Common Damages Caused by Wind in North Georgia

2/12/2021 (Permalink)

Contact the SERVPRO storm damage professionals today!

Damages to our property will depend on how fast the wind is blowing.

For homeowners insurance purposes, it is essential to know that the extent of the damage caused by wind is determined by the wind's speed that caused the damage. Wind speed reaching a minimum of 50mph can cause catastrophic damage. Wind speeds that exceed 50-60mph can lead to substantial destruction to the landscaping and a property's infrastructure. 

Here' a more detailed break down:

• Wind speed of 45-57mph is considered non-severe and is associated with slight damage. These wind speeds can break tree branches and cause loose shingles to a roof.
• A faster wind speed of 58-74mph is categorized as severe. It can cause damage to trees by uprooting them, rip off shingles and lead to a damaged chimney.
• Wind speed between 78-89mph can lead to devastating roof damage in commercial and residential properties buildings.
• Wind speeds that exceed a speed of 90mph will cause severely significant damage.

Some of the most common damages are associated with winds faster than 50mph and include the following:

• The uprooting of trees inevitably ends up blocking roadsides and making it nearly impossible to drive on the roads safely. 
• Broken tree trunks and debris fly with tremendous energy and impact housing structures and vehicles along the way. 
• Significant rooftop damage
• Broken chimneys, windows, gutters, collapsed exterior walls, and blocked drainage systems causing water ingress. 
• Damaged air-cooled condensing units and outdoor heat pump units.

What is wind?

Wind is known as the movement of air. It is further categorized into a few other types based on their speed, the type of forces that cause them, and the location they occurred. A faster and stronger wind is associated with a great degree of damage. Infrastructure damages caused by wind can impact roofs, decking, exterior structures, gutters, drainage systems, vehicles, etc. 

Gutter damage caused by wind

Wind can cause some degree of damage to gutters, especially to gutter systems that are improperly installed or old. Their shape, angle, and vertical alignment enable them to easily pop out of place. Windblown debris can further blow into the gutters with incredible velocity and cause impact, leading to impairment. Furthermore, larger objects and broken tree trunks can contact the gutter system and dislodge the gutter. 

Vehicle damage caused by wind

Damage to vehicles is also commonly seen in storms with strong winds. The damage to the vehicles is generally due to falling bricks or roofing tiles from high wind speeds. Sometimes, a flying tree branch, an uprooted tree, or a detached electrical pole can fall and cause significant harm to the vehicle. 

Roof damage caused by wind

Significant rooftop damage is the most common structural damage caused by strong winds. The rooftop damage can be caused primarily by the wind and aggravated by other associated factors such as broken tree limbs, detached billboards, and electrical poles. Rooftop damage is identified by missing shingles, dislodged roofing systems, and punctures in the roof. 

SERVPRO storm damage professionals

It is crucial to fix damage caused by storms as soon as possible to lessen the probability of permanent damage and to avoid secondary damages. The professionals at SERVPRO of Union, Towns, Fannin & Gilmer Counties provide a highly trained team with excellent resources that can cater to any size of the damage and will resolve and reverse the damage done.