Roofing Tips & Guides
Expert Roofing Advice for Charlotte Homeowners
Learn from Charlotte's trusted roofing experts. Tips on maintenance, repair, replacement, and protecting your home from the elements.
Learn from Charlotte's trusted roofing experts. Tips on maintenance, repair, replacement, and protecting your home from the elements.
So the storm rolled through Charlotte last night. You heard the wind howling. Maybe some pounding on your roof. Now you're standing in your yard with a cup of coffee. You're staring up at your shingles wondering: What the heck actually hit my roof?
Here's the thing. Wind damage and hail damage look totally different. And knowing the difference matters. It affects your insurance claim. It changes what repairs you need. It can even determine if you need a full roof replacement.
At Best Roofing Now, we inspect storm-damaged roofs across Charlotte and Lake Norman every single week. We've seen it all. Wind ripping shingles clean off in Huntersville. Golf ball-sized hail pounding roofs in Mooresville. Sometimes both hit the same neighborhood on the same night.
This guide will help you understand exactly what you're looking at. No roofing degree required.
Let's be real. Most homeowners don't spend their weekends studying roof damage. But after a storm, you need to know what happened up there.
Why? Three big reasons:
Insurance claims require specifics. Your adjuster needs to know if it was wind, hail, or both. The wrong answer can cost you money.
Different damage needs different repairs. Wind damage often means replacing individual shingles. Hail damage might mean a full replacement.
Some damage hides in plain sight. You might see obvious problems. But trained eyes catch the subtle stuff that causes leaks six months later.
According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, many homeowners misidentify storm damage. This leads to incomplete repairs and denied claims. So let's make sure that doesn't happen to you.
Wind doesn't mess around in the Carolinas. We get those sudden summer storms. Winter nor'easters. And the occasional tropical system pushing through Charlotte.
Here's what wind does to your roof. And how to spot it from your driveway.
This is the most obvious sign. You look up and see bare spots. The underlayment (that black paper-looking layer) is exposed. Or worse, you see the wood decking underneath.
Wind speeds of 50+ mph can tear shingles right off your roof. After big storms, we often find shingles scattered across yards in Davidson and Cornelius.
What to look for:
Wind doesn't always rip shingles off completely. Sometimes it just lifts the edges. Or peels them back like a banana.
This breaks the seal between shingle layers. Water gets underneath. And that's when the real problems start.
What to look for:
Flashing is that metal stuff around your chimney, vents, and roof edges. It keeps water out of the gaps. Wind loves to bend it, lift it, or rip it away entirely.
What to look for:
Here's a pro tip. Wind damage follows a pattern. It usually hits one side of your roof harder than the other. The side facing the wind takes the beating.
So if you see damage concentrated on your south-facing slope (and the storm came from the south), that's a strong sign of wind damage.
Hail is tricky. Sometimes you see the damage right away. Other times, it hides for months before causing problems.
Charlotte and Lake Norman get hit by hail more often than you might think. Those spring thunderstorms rolling off the mountains? They pack a punch.
Hail creates impact marks. They look like little craters or dimples on your shingles. Imagine someone pressed their thumb into soft clay. That's the basic shape.
These dents are usually round or oval. And they show up in a random pattern across your entire roof. Not just one side.
What to look for:
This is the big one. And it's easy to miss.
Your shingles have a coating of tiny granules. They look like coarse sand. These granules protect the shingle from UV rays and weather. Hail knocks them off.
What to look for:
Here's another pro tip from our team. Hail doesn't just hit your roof. It hits everything.
Walk around your property. Check these items:
If these items show damage, your roof probably took hits too.
Let me break this down in a simple way. This table shows the key differences:
| What to Look For | Wind Damage | Hail Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | One-sided, follows wind direction | Random, scattered across entire roof |
| Shingle shape | Lifted edges, peeling, missing pieces | Circular dents, bruised spots |
| Granule loss | Moderate, collects in gutters | Concentrated at impact points |
| Flashing | Often bent or torn | Usually intact |
| Other property damage | Debris, fallen branches | Dents on gutters, AC, cars |
Living in Charlotte and Lake Norman means dealing with specific weather patterns. Our team at Best Roofing Now has learned exactly what each season throws at local roofs.
Spring storms bring the worst hail. Those afternoon thunderstorms build up fast. Hail can range from pea-sized to golf ball-sized. We've even seen baseball-sized hail in parts of Mecklenburg County.
Summer brings wind. Sudden pop-up storms with strong downdrafts. Wind speeds can spike to 60+ mph in minutes. Lake Norman waterfront homes get hit especially hard. All that open water creates a wind tunnel effect.
Fall and winter bring mixed conditions. Ice storms, occasional snow, and those classic nor'easters. Wind damage is common during these months.
This local knowledge matters. When we inspect your roof, we know what to look for based on recent weather events.
Here's where things get real. Your insurance claim depends on correctly identifying the damage type.
Most homeowners policies in North Carolina cover both wind and hail. But here's the catch. Insurance adjusters need specific documentation. They want to know:
If you claim wind damage but your roof shows hail patterns, that's a red flag. If you miss hidden hail damage, you might settle for less than you deserve.
As a veteran-owned company, we believe in doing things right. That means thorough inspections and honest assessments. We document everything with photos. We'll even meet with your insurance adjuster to make sure nothing gets missed.
Look. You can spot the obvious stuff from your yard. Missing shingles. Bent flashing. Dents in your gutters.
But some damage requires trained eyes. And getting on your roof yourself? Not worth the risk.
Call a professional when:
⚠️ Safety warning: Never climb on a wet or damaged roof. Falls cause serious injuries every year. Leave the climbing to professionals with proper equipment.
When our Best Roofing Now crew shows up, here's what we do:
Ground inspection: We walk the perimeter. Check gutters, downspouts, siding, and windows. Look for debris and collateral damage.
Roof inspection: We get up there safely with proper harnesses. We inspect every section systematically. We check shingles, flashing, vents, and penetrations.
Documentation: We take detailed photos. We mark damage locations. For insurance purposes, we note measurements and counts.
Drone inspection: For complex roofs or hard-to-reach areas, we use drone photography. This gives us views that would be impossible otherwise.
Written report: You get everything in writing. What we found. What it means. What repairs are needed. And an honest estimate.
The whole process usually takes about an hour. And for Charlotte and Lake Norman homeowners, the inspection is free.
Don't wait to find out what hit your roof. Water damage starts faster than you'd think. Mold can begin growing within 24-48 hours of a leak.
Here's what to do right now:
At Best Roofing Now, we've helped hundreds of Charlotte and Lake Norman homeowners navigate storm damage. From emergency tarping in Huntersville to full replacements in Mooresville, we've got the experience to handle whatever Mother Nature threw at your roof.
Ready to find out what actually hit your roof? Call us at (704) 605-6047 or schedule your free storm damage inspection online. We'll give you honest answers and a clear path forward.
Because after a storm, the last thing you need is more uncertainty.
Best Roofing Now
Charlotte's trusted roofing experts since 2019
Based on this article, you may be interested in these services.
We proudly serve these Charlotte-area communities with professional roofing services.
View All Service Areas →Get a free roof inspection and honest assessment from Charlotte's most trusted roofing company.
