On a hot, muggy day we are thankful the wind when it blows through and brings us cool, refreshing oxygen. At other times the fierceness of the wind in a heavy storm can frighten off even the bravest among us and send us running for shelter. It’s almost a reflex action in severe weather to scurry for cover inside our homes, but this can be the most unsafe place to go during a gale-force wind.

How A Hurricane Destroys Your House

The first thing to be affected in hurricane winds on a house is the roof. It gets lifted straight up from the walls because the two slopes that form the roof act like an airfoil similar to the wing of an airplane. During the course of a category five hurricane the lift can equate to 100 lbs. per square foot. This adds up to over 100 tons on an average size home and makes up more than the combined weight of the house and the foundation. It’s no wonder that in this variety of wind a roof is torn off a house as easily as picking a daisy off its stem. After that there is nothing holding the walls in place and they simply collapse.

Most homeowners are not forced to deal with hurricanes or tornadoes, but even what we consider to be acceptable levels of wind wreak havoc with a roof. A roof must withstand constant assault from all wind, regardless of its speed and force.

Winds gusting at just over and around 50 miles per hour are “moderate” but these are enough to throw debris up into the air that can puncture and crack the roof shingles and allow water to leak into the underlying structure.

Wind Damage To Your Roof

Wind blowing over the edge of a roof creates a low pressure area, creating an imbalance that seeks to be balanced with air from a high pressure area. The compensation usually happens with air being drawn from inside the house forcefully enough to weaken fastening devices, adhesives and sealants used to construct the roof and attach the roofing materials. Once this happens, the integrity of the roof has been breached and will only get worse.

Install Roof Vents To Prevent Wind Damage

One solution for counteracting the damaging effects of the wind on a roof is to install roof vents. These are relatively inexpensive to install and can be effective even in a hurricane. It allows the exchange of air pressure between the external atmosphere and the interior roof structure and attic to take place instantly.  Unrestrained air flow takes the stress off the roof and significantly reduces wind damage in moderate to severe storms. Roof vents also allow for the proper circulation in an attic needed to regulate extremes in external temperatures that can cause mold-producing moisture and high energy costs.

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