The Santa Anas Don’t Break Good Roofs. They Expose Dead Ones.

Tabs gone on the windward rake — this is usually an old seal strip, not a mysterious new weather event.

Every fall and winter the Santa Anas run the same play across Glendale, Burbank and the foothills. Hot wind comes over the passes. Patio chairs migrate. Then a roof that “was fine” is missing a column of shingles on the west rake. The wind did the last 10%. The sun did the first 90%.

After a wind event, the calls we get in Glendale and nearby cities tend to sort into two groups. Some stay repairs. Some are the moment we stop pretending.

What the wind actually grabs

• Shingle tabs whose seal strip baked to dust
• Ridge caps
• Edge metal that was nailed like a suggestion
• Flat-roof corners and parapet flashings
• Tiles that had already cracked and were sitting on powder felt

The night-of / morning-after checklist

1. Photograph every slope and every piece on the lawn before cleanup.
2. Look at ceilings and the garage even if the sky is still blue. Wind damage leaks later.
3. If you have an active drip, call for a dry-in / tarp — not a same-day full contract.
4. Call your carrier if the damage is sudden and documented. Do not invent a hail story.
5. Hire a C-39 who will still answer the phone in March. See red flags.

Repair vs. replace after wind

For the full decision, see roof repair vs roof replacement. A dozen tabs on an 8-year roof: repair. A shredded field on a 23-year roof with bald faces: you were going to reroof anyway; the wind picked the week. The 25% rule of thumb is crude but useful — when a quarter of the field is compromised, or decking is wet in multiple bays, stop buying pouches of shingles.

Want someone to look at it? Request an estimate or a roof inspection. Citium Roofing Solutions is based on N Brand Blvd in Glendale and serves Burbank, Pasadena, La Crescenta, Tujunga, Sunland and Alhambra.