Storms & wind · 7 min read
What to Check on Your Roof After Strong Coastal Winds
A ground-level checklist for the day after a nor'easter: what to look at, what to photograph, and what should never be done from a ladder.
Cape May County, New Jersey
Roofing Contractors Serving Cape May County, NJ
Roof repair, replacement and inspection for Cape May County homes and buildings — from barrier-island shore towns that take the full force of coastal wind and weather, to Victorian streets on Cape Island, to wooded mainland neighbourhoods farther inland.
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Credits
03The county's roofs
One county, three very different roofing environments
Cape May County is New Jersey’s southernmost county, a peninsula between the Atlantic and Delaware Bay. Its roofs fall into three broad settings, and the problems differ in each.
The barrier islands — Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Avalon, Stone Harbor and the Wildwoods — take onshore wind with little to slow it, and many homes are seasonal: in the 2020 census, most housing units in these towns were counted as vacant, a category that includes second homes.
Cape Island, at the tip, holds the City of Cape May — designated in its entirety as a National Historic Landmark district — along with West Cape May and Cape May Point. Complex older roofs and flashing dominate the work here.
The mainland — Upper, Dennis, Middle and Lower Townships and Woodbine — is largely year-round and often wooded. Trees, aging roofs on established neighbourhoods and commercial buildings along Route 9 and Route 47 shape the work.
- 16
- municipalities served, shore and mainland
- 2
- open-water exposures: the Atlantic and Delaware Bay
- Late winter
- the annual peak of nor'easter activity
- Aug–Oct
- when tropical systems are most likely to reach the coast
04Diagnostic
What Can Put a Cape May County Roof at Risk?
Eight conditions account for most of the roof problems we are asked about. Several usually act together — wind lifts a shingle, and wind-driven rain finds the gap.
Strong winds
Edges, corners and ridges are where uplift starts. Once one piece goes, the next course is exposed from underneath.
Wind-driven rain
Sideways rain reaches flashing joints and shingle laps that stay dry in a calm downpour — the cause of many storm-only leaks.
Loose or missing shingles
A shingle whose seal has broken can look normal, then tear off in the next blow. Creases are the tell-tale sign.
Flashing failure
Chimneys, dormers, walls and skylights depend on overlapping metal, not sealant. Old patching hides failures.
Poor drainage
Clogged gutters, undersized downspouts and ponding on low-slope roofs push water where it does not belong.
Roof penetration leaks
Cracked pipe boots, loose vents and rooftop equipment curbs are small openings with outsized consequences.
Corroded exterior components
Near salt water, some fasteners, flashing and gutter parts corrode faster — mostly at cut edges and where metals meet.
Aging roof materials
Brittle, curling shingles and cracked membranes lose their ability to shed water and resist wind.
05Core services
Roofing services for homes and buildings
Roof Repair
Finding where water is actually getting in — flashing, pipe boots, valleys, lifted shingles, roof edges — and fixing that, rather than the stain it left.
Roof Replacement
A complete tear-off and rebuild — deck review, underlayment, edge metal, flashing, ventilation and ridge — planned around the house and the season.
Storm Damage Roof Repair
Assessing and repairing roofs after nor'easters, tropical systems and severe thunderstorms: wind uplift, torn ridges and edges, displaced flashing and debris impact.
Roof Inspection
A close look at the whole roof — surface, flashing, edges, drainage and attic — before buying, before the season, after a storm, or when you simply are not sure.
Flat Roofing
Low-slope roofs on additions, porches, decks over living space and commercial buildings: membrane and seam repair, drainage correction, flashing and replacement.
Gutter Services
Gutters and downspouts treated as part of the roof: repair, replacement and re-pitching so water leaves the roof edge instead of backing into fascia and walls.
06Coastal considerations
Roofing Decisions Near the Jersey Shore
None of this requires exotic products. It requires following the manufacturer's installation instructions for the exposure, choosing compatible metals, and paying attention to the details that wind and water test first.
- Material selection
- Choose systems and product lines whose manufacturer instructions cover higher-wind installation, and flashing and fasteners suited to the site's distance from salt water.
- Fasteners
- Nail placement and fastener material decide how a shingle or panel holds. Compatible, corrosion-resistant fasteners matter most near the water.
- Flashing
- Rebuilt, correctly lapped flashing at walls, chimneys and dormers is worth more than any quantity of sealant.
- Roof edges
- Drip edge and sealed starter courses protect the deck edge and anchor the first row against uplift.
- Drainage
- Gutters and downspouts sized for real downpours; low-slope drains and scuppers kept clear of sand and leaves.
- Ventilation
- A sea breeze does not ventilate an attic. Balanced intake and exhaust manage summer heat and winter moisture.
- Storm inspection
- A check after significant storms catches lifted shingles and moved flashing before the next storm finishes them.
- Maintenance
- Twice-yearly gutter clearing and a look at pipe boots, flashing and metal parts prevent most avoidable leaks.
More detail: what salt air can mean for roof and gutter components.
07Repair or replace
Repair when it makes sense. Replace when it doesn't.
Signs a repair is right
- The problem is local: one flashing, one pipe boot, one storm-damaged area.
- Shingles elsewhere are still flexible and holding granules.
- The deck around the problem is sound.
- Leaks have been rare.
Signs replacement is coming
- Brittle, curling or cracked shingles across many slopes.
- Several unrelated leaks in a season.
- Wind losses after nearly every storm.
- Soft deck areas, or more than one layer already.
08Second homes & rentals
Roof Care When You Are Not at the Property Year-Round
A leak in an empty house can run for weeks before anyone sees it. A simple routine closes that gap — no monitoring gadgets, just checks at the right times and a plan for access.
Read the seasonal-home roof guide- 01Scheduled inspectionSpring, before occupancy or the first booking.
- 02Storm checksAfter significant nor'easters or tropical systems — exterior photos at minimum.
- 03Leak warning signsBrief managers and renters: stains, drips, musty upper rooms, shingles in the yard.
- 04Gutters and drainageCleared before storm season and after leaf fall; scuppers on roof decks too.
- 05VentilationClosed-up houses trap moisture; balanced attic ventilation helps.
- 06Qualified roof access onlyNobody should climb onto a roof after months away. Look from the ground; leave roof access to professionals.
- 07Emergency contact planWho holds keys, who can approve temporary protection, how you want updates.
09Roofing systems
The roof systems you will find across the county
Asphalt shingle
The most common pitched-roof covering in the county, from Villas ranches to large Avalon homes. Performance depends on edge, nailing and ridge details.
Standing seam metal
Full roofs on some newer designs and accents over porches, bays and dormers; outbuildings on the mainland. Material choice matters near salt water.
Low-slope membrane
Porches, rear additions, roof decks over living space, motels and storefronts. Drainage and seams decide how long it lasts.
Older and mixed roofs
Victorian cottages, mansards, towers and farmhouses with additions — many roof planes and many flashing details on one building.
10Commercial & low-slope
Motels, storefronts, multi-unit buildings — and the flat roofs they share
Much of the county’s commercial building stock runs on a summer calendar, and much of it has low-slope roofs with rooftop equipment. Drainage, seams and penetrations decide how those roofs perform. Larger work belongs in the off-season; the planning belongs in late summer.
11Service areas
All sixteen Cape May County municipalities
12How we inspect
An inspection-led recommendation, every time
- 1
Listen first
What you have noticed, when it happens, the roof's age and history, and how the property is used.
- 2
Attic and interior
Where accessible: staining, damp insulation, daylight at penetrations, ventilation.
- 3
Roof surface and edges
Covering condition, lifted or missing pieces, edges, rakes and ridges.
- 4
Flashing and penetrations
Chimneys, walls, dormers, skylights, vents and pipe boots.
- 5
Drainage
Gutters, downspouts, valleys, and drains or scuppers on low-slope areas.
- 6
Plain findings
What is sound, what needs attention, how urgent it is — with photos, and repair recommended wherever repair is the right answer.
13Before & after storms
Storm preparedness and post-storm actions
Before storm season
- Clear gutters, downspouts, valleys and roof-deck drains.
- Trim branches back from the roof on wooded lots.
- Secure or store loose outdoor items on shore properties.
- Fix known loose shingles and flashing now, not after the storm.
- Settle access and emergency contacts for empty properties.
After the storm passes
- Stay off the roof. Keep clear of downed wires and hanging limbs.
- Walk the outside, starting on the windward side; photograph anything unusual.
- Check top-floor ceilings and, if safe, the attic.
- If water is coming in, protect the interior and call.
Water coming in now? Call (914) 906-5748. We can document damage for you, but insurance coverage is always decided by your insurer.
14Homeowner knowledge center
Roofing guides written for this coast
Seasonal homes · 6 min read
Roof Maintenance for Seasonal Shore Homes
A simple calendar for owners who are not there all year — and the access plan that makes it work.
Coastal exposure · 6 min read
What Salt Air Can Mean for Roof and Gutter Components
Salt air does not destroy roofs. It does work on certain metal parts — and knowing which ones makes maintenance simple.
Older homes · 6 min read
Roof Repair vs Replacement for an Older Shore Home
A decision guide for owners of older shore houses: what points to repair, what points to replacement, and how rental timing fits in.
Low-slope roofs · 6 min read
Flat Roof Drainage Problems Near the Shore
Why low-slope roofs hold water, how sand and debris make it worse near the beach, and which fixes actually work.
Ventilation · 5 min read
Why Attic Ventilation Still Matters Near the Coast
A breezy coastal climate does not ventilate an attic for you. How intake and exhaust work, and the signs a roof space is trapping moisture.
15Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which parts of Cape May County do you serve?
All sixteen municipalities: the barrier-island towns from Ocean City to Wildwood Crest, West Wildwood, Cape May City, West Cape May and Cape May Point, and the mainland — Upper, Dennis, Middle and Lower Townships and Woodbine.
Do you have an office in each of those towns?
No. The municipality pages on this site describe areas we serve, not branch offices. Call or use the form and we will arrange a visit to the property.
My roof is leaking right now. Should I fill in the form?
Please call instead — (914) 906-5748. The phone is faster for active leaks and storm openings.
I own a second home and am not there in winter. Can you still help?
Yes. Inspections and post-storm checks can be arranged while you are away, with photographs and findings sent to you. We will need to know who can provide access if the attic or interior must be seen.
Will you tell me if my roof needs repair rather than replacement?
Yes. Recommendations are based on what the inspection finds. If a repair is the sensible answer, that is what you will hear.
Can you promise my insurance will pay for storm damage?
No one honestly can. Coverage is decided by your insurer under your policy. We can document the roof's condition and the repair scope for you to share with them.
Does submitting the form sign me up for marketing?
No. Submitting a request lets us contact you about that request only. It is not consent to marketing texts, emails, automated calls or advertising.
Roof evaluation request
Request a roof evaluation
Tell us what is happening with the roof and where the property is. We reply about this request only.
- Only your name, phone number and the service are required. The property address is optional.
- Submitting this form lets us respond about this roofing request. It does not sign you up for marketing texts, emails or calls.
- Water coming in right now? Calling is faster: (914) 906-5748.
Prefer to talk it through?
Call about a leak, storm damage or a roof you are unsure about — anywhere in Cape May County.