a few shingles and a short visit |
| Ridge cap and edge repair | Priced by length; quoted on site | Depends on how much of the ridge or edge was loosened |
| Re-sealing lifted shingles | Priced by area; quoted on site | Only sound shingles can be re-sealed; cracked ones are replaced |
| Decking repair under a tree strike | Depends on the damage; quoted on site | Priced by how much sheathing is replaced |
The roofer who inspects your roof sets the price, and it is confirmed on site before any work starts. Whether an insurer covers wind damage is the insurer's call, and nobody on this line can promise it.
One call and it gets handled.
Most wind damage roof repair calls are scheduled the same day when a technician is free, and you approve the price before any work starts.
Forsyth County
Why wind damage roof repair is different in Piedmont Triad
The thunderstorm warnings for Forsyth County that cited 60 to 70 mph gusts named Winston-Salem, Kernersville and Clemmons, along with Lexington and Thomasville. Those are broad swaths of the Triad, so a wind event is rarely confined to one neighborhood.
Older neighborhoods and newer subdivisions face different problems. In the West End Historic District, with 508 contributing buildings dated from about 1887 to 1930, complex rooflines with dormers and valleys give wind more edges to work on. Mid-century streets of 1950s and 1960s houses tend to have simpler gables and long ridgelines, where the ridge cap is the exposed part.
In a historic district, roof replacement goes through the Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission for a Certificate of Appropriateness. A small repair may be a different matter, so ask before assuming either way.
Related
Related services
Storm Damage Roof Repair
Assessing and repairing wind, limb, hail and tree damage to Winston-Salem roofs after thunderstorms and winter storms.
Emergency Roof Tarping
A temporary cover over storm-damaged roofing in Winston-Salem until a permanent repair can be scheduled.
Hail Damage Roof Repair
How hail bruises and cracks shingles, what a Winston-Salem roofer checks, and when a few repairs are enough.
Roof Repair
Missing shingles, lifted edges, failed flashing and limb damage on Winston-Salem roofs, handled by an independent local roofer.
Where we work
Wind Damage Roof Repair across Forsyth County
- Wind Damage in Downtown & West End (Winston-Salem)
- Wind Damage in Ardmore & Hanes Mall area (Winston-Salem)
- Wind Damage in Buena Vista & Reynolda (Winston-Salem)
- Wind Damage in North Winston-Salem
- Wind Damage in Southeast Winston-Salem
- Wind Damage in Northwest Winston-Salem (Reynolda Road corridor)
- Wind Damage in Walkertown
- Wind Damage in Bethania
- Wind Damage in Wallburg
- Wind Damage in Pfafftown
- Wind Damage in Kernersville
- Wind Damage in Rural Hall
- Wind Damage in Clemmons
- Wind Damage in Lewisville
- Wind Damage in Germanton
- Wind Damage in Belews Creek
- Wind Damage in Tobaccoville
- Wind Damage in Advance
- Wind Damage in King
- Wind Damage in Welcome
- Wind Damage in Colfax
- Wind Damage in High Point (northwest edge)
- Wind Damage in Lexington
- Wind Damage in Oak Ridge
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Guides
Read before you book
What to Do About Roof Damage After a Forsyth County Storm
Stay inside until the storm passes, then look from the ground: photograph missing shingles, debris and any water coming in, and keep off the roof.
FAQ
Wind Damage Roof Repair FAQs
How do I know if the wind loosened shingles I cannot see?
Look for shingle pieces in the yard, tabs standing up at edges and granules around the foundation. From the ground you cannot see unsealed tabs. A roofer can lift and check them, which is why an inspection after a 60 to 70 mph gust warning is worth having.
Can missing shingles wait until the weekend?
Sometimes, but not if decking or underlayment is showing and rain is forecast. Water through an open spot damages insulation and ceilings quickly. A temporary cover is the usual stopgap, and the roofer can say whether the permanent repair can be scheduled for when a roofer is free.
Is wind damage covered by home insurance?
That is the insurer's decision and cannot be promised by a roofer or by Winston-Salem Roofing. Take photos, keep receipts for any temporary cover and read the policy. Ask the insurer what documentation it needs before repairs begin.
Do I need a permit to fix wind damage in Winston-Salem?
Re-roofing needs a building permit in the city, while patching or replacing a few shingles typically does not. A slope or full replacement counts as re-roofing. Call the Forsyth County Inspections Division at (336) 727-2624 if you are unsure which your repair is.
Why did only one slope of my roof lose shingles?
Wind arrives from one direction, so the slope facing it takes the load and the sheltered slope may be untouched. Roofers still check every slope, because gusts swirl around a house and can loosen tabs on the lee side as well.
What is the difference between wind and hail damage?
Wind lifts, creases and strips shingles, working at edges and the ridge. Hail leaves round impact marks on the surface and dents soft metal. Storms often bring both, so roofers look for each. The hail damage roof repair page covers the impact side.