I hear you on the “looks fine from the street” thing. After Ida, I thought we’d dodged a bullet—no missing shingles, nothing obvious. But a month later, I noticed a faint brown spot in the guest room ceiling. Turns out water had snuck in around an old vent flashing, and by the time I found it, the insulation was already soggy. Not gonna lie, I hate crawling around up there, but it’s way cheaper than dealing with mold or replacing drywall down the line. Sometimes it’s not luck—it’s just what you don’t see right away that gets you.
That’s exactly it—most folks think if the shingles are still up there, they’re in the clear. But wind-driven rain finds every weak spot, especially around vents and flashing. I’ve seen roofs that looked perfect from the ground, but once you poke around in the attic, it’s a different story. Honestly, regular checks after a big storm save a ton of money and headaches. It’s not just luck; it’s catching the sneaky stuff before it turns into a nightmare.
Last year after a nor’easter, I crawled into my own attic thinking I was just being paranoid. Nope—found a puddle right under the bathroom vent pipe. Shingles looked fine from the street, but that flashing had let in more water than a leaky canoe. Always worth a peek up top and inside, trust me.
That’s a classic scenario—everything looks fine from the ground, but water finds its way in through the smallest gaps. I’ve had similar issues, especially around vent pipes and chimneys. Flashing is one of those things that gets overlooked because it’s not as obvious as missing shingles or visible holes, but it’s usually the culprit when you get leaks after a big storm.
After Hurricane Sandy, I thought my roof was untouched—no missing shingles, no debris. But a few weeks later, I noticed a faint stain on the ceiling near the bathroom. Turned out the flashing around the vent stack had lifted just enough to let water seep in during heavy wind-driven rain. The frustrating part is you can’t always spot these problems from outside unless you’re up close, and even then, sometimes it takes getting into the attic during or right after a storm to see where water’s actually coming in.
I’d say luck plays a part, but regular inspections matter more. Even if your shingles are rated for hurricanes, all those little details—flashing, sealant around vents, even nail pops—can be weak points. I started making it a habit to check the attic after any major storm, just to catch issues before they turn into bigger repairs. It’s not paranoia if it saves you thousands in drywall and insulation damage.
One thing that helped me was switching to a higher-grade flashing and using a good quality sealant (not just roofing tar). Also, I added storm collars on my vent pipes. Not saying it’s foolproof, but since then, no more leaks—even after some nasty nor’easters.
If your roof survived this time, that’s great, but I wouldn’t chalk it up entirely to luck. A little preventative maintenance goes a long way. And yeah... sometimes you have to crawl around in itchy insulation to find peace of mind.
“Flashing is one of those things that gets overlooked because it’s not as obvious as missing shingles or visible holes, but it’s usually the culprit when you get leaks after a big storm.”
Couldn’t agree more. Flashing is sneaky—most folks don’t even think about it until there’s a stain on the ceiling. You’re right, regular checks beat luck every time. Upgrading to better flashing and sealant is smart, especially with the weather we get around here. I’ve seen too many “perfect” roofs turn into headaches just from a loose vent collar or a tiny gap. You’re definitely on the right track with your routine.
