Why Salem County Homes Experience More Wind Uplift Than Suburban Areas

Salem County in South Jersey has a unique landscape, one that is beautiful but also harsh. The flatter land around Salem County, paired with proximity to the Delaware River and Bay, can impact roofing systems negatively. But the biggest impact? Wind uplift. Wind-related roof damage can do untold amounts of wear to a roof in a rural area like Salem County. If you are a homeowner who isn’t located in a suburban area, it’s important to know about wind uplift and how it can affect your home.

Here is what to know about wind uplift in Salem County.

What is Wind Uplift and How Does It Damage Roofs?

In order to understand why a rural roof is more prone to wind uplift damage than a suburban property, it’s essential to know how wind uplift happens.

Wind uplift happens when the wind pulls shingles or other roofing materials upward. As a wind blows across the house, moving over the shingles and through soffits and ridge vents, the air speeds up, creating low pressure above the roof while the air in the attic or interior remains at a higher pressure.

This creates suction that is similar to what happens when an airplane takes flight.

Shingles caught in wind uplift are lifted away from the roof. Even a slight uplift is enough to damage a roof. This happens because the flow of air adds stress to fasteners, sealants, adhesives, and even the roof deck.

Common forms of wind uplift damage include:

• Shingles lifting, creasing, or tearing once their seal strips break
• Fasteners slowly backing out or ripping through decking
• Membrane roofs separating at the seams or edges
• Flashing bending, loosening, or detaching
• Small openings forming that allow water to be driven underneath the roofing system
• Drafts, ceiling stains, and unexplained condensation inside yorur home
• Debris accumulating in roof valleys and gutters

Salem County’s Environment and How It Creates More Wind Uplift

So how does a rural location make wind uplift stronger? In Salem County, there’s a large swath of farmland that has been cleared of natural wind barriers. Paired with fewer homes, that leaves a lot of the area unprotected from wind as it blows, allowing speeds to increase.

With wind strengthened by a lack of barriers and tree lines, it can hit structures at full force. This means that wind uplift is stronger, allowing for a greater difference in internal and external pressure. Thus, the force that can pull shingles apart is also larger.

Why Suburban Neighborhoods Experience Less Wind Uplift

Since rural communities like Salem County mean fewer buildings and more space, it makes sense that suburban neighborhoods would experience less wind. Dense housing acts as a wind break. There is also a higher number of obstacles like cars, fences, trees, and structures at mixed heights to disrupt airflow. All of the obstacles reduce the amount of pressure that can buildup, thereby reducing the possibility of wind uplift.

Sure, wind-related damage can still occur, but suburban homes are less likely to see it become severe (unless it’s paired with storm damage).

The Influence of the Delaware River, Bay, and Weather Systems

There is another factor that can increase wind uplift: Salem County’s exposure to wind corridors from the bay and river. Open water is where storm systems strengthen, meaning that residing close to water raises the risk of wind-related issues. As weather systems pass over the Delaware River and Bay, the moisture causes the system to grow stronger and for wind to accelerate. When that strong system meets flat land, there is nothing that can slow it down.

How Repeated Wind Exposure Weakens Roofing Systems Over Time

Although roofing is resilient and built to handle wind, rain, snow, and other weather patterns, what it can’t handle is sustained pressure. When wind is constantly hammering against your roof, your get:

• Gradual fastener loosening
• Sealant and adhesive fatigue
• Small lifts that turn into large failure points
• Sudden failure after handling storms fine for years

These problems often don’t happen overnight; they’re multiplied over months of consistent wind uplift. That’s why it’s important to maintain and inspect your roof at least twice a year.

Preventive Steps That Reduce Wind Uplift Damage

Homeowners in Salem County, NJ need to know how to reduce wind uplift damage, especially if you live in the rural part of the county. Here are some preventive tips to keep your roof in the best possible condition:

• Routine roof inspections, especially after high-wind events
• Reinforcing edges, ridges, and flashing
• Proper attic ventilation to reduce internal pressure differences
• Maintenance of sealants and fasteners

Get Your Salem County Roof Inspected for Wind Uplift Damage by RGB Construction

Salem County’s rural community is at a greater risk of wind uplift damage than suburban areas due to the lack of wind barriers, both natural and man-made. Because the landscape is more flat and many areas are close to water, wind is stronger in Salem County—and that leads to a larger impact on your home. If you think wind uplift is damaging your roof, look for the signs. Then call a roofing contractor in Salem County who can help you get that damage repaired as soon as possible.

GAF-certified RGB Construction has been serving South Jersey for over two decades. Our team has dealt with wind uplift by providing competitively-priced repairs and maintenance.