Your roof protects your home from the elements. Most people, when thinking of roofs, think of shingle or tile roofing, and the importance of roofing underlayment is often completely overlooked. While shingle or tile serves their purpose as the first line of defense for your roof, there are many different ways in which they can become damaged from a storm. Roofing underlayment protects your roof from moisture caused by rain and other severe weather like hurricanes, tornados, hailstorms, etc. The underlayment lies under the tile or shingle and is installed directly onto the roof decking. The underlayment is laid on top of your roof deck and serves to keep water from coming into your home. There are different types of underlayment, and while each kind has its respective pros and cons, the type you choose depends on things such as your home’s location, roofing tools used, and what design your roof is. Regardless of the type of underlayment you choose to use, the purpose is to protect your home from water intrusion.
Most of the damage to your roof during a storm is caused directly by strong winds. A hurricane or windstorm has the power to rip off the covering of your roof and can turn shingle or tile into projectiles. When the shingle or tile is damaged from a windstorm, the underlayment plays an important role in protecting your home. It is what stands between the interior of your home and further damage from the storm. If the covering of your roof becomes damaged during a storm, whether the damage stems from strong winds or damage caused by storm debris, water can seep into your home and create weak points within the underlayment.
It is common during a windstorm that shingle or tile can lift and cause damage to the underlayment. High winds can have the strength to rip shingle or tile completely off of your roof, leaving the underlayment directly exposed to weather elements, and making it highly susceptible to water intrusion. When water gets into the underlayment, it can begin to rot the roof decking. Additionally, hail of various sizes can cause the granules to come off of your shingles as well. These granules protect the roof from the sun’s UV rays, and without them, the shingles will age faster and become more susceptible to cracking, blowing off, and water intrusion. A severe windstorm or hurricane may allow water intrusion inside your home. As a result, it is very common the entire roof, including the underlayment must be replaced. It is important to thoroughly inspect all areas of the roof after a storm because if the underlayment is damaged, it is guaranteed to cause problems down the road.
“Roof Underlayment And Why It’s Important.” Professional Roofers, 23 July 2020, professionalroofers.com/underlayment/.
Shingle and TILE Roofs: The Damage That Wind and Hail Can Do. 14 Feb. 2017, candkroofing.com/shingle-tile-roofs-damage-wind-hail-can/#:~:text=When%20the%20winds%20come%2C%20it,in%20the%20underlayment%20becomi ng%20loose.
“What Is Roof Underlayment & Why Is It Needed?: Long Roofing.” Long Home Products, 26 Feb. 2021, longhomeproducts.com/blog/roofing-underlayerment-important/.
“What Is Shingle Underlayment, and How Does It Help Protect My Home?” CertainTeed, 29 Jan. 2018, www.certainteed.com/residential-roofing/what-shingle-underlayment-and-how-does-it-help protect-my-home/#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20the%20shingle,leading%20type%20of%20shingle%20u nderlayment.
Christian M. Ficarelli, Esq.
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