ROOF SURVIVED HURRICANE, BUT WAS IT JUST LUCK?
I hear you on the luck part. I’m in central Florida and after Irma, I was convinced my old shingle roof was toast. Thing is, it held up fine, but two houses down—brand new metal roof, supposedly hurricane-rated—lost a whole section when a palm tree snapped and landed right on it. The guy spent a fortune on that upgrade too. Meanwhile, my neighbor across the street had barely patched his leaks from last year and only lost a couple shingles.
I do all the usual stuff—clean the gutters, check for loose nails, trim back branches—but honestly, sometimes it feels like you’re just rolling the dice. I mean, you can prep all you want but if a 60-foot oak decides to fall your way, there’s not much you can do except hope your insurance is decent.
Not saying maintenance isn’t worth it. I’ve seen folks skip it and end up with water pouring in from spots that could’ve been fixed for fifty bucks. But yeah, there’s always that random factor. Like, wind finds the weirdest ways to get under flashing or rip off ridge vents. I guess all we can do is stack the odds in our favor and cross our fingers when the next storm rolls through.
Funny thing is, after every big storm around here, you see all kinds of roofs with different damage—sometimes the oldest ones are fine and the new ones get hammered. Makes you wonder if there’s any real rhyme or reason to it or if Mother Nature just likes to keep us guessing...
sometimes the oldest ones are fine and the new ones get hammered. Makes you wonder if there’s any real rhyme or reason to it or if Mother Nature just likes to keep us guessing...
Can’t help but agree. I’m in the habit of checking every shingle after storms, but last year my cousin’s house (brand new asphalt, all “hurricane nailed”) lost half a slope while his neighbor’s 90s roof didn’t budge. I figure you can prep all you want—trim trees, seal flashing, replace old vents—but sometimes it’s just where the wind hits hardest or what debris comes flying. Maintenance definitely helps, but luck’s always in the mix.
I’ve seen this play out more than once, and it always makes me scratch my head. A few years back, we installed a green (vegetative) roof system on a community center near the coast. It was designed to handle high winds—extra ballast, reinforced edges, all the specs checked—but after a big storm, a couple of nearby buildings with old-school tar and gravel roofs came through without a scratch, while our project lost some sedum mats and needed patching.
It’s tough to predict exactly how wind will interact with each structure. Exposure, roof pitch, even the way neighboring trees or buildings channel gusts can make a huge difference. I still think investing in solid materials and regular inspections is worth it—especially with climate getting more unpredictable—but there’s always an element of unpredictability. Sometimes the “luck” factor is really just a bunch of tiny variables you can’t fully control.
That said, I’ve noticed green roofs tend to fare better over time when it comes to thermal performance and water management, even if they’re not totally immune to storm damage. Maintenance is key, but yeah... sometimes Mother Nature just rolls the dice.
- Totally agree, sometimes it feels like no matter how much you prep, wind just finds a weak spot.
- I’ve seen old gravel roofs hang on while new builds lose pieces—guess age isn’t always a weakness.
- Green roofs are awesome for insulation, but yeah, they need more TLC after storms.
- Regular checks help, but you can’t control every gust or flying branch... just gotta stay on top of maintenance.
Regular checks help, but you can’t control every gust or flying branch... just gotta stay on top of maintenance.
That hits home. I moved in last year and honestly, I thought a brand new roof meant I could relax for a while. Then the first big storm hit—woke up to a couple shingles in the yard and a tiny leak by the vent. Didn’t expect that so soon. Guess “new” doesn’t mean invincible. Maintenance is way more constant than I figured, but at least now I know what to look for after a blowout.
