Most people picture roof damage as a winter problem. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, summer is when the worst of it happens. A fast-moving thunderstorm can drop a microburst, throw straight-line winds, or pelt your shingles with hail in a matter of minutes.
These storms are brief. They are also violent. They tend to hit one section of the roof hard and leave the rest alone. Because they pass so quickly, you may not know your roof was hit until the next rain finds the opening.
What summer storms do differently
Winter damage builds slowly under snow and ice. Summer damage arrives all at once. Straight-line winds lift and peel shingles. Hail bruises them and knocks the granules loose. Flying debris punctures the surface. The National Weather Service classifies a thunderstorm as severe once hail reaches an inch across, and even hail that size can crack an older shingle.
Hail damage is sneaky. It often does not leak right away. It strips the protective granule layer, which shortens the roof’s life and shows up as a leak a year or two later. That delay is why a lot of storm damage goes unnoticed until it is expensive.
The first 72 hours
What you do in the days after a storm matters. Move through these steps in order:
1. Stay on the ground
A storm-damaged roof is not safe to walk. Loose shingles and hidden soft spots are a fall risk. Do your looking from the yard with your feet planted.
2. Look for the obvious signs
- Missing, torn, or lifted shingles
- Shingle pieces or granule piles in the yard and driveway
- Dented gutters, downspouts, or vents
- Debris on the roof or against the house
- Water stains on ceilings or in the attic
3. Take photos
Document everything you can see. If there was hail, photograph a few stones next to a coin for scale. Dated photos help later if you file a claim.
4. Cover active leaks
If water is getting in, contain it inside and keep buckets under it. Do not climb up to tarp the roof yourself. Call a professional to secure it safely.
5. Get a professional inspection
Much of what a storm does is hard to see from the ground. A trained eye catches the bruising, the lifted flashing, and the small punctures that turn into leaks. We handle storm damage repair across the area and can document what we find.
Repair or replace after a storm
Not every storm means a new roof. A few damaged shingles on a sound roof is a repair. Widespread bruising on an older roof is a different conversation. We give you an honest read either way. That is how we have worked since 1973.
A word on storm chasers
After a big storm, out-of-town crews show up going door to door. They push you to sign fast. A local company is here before the storm and here long after. We are your neighbors in Phillipsburg, NJ and across the region, and we stand behind our work.
Storm damage does not wait. Call Warren Thompson & Son at (908) 774-9229 for a fast, free inspection.
