Hail gets the insurance press in New Mexico. Wind causes more slow-motion damage. And unlike hail, wind damage compounds every year until it's a full replacement — which is why we push wind inspections after every 60+ mph event, even when nothing blew off.
What tab-lift damage is
Asphalt shingles are held down by a strip of factory-applied thermal sealant that bonds tab-to-tab under summer heat. A 60+ mph gust can break that seal without visibly displacing the shingle. From the ground, the roof looks fine. From the surface, we can lift the tab with two fingers — it's no longer bonded to the shingle below.
Once broken, the seal doesn't reseal. Every subsequent wind event moves that tab more. Water gets under. Nails back out. Within 3–5 years you've got granule loss along the tab line and a soft spot on the decking underneath.
How we test for it
Manual tab-lift test on 8–12 random shingles per slope on the windward exposure (west and south in most of NM). We document seal status per shingle with photos. On roofs with widespread seal failure, we recommend an insurance claim within the storm's statute of limitations.
We also correlate with NOAA wind event records for your ZIP. If we find broken seals AND a dated 58+ mph event, you have a claim that adjusters approve. If seals are broken but no event lines up, you have wear-and-tear (the warranty already covered this or it didn't).
Why it matters even without a claim
At resale, buyer's home inspectors check for tab lift on every asphalt roof. Broken seals become a repair request or a price concession. On a house that's been through 2–3 monsoon seasons without a wind inspection, that's routinely a $3,000–$8,000 hit to your net.
A wind inspection now costs $199–$349 and either gets you a claim or gets you a repair scope before it's a negotiating point.
When to book
After any storm with sustained winds over 55 mph or gusts over 65. NWS records are public — if you're not sure whether your ZIP got hit, we'll check for free. Otherwise, before every listing, and every 3–5 years as a maintenance check regardless of storms.