ROOF SURVIVED HURRICANE, BUT WAS IT JUST LUCK?

Is it worth pulling up a few shingles to check, or is that overkill?

I get the urge, but unless you see something sketchy - like soft spots or weird bulges - I’d skip prying up shingles. My wallet cries every time I mess with stuff that’s not broken. If you’re really worried, maybe poke around the attic after a rain and look for damp insulation or drips. That’s been my cheapo “inspection” method after storms.

I get where you’re coming from - after the last big storm here, I was tempted to start pulling up shingles too, just to make sure nothing snuck past me. But honestly, I’ve found that can do more harm than good, especially if your roof’s not showing obvious issues. One time I tried it, I ended up cracking a couple shingles and had to patch them, which was a pain and cost me more than I wanted.

What’s worked for me is a step-by-step check: first, I walk the perimeter and look for missing or lifted shingles, then I check the gutters for granules (if there’s a ton, that’s a red flag). After that, like you said, I head into the attic with a flashlight after a heavy rain. If there’s any dampness or water stains on the rafters or insulation, that’s when I start worrying.

I get the urge to be thorough, but unless there’s something really off, I’d rather not risk making things worse. Sometimes “if it ain’t broke” really does apply... at least until the next hurricane rolls through.

I get the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mindset, but I’m not sure that always works with roofs - especially after a hurricane. Just because you can’t see damage from the ground or even in the attic right away doesn’t mean there’s nothing going on up there. I’ve seen cases where shingles looked fine, but water was still getting under them and slowly rotting out the decking underneath. By the time anyone noticed, it was a much bigger (and more expensive) problem.

I get not wanting to mess with shingles and risk cracking them - been there, done that, and yeah, it’s annoying. But sometimes I wonder if we’re just delaying the inevitable by only checking what’s visible. How do you know for sure there’s no hidden damage unless you lift a few shingles here and there? Especially with those newer architectural shingles - they can hide lifted edges pretty well.

Maybe it depends on how old your roof is too. If it’s pushing 15-20 years, I’d be a lot less trusting of a quick walkaround. And in places like Florida or the Gulf Coast, storms just seem to find every weak spot eventually. My uncle had what looked like a perfect roof after Hurricane Michael - no missing shingles, no leaks inside - but two months later he found soft spots when he went up to clean his gutters. Ended up needing half his decking replaced.

I guess my question is: is being “too careful” really worse than missing something small that turns into a huge headache? I’d rather deal with a couple cracked shingles than pay for new plywood and insulation down the line... but maybe that’s just me being paranoid after seeing too many hidden problems get way worse over time.

I hear you on the “if it ain’t broke” thing, but roofs are sneaky. I’ve managed a bunch of properties in hurricane zones, and honestly, the stuff you can’t see is what’ll bite you. Had a place look totally fine after Irma - no leaks, no missing shingles - but six months later, we found mold in the ceiling. Turns out water had been creeping in under a few lifted shingles the whole time. I’d rather risk a couple cracked shingles poking around than deal with that mess again. Sometimes being “too careful” just means you sleep better at night... and your insurance adjuster doesn’t get any surprises.

I get where you’re coming from, but sometimes poking around too much can actually create more issues than it solves, especially with older shingles. I’ve seen folks lift shingles to check for damage and end up breaking the seal or even cracking them, which then lets water in where there wasn’t a problem before. I’m all for thorough inspections after a storm, but I lean toward using infrared or moisture meters first - less invasive, and you can still catch hidden leaks. Just my two cents... sometimes less hands-on is actually safer for the roof’s lifespan.