What the Late July Storms Did to Roofs in Northwest Indiana

The storms that came through on Monday, July 27 were the worst our area has seen this year. The National Weather Service confirmed multiple tornado paths and extensive straight-line wind damage across Northwest Indiana, with hail up to three inches in parts of the region. Around 30,000 NIPSCO customers lost power. Indiana Dunes State Park closed roads because of downed trees. Crews across Lake and Porter counties are still cleaning up.

If your neighborhood took a hit, your roof may have too. Even if it looks fine from the driveway.

This is the second major severe weather event of the summer. The June 11 tornado outbreak put multiple strong tornadoes on the ground across Northwest Indiana. Two big storms in seven weeks means a lot of roofs in this area have taken damage twice, and damage stacks.

Wind Damage Is Easy to Miss From the Ground

Straight-line winds did most of the damage in the late July storms. Here is the problem with wind damage: it does not always tear shingles off. Wind lifts shingles, breaks the adhesive seal underneath, and sets them back down. The roof looks normal. The seal is gone.

A broken seal means water gets under the shingle the next time it rains hard. The leak shows up weeks or months later, usually as a ceiling stain, and by then the decking underneath may be wet.

Wind damage is also directional. One slope of your roof can be torn up while the other three look untouched. Do not assume the roof is fine because the side facing the street looks good.

Signs to look for from the ground:

• Shingles in the yard, driveway, or gutters
• Shingle corners flipped up or creased
• A slope that looks slightly ruffled or uneven compared to the others
• Exposed black underlayment or bare spots
• Bent or detached flashing around the chimney or vents
• Fence, tree, or siding damage on your property. If the wind hit those, it hit the roof

Hail Damage Does Not Look Like Much

Hail reached three inches in parts of the region during the late July storms. Hail damage on asphalt shingles looks like small dark bruises where the granules got knocked off. From the ground, you will not see it. What you can check:

• Dents in gutters, downspouts, or metal roof vents
• Dings in your car, mailbox, or AC unit
• Torn window screens

Dented gutters are the tell. If hail hit your gutters hard enough to dent aluminum, it hit your shingles hard enough to bruise them. Bruised shingles lose granules, dry out, and crack early. A roof that should have lasted another ten years can fail in three.

What to Do Right Now

1. Walk the property. Check the yard for shingles and debris. Check gutters and vents for dents. Look at every slope you can see safely. Stay off the roof. Storm-damaged roofs are unstable, and you can cause more damage walking on bruised shingles.

2. Take photos. Date-stamped photos of anything you find, including fence and tree damage. If you end up filing an insurance claim, documentation from right after the storm is worth a lot.

3. Get a professional inspection before you call your insurance company. An inspection tells you whether you have a claim worth filing. Filing a claim for damage that does not meet your deductible can count against you. A roofer who works storm damage can document what the adjuster needs to see: hail bruising, wind creasing, seal failure, and which slopes are affected. We do these inspections free.

4. Do not wait. Insurance policies have time limits for storm claims, and they vary. More importantly, a broken seal or bruised shingle is an open door for the next storm. This summer has already proven the next storm is coming.

A Word About the Trucks in Your Neighborhood

After every major storm, out-of-town crews show up. They knock on doors, quote fast, take deposits, and are gone before the first leak shows up. Some do fine work. Many do not, and when the repair fails, there is nobody to call.

Ask any contractor two questions: where is your office, and who handles your warranty work. We are local to Northwest Indiana, we have been here for the June storm and the July storm, and we will be here for the next one. Pursuit Exteriors is an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor, which means the manufacturer backs our roofing installation work.

We Cover the Whole Storm Path

The storm damage ran across our entire service area. We are inspecting and repairing roofs in Crown Point, Valparaiso, Portage, Merrillville, and throughout Lake, Porter, and Jasper counties.

If your area lost power, lost trees, or caught hail at the end of July, get the roof looked at. The inspection is free, it takes under an hour, and you will know exactly where you stand.

Call 219-779-2169 or request your free storm damage inspection online.