After High Winds: A 30-Minute Building Exterior Checklist

In short: After any significant wind event, a 30-minute walk of your building's exterior catches most wind damage before it becomes a water problem. Check roof edges and flashing first, then signage, windows, doors, walls, drainage, and anything that may have shifted or become a projectile. Photograph everything, note what changed since your last inspection, and bring in a professional when you see lifted seams, torn flashing, or cracked masonry. Speed matters more than perfection — catching an open seam today beats a perfect report next week.

Why should you inspect right after a wind event, not next week?

Wind damage rarely announces itself. Unlike a burst pipe or a failed HVAC unit, a loosened piece of flashing or a peeled seam sits quietly until the next rainstorm turns it into an interior leak. The gap between "wind loosened it" and "water got in" can be a single weather cycle — which is why the inspection should happen as soon as conditions are safe.

There is a second reason to move quickly: evidence. Insurers and contractors work from documentation, and "the roof looked like this the morning after the storm" is a far stronger position than "we think something changed a few weeks ago." Even if you find nothing, that is useful information — it establishes that a specific wind event did not leave visible damage, which narrows the timeline if a leak shows up later.

Thirty minutes is enough for most buildings. You are not doing a professional engineering survey; you are doing triage. Find the urgent items, note the minor ones, and hand off the ambiguous ones to a pro.

What should you bring on the walk?

Keep it simple — this is a walk, not a job site:

• Phone with a good camera. Your most important tool. Photograph everything you note, including things that look fine; today's "fine" is next year's baseline.
• Binoculars (optional but useful). Rooflines, upper flashing, and parapet caps are all visible from the ground with a decent pair.
• A notepad or a simple checklist app. Note the date, the weather event, and anything you see — even "north parapet: looks unchanged."
• Gloves and sturdy shoes. Debris, downed branches, and displaced metal can be sharp.

Safety first: do not climb onto the roof in high residual wind, do not walk near leaning signs or hanging gutters, and stay clear of anything electrical. If a section of the building looks unstable, mark it as "do not approach" and call a professional.

What should you check first — roof edges, flashing, and gutters?

Wind attacks roofs at the edges. Uplift forces concentrate at perimeters and corners, so this is where damage starts — and it is where a ground-level observer can spot the most. Start here and spend the first ten minutes on it:

• Edge flashing and fascia. Look for sections that have lifted, bent outward, or gone missing entirely. Even a slightly raised piece of flashing is an open door for wind-driven rain. If you can see the roof surface, check whether any membrane edge looks peeled back.
• Gutters and downspouts. High winds love gutters. Look for sagging sections, detached hangers, downspouts pulled away from the wall, and gutters that have shifted sideways. A clogged or displaced gutter sends water where it was never meant to go — over the fascia and behind the wall system.
• Parapet caps and coping. On flat-roof buildings, the metal caps along the top of parapet walls are a common first casualty. Missing or lifted caps expose the wall below to direct water entry.
• Debris on the roof. Branches, signs, and loose material sitting on the roof are both a puncture risk and a drainage risk. Note anything large and have it removed.

If anything at the roofline looks off, make a note for a professional inspection — this is the area where an experienced roofer earns their fee, because subtle seam damage is nearly impossible to evaluate from the ground. For a deeper look at how wind damages commercial roofs, see our guide to wind damage.

How do you check windows, doors, and signage?

The next ten minutes cover the building's vertical surfaces and everything attached to them:

• Windows. Look for cracked or broken glass, of course — but also check for loose or displaced frames, bent aluminum, and caulking that has separated from the frame. A window can look intact while its seal has been compromised, which shows up later as drafts or leaks.
• Entry and service doors. Doors and dock doors take direct wind load. Check that they close and latch fully, that seals sit evenly, and that frames have not racked. Overhead doors deserve extra attention: look for bent tracks, misaligned rollers, or panels that do not sit flush.
• Signage and awnings. Freestanding and wall-mounted signs are wind sails. Look for tilted, loose, or partially detached signs, stretched or torn awning fabric, and mounting brackets that have shifted. Anything that moves in residual breeze needs immediate attention — it is both a liability and a projectile waiting to happen.
• Exterior lighting. Light fixtures can be ripped from mounts or left hanging by their wiring. Note any damaged fixtures, both for safety and because the mounting penetrations are new water entry points.

If your property has large glass areas — storefronts, atriums, curtain walls — check the caulking lines and pressure plates carefully. Wind damage to glazing systems often starts with separated sealant rather than broken glass.

What should you look for on walls, siding, and the ground?

The final ten minutes: the walls and everything around the building.

• Siding and cladding. Walk the perimeter and look for missing panels, pieces that have shifted, cracked masonry, and brick or stone veneer with new gaps. Pay special attention to corners, where wind forces peak.
• Soffits and vents. Wind can push soffit panels inward or rip them off entirely. Check intake vents, exhaust fans, and rooftop equipment curbs for displaced covers or loose flashing.
• Drainage and grading. Confirm that downspouts discharge away from the building and that the ground has not eroded into new low spots against the foundation. Wind storms often arrive with heavy rain, so drainage problems and flooding risk travel together — a displaced gutter plus a clogged drain is how basements and ground floors flood.
• Projectiles and shifted objects. Anything that moved during the storm is evidence of wind strength and a future hazard. Pick up or secure loose debris, note any damage it caused, and photograph before-and-after positions if you can.
• Landscaping and trees. Leaning trees near the building are a delayed threat. Note any tree that changed angle, lost major limbs, or has exposed roots — and whether anything is now resting against the building.

When is it time to call a professional?

The checklist catches what you can see. A professional catches what you cannot. Call one if you find any of the following:

• Lifted, torn, or missing roof flashing or edge metal
• Membrane seams or shingles that look peeled, bubbled, or displaced
• Any water stain appearing inside the building after the storm
• Signs or exterior structures that are loose, leaning, or detached
• Cracked or shifted masonry, or soffit panels that have moved
• Doors or windows that no longer close or seal properly

Do not delay on these — temporary protection (tarping, sealing, securing) is cheap compared to the water damage that follows an unprotected opening. If the issue looks like it may involve an insurance claim, photograph first and contact your carrier early; the photos from your 30-minute walk are the start of the documentation trail. Our team can help assess what you found and plan next steps — contact us for a professional inspection.

Frequently asked questions