Creased and unsealed shingles are how most wind damage starts. A creased shingle is one that wind has lifted and folded back far enough to crack the asphalt across the tab, usually leaving a lighter line a few inches above the bottom edge. Creasing almost always follows an unsealed tab: one that never bonded to the course below, or one that lost its bond to age, dust or cold. Creased and unsealed shingles let wind get a grip and are the usual first step toward blow-offs. The repair is to replace creased shingles and hand-seal the courses around them, not to nail down the lifted tab. This page is general information; your roofer makes the final call on your home.
On this page: Signs · Causes · What to check · Repairs · Basis · When to call
Signs of creased or unsealed shingles
- Thin, lighter lines across tabs where granules cracked during the fold.
- Tabs that flutter or sit slightly raised after wind.
- Missing tabs or exposed underlayment near rakes, eaves, hips and ridges.
- Shingle pieces in the yard after a windstorm.
- Damage clustered on the side of the house that faces the prevailing wind.
Why shingles lose their seal
- Cold-weather installs. The factory sealant needs warmth and sun to activate. Owens Corning notes that shingles installed at or below 40 F may not seal until warmer weather.
- Dust and debris on the sealant strip during installation.
- Nailing above the nailing zone. A high-nailed shingle has less holding it down when the seal breaks.
- Weak edges. A missing or wrong starter strip leaves the first course with no sealant under it.
- Age. Older shingles get stiffer and their bond weakens.
What to look for from the ground
Front Range chinook winds and spring storms test roof edges every year, from the Pikes Peak region to the Denver metro, so a quick look after each big wind is worth the five minutes.
- Walk the house after a windstorm with binoculars, checking the edges first: rakes, eaves, hips and the ridge.
- Use low-angle light. Early morning or late afternoon light shows creases and raised tabs best.
- Check the yard and gutters for shingle pieces.
- Write down the storm date. If you file an insurance claim, the date of loss matters. See our guide to wind damage for what to document.
Stay off the roof; lifting tabs by hand to test them can break the seal you are trying to check.
How the repair should go
| Repair | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Hand-seal unsealed tabs with asphalt roof cement | Tabs are intact but not bonded |
| Unseal the course above, replace each creased shingle, nail it in the manufacturer’s zone, hand-seal | A few creased or missing shingles |
| Correct the edge: starter, overhang, hand-sealing along rakes and eaves | Damage concentrates at the perimeter |
| Replace the slope or roof | Shingles are brittle, creases are widespread, or unsealing is roof-wide |
Fixes that fail: face-nailing a lifted tab, gluing a creased tab back down instead of replacing it, and replacing a few tabs without fixing a weak edge.
Manufacturer and code basis
Owens Corning’s cold-weather bulletin (Pub. 10022497-A, April 2026) says shingles installed at or below 40 F may not seal until warm weather and calls for hand-sealing every perimeter shingle with four 1-inch dabs of ASTM D4586 roof cement, while warning that too much cement can blister shingles. ARMA lists resealing wind-damaged shingles and replacing damaged ones among normal repairs. The 2024 IRC, section R905.2.6, requires at least the manufacturer’s fastener count and never fewer than four per strip shingle. Owens Corning’s Duration instructions also set the edge geometry that resists wind: starter overhanging the drip edge by 1/4 to 3/4 inch, field shingles extending at least 1/2 inch and no more than 1 inch past the edge, and, in its cold-weather bulletin, end joints gapped no more than 1/16 inch. IBHS’s FORTIFIED Roof program adds stronger edges: a wider drip edge and a fully adhered starter strip.
When to call
Call after any windstorm that leaves pieces in the yard, or when you can see lifted tabs from the ground. Early repairs keep one loose shingle from becoming a missing section. For storm documentation, see wind damage repair in Colorado Springs. The roof problems guide lists related problems.
Book a wind check
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. After a wind event we photograph creases, unsealed tabs and edge details so you know what is a repair and what is a claim conversation. Colorado Springs area: (719) 488-2800 or a free inspection. Denver metro: (303) 209-0152 or a free Denver inspection. Austin: (512) 610-5897 or a free Austin inspection. Same-business-day reply.
Sources: Owens Corning, Cold Weather Shingle Installation technical bulletin (Pub. 10022497-A); ARMA, Asphalt Shingle Roofs Are Repairable; 2024 IRC Chapter 9, section R905.2.6 (UpCodes); IBHS, FORTIFIED Roof.
