Missing Shingles After a Storm? Why a "Temporary Fix" Might Cost You Thousands
If you’ve stepped out into your yard after a classic Mid-Atlantic wind, snow or thunderstorm and found a few shingles lying on the grass, your first instinct might be to call a handyman for a quick patch. It’s a common reaction—especially in high-cost areas like Northern Virginia or Philadelphia where homeowners are always looking to save.
But at Douglas Roofing, we’ve been protecting families from Richmond up to Philly since 1985. We’ve seen what happens when a "temporary fix" meets the next big storm. More importantly, we’ve seen how insurance companies use those small repairs as an excuse to underpay your claim by thousands of dollars.
Here is the honest truth about missing shingles and why your "small repair" is likely a much bigger deal.
When you have missing roof shingles, the damage is rarely isolated to just those few spots. High winds in our region—whether it's a coastal gust in Maryland or a winter gale in PA—don't just "blow shingles off." They create "uplift." This means while two shingles flew away, twenty more likely had their adhesive seals broken or their fiberglass mats creased.
If you simply replace a missing shingle here and there, you’re leaving the rest of the weakened roof vulnerable. In the eyes of an insurance company, a patch job can sometimes be framed as "maintenance," which they won't cover. But a full replacement due to storm-wide seal failure? That’s a claim that protects your home’s value.
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize payouts. One of their favorite tactics is to offer a missing shingles repair cost that only covers the visible gaps. They hope you'll take a $500 check, nail down a few mismatched shingles, and go away.
At Douglas Roofing, we don't let that happen.
If you have shingles missing on your roof, don't just look for a temporary fix for missing shingles. Follow these steps to protect your family’s biggest investment:
When Larry and Michelle Rimel founded this company in 1985, they did it on a foundation of honesty. Today, Douglas Rimel continues that legacy by treating every customer like family. We aren't here to put a Band-Aid on a broken leg. We are here to ensure your roof is restored to better-than-new condition, fully funded by the insurance company you’ve supported for years.
Don’t let an insurance company cut you short. If you have missing shingles after a storm, let us do the heavy lifting. We’ll handle the adjuster, we’ll read the policy, and we’ll make sure your home is covered—literally.
Would you like Douglas to perform a free insurance-eligibility inspection on your roof to see if you qualify for a full replacement?
