Every part of the country has their own extreme weather events – tornadoes in the Midwest, hurricanes on the coast, snow and ice storms in the North, thunderstorms all over. And although we know to be prepared for these events during certain times of the year, we are never truly prepared for the damage they can cause. Here are some ways extreme weather can affect your roof.

Of course, the bigger the tornado the more damage it will cause, but even “small” tornadoes can cause problems with your roof. And because they can affect areas within a mile or so of where they touchdown, even if you aren’t in the direct path the winds can do a lot of damage such as sucking your shingles off, cracking a chimney or blowing branches and other debris at your roof. If the wind is very strong it can even damage the roof frame or cause large branches or even trees to fall on your roof.

We have seen no shortage of hurricanes these last couple months, and those in coastal areas know they can cause a lot of destruction to your home and especially to your roof. Hurricanes have two main issues, the wind and the water. The strong winds, much like with a tornado can rip off shingles or pieces of your roof or send objects crashing into it. The gaps and holes caused by this are especially bad when the wind is followed by rain, as with a hurricane. Your home is then susceptible to leaks, mold and rot caused by the water.

Those of us in the North are no strangers to snow and ice in the winter months and the damage they can cause on the roof. A big issue with snow and ice is with the gutters and downspouts. If they have become clogged by leaves and twigs in the fall and are not properly cleaned, the snow has nowhere to go and will sit on the roof. If snow is left to sit on the roof, as it melts it can seep under the shingles and leak into the house. Ice dams can also form and either come crashing off the roof destroying cars or landscape below it, or sit on the roof bowing it under the weight.

Severe thunderstorms can happen almost anywhere and can take us completely by surprise. As with many other weather phenomenon, thunderstorms bring both wind and rain which can work as a one-two punch to your roof. First the wind lifts or damages the shingles and then the rain is allowed to flow into your home bringing a lot of damage with it.  The best defense against storms like this is to make sure your roof is in good shape before they hit and then to check it again after each storm. If you do end up needing a repair, make sure to call a dependable and honest company like Roof Advance to take care of your home.