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High Winds Can Cause Serious Damage to the Roofs of GTA Homes

High Winds Can Cause Serious Damage to the Roofs of GTA Homes

December 10, 2016

Several Underlying Factors Can Lead to Roof Damage by High Winds in Toronto

Many homeowners throughout Toronto and the GTA have likely seen news footage of the tropical storms that have devastated communities along the Florida coastline and in the island nations of the Caribbean. The extraordinarily powerful winds of these storms have flattened homes, overturned vehicles, brought down hydro lines, and closed off access to clean water; over the course of just a few hours, these high winds can certainly alter the lives of countless families, in some cases on a permanent basis.

Fortunately for the vast majority of Toronto area residents, it is improbable that they will ever experience these conditions first-hand; the last tropical storm to strike Toronto was Hurricane Hazel in 1954, with winds reaching 124 kilometres per hour. But this does not mean that Toronto is immune to the effects of high winds; to the contrary, winds gusting to 80 km/h or even to 100 km/h have been recorded within the GTA, and subsequent damage to homes and properties has been substantial.

For local property owners, the area of their home most often affected by such high winds is the roof, specifically the peeling/tearing away of asphalt shingles. And while this type of roof damage could occur at any time of the year in Toronto, it can happen more often during the winter, as shingles tend to become more brittle in extreme cold temperatures.

There are in fact several contributing factors or root causes that can predispose a roof to damage/shingle loss resulting from high winds, with the majority founded in poor quality materials or poor installation techniques; these issues can include:

  • Improper positioning of nails
  • Use of air guns to install shingles
  • Metal drip edges not being installed
  • Loose shingles – due to under-driven nails
  • Shingles punctured from nails driven in too deeply
  • Nails piercing metal valleys/valleys incorrectly trimmed
  • Absence of sealant from starter or leading-edge shingles

With winter temperatures having arrived in Toronto and the GTA, high winds cannot be far behind. As mentioned above, this is a dangerous combination that can cause severe shingle/roof damage and hence expensive roof repairs, not to mention the inconvenience and disruption that such situations can create for the homeowner and their family during the cold weather season.

Therefore, it will be important for homeowners to inspect the condition of their shingles, and their roof as a whole, before the weather worsens to ensure that all is firmly in place and able to withstand any high winds that may assail the GTA during the winter. Such inspections can be done by the homeowner in one or more of the following of ways:

  • From street level, using binoculars
  • From a ladder, on all sides of the home
  • From close range, by walking about the roof
  • From a distance, by asking neighbours for help

One further option that should be given serious consideration would be to hire a Toronto roofing company, such as Integrity Roofers, to perform the inspection. The professionals from Integrity Roofing can assess the condition of the shingles, and of the entire roofing structure, to determine whether any roof repairs might be needed on an immediate basis to prevent more extensive and expensive roof damage over the winter.

To learn more about the roof inspection/assessment services offered by the specialists at Integrity Roofers, visit our Roof Consulting page.

Expert Roof Repairs to Help Toronto Homeowners Prevent More Costly Damage

Winter Storm Damaged Roof Shingles Loose, damaged, or missing shingles, in addition to any accompanying costs for repairs or replacement, can lead to many other types of roof or structural damage, principally due to leaks/water penetration; some of the ensuing problems may consist of:

  • Rotting of soffit and fascia
  • Failure of the gutter system
  • Impairment of attic insulation
  • Weakening of the roof decking
  • Staining of interior walls/ceilings
  • Cracks/leaks in building foundation
  • Crumbling/buckling of masonry walls

Such issues can be averted by confirming that the asphalt shingles are properly installed and appropriately secured, thereby safeguarding the home and its contents – and most importantly, its occupants. And in turn, skilled roof repairs performed by the crews from Integrity Roofers, one of the leading roofing companies in Toronto, may provide the ideal solution for avoiding these types of concerns.

For more information on the extensive range of roof repairs available from the experts at Integrity Roofers, go to our Roofing Repair Services page.

For reliable roof repairs in Toronto and the GTA, including the repair or replacement of asphalt shingles in preparation for the coming winter, Call the professionals at Integrity Roofers today at 416-736-7373 or Contact us to book a roof inspection/assessment at your earliest convenience.

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