Wind damage to your roof

Wind doesn't just remove tiles — it lifts and loosens them, breaking the weatherproof seal even where nothing looks obviously wrong.

How wind damages a roof

Strong gusts get under the edges of tiles and slates, lifting and cracking them or pulling out fixings. Ridge and verge tiles bedded on old mortar are especially vulnerable. Modern standards (BS 5534) require mechanical fixing — clips and screws — precisely because mortar alone fails in high wind.

What to look for

Slipped, lifted or missing tiles; debris in the gutters (granules or fragments); ridge tiles out of line; and felt visible through gaps. Inside, check for daylight and movement. Damage is often on the most exposed elevation.

Repair or re-roof?

A handful of wind-lifted tiles is a repair. But if wind keeps lifting tiles every storm, it's usually a sign the fixings or mortar across the whole roof have reached the end of their life — and re-fixing the lot can cost close enough to a re-roof that replacement makes more sense.