LUCK VS. GOOD ROOFING—WHO WINS?
I keep hearing people talk about luck with roofs, but honestly, after helping tear off a few “lucky” roofs that didn’t make it through last year’s storm, I’m starting to think luck’s just what you call it when you don’t see all the little stuff that went right (or wrong). Like, my uncle’s place had the same shingles as his neighbor, but he splurged on the thicker underlayment and better nails. Neighbor’s roof looked like a tornado hit it. My uncle? Not a shingle out of place. He likes to brag about his “good fortune,” but we all know he just hates admitting he read the install manual.
Orientation is a weird one too. Never thought much about it until I saw how much more beat up the south-facing side of our shop roof gets every year. Sun, wind, rain—just takes a pounding. We started doubling up on the ice & water shield there and it’s made a difference. Not cheap, but neither is replacing half your roof every five years.
I get why people grumble about spending extra on stuff you never see once it’s covered up, but man, after crawling around in attics fixing leaks where someone tried to save a buck... yeah, peace of mind is worth something. Plus, nobody wants to be up there in February with a bucket and a flashlight.
Not saying you can hurricane-proof anything 100%, but those “little choices” during install? They add up way faster than people think. If you’re lucky enough to have a roof still standing after a big storm, maybe give some credit to whoever put in the work (and spent the extra cash) instead of just crossing your fingers for next time.
- Seen a lot of “lucky” roofs over the years. Funny how the ones with ice & water shield, six nails per shingle, and actual drip edge seem to get luckier every storm.
- Nails matter. Seriously. I’ve pulled up shingles where the installer used three nails and called it a day—those are the ones you find in your yard after a windy night.
- Underlayment’s like that secret sauce nobody brags about. You don’t see it, but if you cheap out, you’ll know when water’s dripping on your kitchen table.
- Orientation’s huge, especially down here where south and west sides just bake. I always tell folks to double up on those sides if they can swing it. Costs more now, saves headaches later.
- Not saying luck doesn’t play a part—sometimes you get that weird gust or flying branch and nothing’s gonna help. But most of the time? It’s the little choices: better fasteners, thicker felt, flashing done right.
- Had a customer last year swear by his “lucky” roof… until we found half his ridge vent was held on with staples. Guess what happened in the next storm?
- People grumble about spending extra on stuff they’ll never see, but honestly, would you rather pay for a second layer of underlayment or spend February patching leaks with whatever you’ve got in the garage?
- Insurance adjusters notice this stuff too. Seen claims denied because “installation didn’t meet code.” That hurts more than any invoice I’ve ever sent.
- If your roof made it through a hurricane, sure, maybe there was some luck involved. But odds are, someone did something right when nobody was looking.
- Still waiting for someone to invent a truly hurricane-proof roof… until then, I’ll keep doubling up on nails and hoping for the best.
Is it really just about the extra nails and underlayment, though? I mean, my neighbor’s roof had all the right stuff—ice & water, six nails, upgraded felt—and still lost a bunch of shingles. Meanwhile, my old three-tab roof (not fancy at all) survived just fine. Makes me wonder if sometimes it’s just the angle the wind hits or maybe even how the trees are around your house. Not saying quality doesn’t matter, but it feels like there’s always a wildcard in these storms.
Makes me wonder if sometimes it’s just the angle the wind hits or maybe even how the trees are around your house.
That’s a good point—wind direction and obstacles like trees can make a huge difference. Did your neighbor have any big trees nearby, or was their roof more exposed? Sometimes even the way a house sits on the lot changes everything.
- Definitely agree, wind patterns and tree placement matter a lot.
- Seen plenty of cases where two houses side by side had totally different damage—one shielded by a big oak, the other wide open.
- Roof pitch and overhangs play into it too. Lower slopes seem to take more of a beating in my experience.
- Sometimes it’s just dumb luck, but I’d say landscaping and orientation are bigger factors than most folks realize.
- Had a property once where a neighbor’s pine tree actually saved half the roof from flying debris...but also clogged the gutters for weeks after. Pros and cons, I guess.
