FAQs About Missing Shingles on Your Roof

After a hurricane, missing shingles are one of the most common problems in Florida. But while this problem is common, Florida homeowners still have a lot of questions about it. Are missing shingles a serious problem? Can they lead to leaks? Should you try to fix them yourself?

Today, we’re answering all of these questions and more. We’re PITCH Roofing, and as veteran Florida roofers, we know shingle roofs better than anyone. Today, we’re covering the frequently asked questions that we get about shingles. And we’re starting with the one we get most often: Why did my shingles get blown off my roof?

Why Did the Wind Blow Shingles Off My Roof?

When you find missing shingles in your yard, you might think that there was a failure in your roofing system. After all, you paid good money for your roof to be installed, so if you see missing shingles, it’s natural to think that something went wrong with your materials or roof installation.

But the truth is that shingles just aren’t built to withstand certain winds. Even for top-of-the-line Owens Corning products, it’s rare to find shingles that can withstand winds exceeding 130 mph. So while nobody likes to find missing shingles in their yard, this isn’t usually a sign that there’s an overall problem with your roof.

This leads to another common question that we get. Does losing shingles in a storm mean I have to replace my roof?

Do I Need to Replace a Roof With Missing Shingles?

Since your roof can lose shingles without having any structural flaws, the good news is that missing a few shingles doesn’t mean that you need a roof replacement. Notice that we said a few, though. While losing shingles is normal, losing too many of them could put your whole roof in jeopardy.

As a rule of thumb, if your roof still has more than half of its shingles, then there’s no need for a replacement. While replacing a larger amount of missing shingles will take more time and money, it should still be a far cry from the cost of a roof replacement.

The amount of shingles you lose isn’t the only factor here, though. Time is also extremely important. If you wait too long to get repairs, water could damage your decking and other parts of your roof. In cases like these, you’ll need a roof replacement to remove the water-damaged sections. Thankfully, however, moving quickly is usually enough to keep the job limited to just a repair.

Can I Replace Missing Shingles Myself?

DIY roof repair can be a good way to save money, but it isn’t always the best choice. So can you replace your own missing shingles? Well, that depends on a few factors.

A few of the considerations you should make include:

• Number of Missing Shingles: Replacing one or two missing shingles is much easier than replacing entire sections of your roof.
• Water Damage: If your roof has sustained water damage after losing shingles, it will require professional help. If you can’t identify water damage on a roof, then it’s best to let experienced contractors handle the job.
• Roofing Experience: Have you done professional work on roofs before? Do you know that replacing shingles involves more than just hammering new shingles into place? If so, replacing your own missing shingles could make sense in your case!

Whether or not you should replace your own missing shingles is a case-by-case decision. But if you’re at all unsure of your ability to do the job successfully, it’s best to leave the work to professionals. The last thing that you need when handling a roof repair is to make a mistake that voids your warranty or, even worse, risks your homeowners insurance coverage!

How Can I Prevent Missing Shingles in the Future?

As we’ve established, losing a few shingles isn’t uncommon. If a strong enough hurricane hits your area, there isn’t much you can do about losing a few shingles, especially if your roof is getting on in years. But that doesn’t mean you have to accept losing shingles as a fact of life.

As a homeowner, you have plenty of ways to minimize your risk of losing shingles. Some of these strategies are:

• Investing in Quality Shingles: We almost never recommend 3-tab shingles. Instead, most homes benefit from architectural shingles, which are much better at resisting high winds. As a bonus, they also look a lot better than 3-tab asphalt shingles!
• Replacing an Old Roof: Losing a shingle or two in a major hurricane isn’t strange. But if your roof is 20 years old or older and you’re losing shingles in seemingly every storm, then it may be time for a roof replacement. New roofs are much better at withstanding high winds, so this could save you money in roof repairs over the long term!
• Keep Up on Roof Repairs: Sometimes, unaddressed roofing problems can lead to losing shingles. These include things like UV damage, mold, and pest infestations. If you’re consistently losing shingles and can’t figure out why, it could be because you’re not keeping up with your roof maintenance!

There is no way to prevent losing shingles 100% of the time. But by investing in your roof and taking care of it, you can greatly lower your risk and save yourself a lot of money on roof repair costs.

Get a Free Estimate to Fix Your Shingle Roof

If you have missing shingles, you need to start talking to contractors ASAP. It often takes time for roofers to inspect a roof, provide a quote, and start on a job, especially if you plan on comparing estimates. Thankfully, the friendly staff at PITCH understand your urgency, so we make getting an estimate easy!

For your free shingle roofing estimate, just call us at 727-677-4824 or schedule your estimate online. We’ll come out, take a look at your roof, and prepare a customized, detailed estimate tailored to your job. This way there is no guesswork and no hassle!

We know that roof repairs are always an inconvenience. But as veteran Florida roofers with a great local reputation, we do everything in our power to make roofing simple and easy. Give PITCH the opportunity to show you what we can do, and we know you’ll love to see how easy roofing done right can be!