Shingles, Nails, and Beyond

If you live in a high wind area, then your roof will take a beating during certain times throughout the year. This can cause a significant amount of damage through shingle lifting. If you see significant damage, then a residential roofing company can install a new roof with some features to help with the resistance of wind lift. Find out more about these features and products. 

Metal Drip Edging

High winds can punish the shingles all across your roof, but certain areas will see the most significant wear and tear. This is the case for shingles along the very edge of the roof. And, if ice builds in this area as well, then the combination of ice and wind damage can lead to ripping and folding shingles. To prevent this, your roofer can protect the area with the help of a metal drip edge. This edge will sit out from the eave a small amount and as the wind swirls from underneath, it will hit the metal piece instead of the first row of shingles.

Metal drip edges will vary in length. However, the best protection is offered by products that extend several inches out from the roof ledge. To keep the edge secure, long roofing nails should be used that penetrate the roof deck. And, once the drip edge is added, a new layer of shingles should be added on top to replace damaged shingles.  

Hurricane Rated Shingles

Common three-tab asphalt shingles are able to resist wind lift up to about 60 miles per hour if they are class A shingles. Ones that are ASTM tested at 90 miles per hour are class D varieties and both types of shingles can be installed on homes in moderate weather areas. However, this will not offer good protection in areas that see hurricane speed winds. In this case, you will need to have shingles installed that resist uplift at wind speeds of up to 150 miles per hour, which are classified as class H shingles. These are often referred to as heavy-duty, wind-resistant, or hurricane rated shingles. 

In addition to adding the more resistant shingles, your roofer will also add more roofing nails to each shingle. This ensures a proper seal between the shingle and the deck to best ensure protection from wind damage and lift.

While wind-resistant shingles do offer superior protection, you should be investing in a thorough roof inspection at least once a year. This way, cracks, curls, buckles, and other kinds of wind damage across the shingles can be identified early so that a repair can be made. Learn more by contacting residential roofing contractors.