Did High Winds Damage Your Port Huron Siding? What Our Inspectors Look For
Port Huron sits right on Lake Huron, and if you've lived here for more than one winter, you know what that means: wind. Not the gentle breeze kind — the sustained 40 mph gusts that rattle windows, tear shingles loose, and turn patio furniture into projectiles. When those storms roll through, your siding takes a beating. And here's the problem: most homeowners don't notice the damage until it's already causing bigger issues inside the walls.
I've been inspecting homes across St. Clair County with NEXT Exteriors for years, and after every major wind event, we get calls from homeowners who thought their siding looked "fine" — until they spotted water stains on an interior wall or found a panel hanging loose three weeks later. Wind damage is sneaky. A panel that looks secure from the ground might be compromised at the fastener line. A small crack you can't see from your driveway becomes a moisture highway once the next rain hits.
This guide walks through exactly what our inspectors check after high winds blow through Port Huron, Marysville, St. Clair, and surrounding areas. Whether you're dealing with vinyl siding on a 1970s ranch or fiber cement on a newer build, you'll know what to look for — and when to call in a professional siding contractor before minor damage turns expensive.
Why Port Huron Siding Takes a Beating From Wind
Port Huron's location on Lake Huron isn't just a selling point for summer weekends — it's a structural challenge for your home's exterior. When weather systems move across the Great Lakes, they pick up speed and moisture. By the time they hit the eastern shore, you're dealing with sustained winds that regularly exceed 35 mph, with gusts pushing 50-60 mph during severe storms.
The National Weather Service data for the Port Huron area shows that wind events strong enough to cause structural damage happen multiple times per year, particularly during spring and fall transitions. These aren't tornado-level winds — they're the kind of persistent, directional gusts that find every weakness in your siding installation.
Here's what makes it worse: most homes in St. Clair County were sided between the 1960s and early 2000s, before modern wind-resistant installation practices became standard. If your home still has its original siding from that era, there's a good chance it was installed with minimal attention to wind load requirements. Panels might be face-nailed instead of properly fastened to studs. J-channels around windows might lack adequate backing. Starter strips at the foundation might be undersized or missing entirely.
The Lake Effect Factor: Homes on the eastern and northern exposures take the most direct hit from prevailing westerly winds coming off Lake Huron. If your home faces the water or sits on elevated terrain, your siding experiences significantly higher wind pressure than homes tucked into neighborhoods or protected by mature trees.
Older vinyl siding becomes more brittle over time, especially after 20+ Michigan winters of freeze-thaw cycling. What might have held up fine against a 40 mph gust when it was new can crack or pull loose when subjected to the same force two decades later. Fiber cement siding is more durable, but improper installation — particularly around fastener spacing and flashing details — leaves it vulnerable to wind uplift and water intrusion.
If you're in Port Huron, Marysville, or St. Clair and your siding is more than 15 years old, post-storm inspection isn't optional. It's maintenance. The question isn't whether wind has affected your siding — it's how much damage has accumulated and whether you're catching it before it compromises your wall assembly.
The 8-Point Wind Damage Inspection We Run
When a homeowner calls NEXT Exteriors after a windstorm, we don't just walk around the house and eyeball the siding. Wind damage assessment requires a systematic approach because the most serious problems are often invisible from ground level or hidden behind seemingly intact panels.
Here's our standard protocol for wind damage inspection on Port Huron area homes:
1. Ground-Level Perimeter Survey
We start by walking the entire perimeter of your home at ground level, looking for obvious damage: missing panels, visible cracks, displaced trim, or areas where siding has pulled away from the wall. This gives us a baseline and helps identify which elevations need closer scrutiny.
2. Elevated Inspection of All Four Walls
Using ladders and, when necessary, lifts, we inspect every wall section from multiple angles. Wind damage often occurs at the upper portions of walls where wind pressure is highest. We're looking for subtle indicators: panels that aren't sitting flush, slight separations at seams, or areas where the siding profile looks distorted.
3. Fastener Line Examination
We check the fastener lines on every accessible panel. Wind uplift typically starts at the fastener — either the nail pulls through the panel, the nailing flange tears, or the fastener backs out of the substrate. Even if the panel looks intact, a compromised fastener line means it's one storm away from complete failure.
4. Seam and Joint Integrity Check
Every place where siding panels meet — horizontal seams, vertical butt joints, inside and outside corners — gets individual attention. These are the weak points in any siding system, and wind exploits them first. We're looking for gaps, separation, or evidence that panels have shifted.
5. Window and Door Perimeter Assessment
The areas around windows and doors are particularly vulnerable because they interrupt the continuous siding plane. We inspect all J-channels, trim pieces, and flashing details. Wind-driven rain that penetrates here causes interior damage fast, and homeowners rarely notice until they see staining on drywall.
6. Soffit, Fascia, and Trim Inspection
Soffit panels, fascia boards, and trim components often sustain wind damage that homeowners miss entirely. We check for loose or missing soffit panels, damaged fascia, and trim pieces that have separated from the wall. These components are critical to your gutter system's integrity and overall weather protection.
7. Moisture Intrusion Indicators
We look for signs that water has penetrated behind the siding: staining, discoloration, warping, mold growth, or efflorescence on foundation walls. If wind has compromised your siding's weather barrier, moisture intrusion might already be underway even if the damage isn't visible from outside.
8. Documentation and Damage Mapping
Every issue we find gets photographed and documented with specific location notes. If you're filing an insurance claim, this documentation is essential. We create a damage map showing exactly which areas need repair or replacement, along with recommendations for addressing underlying installation deficiencies that contributed to the failure.
This process typically takes 45 minutes to an hour for an average-sized home, longer if we find significant damage that requires detailed assessment. DIY inspections miss most of this because homeowners don't have the equipment, experience, or systematic approach to catch problems before they escalate.
Loose, Lifted, or Missing Panels
The most obvious wind damage is also the most urgent: siding panels that have come loose, lifted away from the wall, or gone missing entirely. When you see this, you're looking at a compromised weather barrier and an immediate risk of water intrusion into your wall cavity.
Here's how it happens: wind doesn't just push against your siding — it creates suction on the leeward side of your home. When wind hits the windward wall, it flows around the corners and up over the roof, creating negative pressure that literally pulls siding panels away from the building. If the fasteners are inadequate, corroded, or improperly placed, the panel lifts. Once one panel starts to move, it puts stress on adjacent panels, creating a cascading failure.
Vinyl siding is particularly vulnerable because it's designed to "float" — the panels aren't rigidly attached, which allows for thermal expansion and contraction. But that same flexibility means a panel with compromised fasteners can be pulled completely free by sustained wind. We see this most often on gable ends, where wind pressure is highest, and on homes where the original installation used staples instead of nails, or where fasteners were driven too tight, restricting the panel's movement.
The Domino Effect: One loose panel is never just one problem. Once wind gets behind a single panel, it creates a pocket where pressure builds. That pressure pushes on adjacent panels, accelerating their failure. A small section of loose siding discovered after a storm can turn into a large-scale replacement project if left unaddressed through another wind event.
Fiber cement siding like James Hardie handles wind differently. It's more rigid and heavier, so it doesn't lift as easily. But when it does fail, it's usually catastrophic — the panel cracks at the fastener line or breaks completely. We see this on homes where the installer didn't follow manufacturer specifications for fastener type, spacing, or substrate backing. James Hardie requires specific installation techniques for wind-resistant performance, and shortcuts taken during installation show up years later when storms test the system.
If you spot loose or missing siding after a Port Huron windstorm, don't wait to address it. Every rain event that follows puts water into your wall cavity, where it damages sheathing, insulation, and framing. What starts as a $500 siding repair becomes a $5,000 wall reconstruction project if moisture sits long enough to rot structural components. This is exactly the kind of issue our team handles through exterior siding repair services across Metro Detroit and St. Clair County.
Cracked, Split, or Punctured Siding
Wind doesn't just pull siding loose — it turns everyday objects into projectiles. After a severe windstorm in Port Huron, we routinely find siding damage caused by branches, roof shingles, patio furniture, trash cans, and debris from neighboring properties. A 40 mph gust can turn a lawn chair into a battering ram.
Impact damage shows up as cracks, splits, punctures, or dents depending on the siding material and the force of impact. Vinyl siding cracks cleanly when struck, especially in cold weather when the material is more brittle. Fiber cement siding is more impact-resistant but can chip, crack at the edges, or develop spiderweb fractures from hard impacts. Engineered wood siding like LP SmartSide can dent or split along the grain if hit by a sharp object.
The immediate problem with cracked or punctured siding is obvious: it's no longer weathertight. But there's a secondary issue that's less visible — stress concentration. A crack in a siding panel creates a weak point where future thermal expansion, moisture cycling, and additional wind loads accelerate failure. A small crack this spring becomes a large split by next winter as freeze-thaw cycles work the material.
Here's what we look for during post-storm inspections:
- Vertical cracks in vinyl siding: Usually caused by impact or excessive stress from over-tight fasteners. These cracks propagate quickly, especially during temperature swings.
- Horizontal splits along the fastener line: Indicates that wind uplift has torn the panel at its weakest point. Even if the panel is still attached, it's compromised and will fail completely in the next storm.
- Corner cracks on fiber cement: Often caused by impact near the panel edge, where the material is most vulnerable. These require full panel replacement — patching doesn't work on fiber cement.
- Punctures with deformation: When you see a puncture surrounded by warped or buckled material, the substrate behind the siding may also be damaged. This requires more than just siding replacement.
- Multiple small cracks in a concentrated area: Suggests that the wall took a direct hit from a large object or sustained repeated impacts from wind-driven debris.
Michigan's freeze-thaw cycles make crack damage worse. Water enters through the crack, freezes, expands, and widens the crack. By spring, what was a hairline fracture in November has become a gaping split that requires panel replacement. This is particularly problematic on north-facing walls that stay frozen longer and experience more freeze-thaw cycles per season.
If you're comparing vinyl siding versus fiber cement for a replacement project, impact resistance is a real consideration. Fiber cement handles impacts better than vinyl, but it's also more expensive to replace when damage does occur because you typically need to replace entire panels rather than individual pieces.
Hidden Moisture Intrusion
The most expensive wind damage is the kind you can't see from your driveway. When wind compromises your siding's weather barrier — through lifted panels, separated seams, or damaged flashing — water finds its way into your wall cavity. And once it's in there, it doesn't announce itself with obvious signs until significant damage has already occurred.
Wind-driven rain is particularly insidious because it doesn't just fall vertically. During a storm with 40+ mph winds, rain hits your walls at a steep angle, finding every gap, crack, and penetration point. Water that would normally run down the face of your siding gets forced behind it through compromised seams, loose J-channels, or damaged flashing around windows and doors.
Here's what happens inside your wall when moisture gets past the siding:
Sheathing Damage: The OSB or plywood sheathing behind your siding starts to delaminate and rot when exposed to persistent moisture. In Michigan's humid summers, this happens fast — we've seen sheathing rot through in a single season when wind damage went unaddressed after a spring storm.
Insulation Saturation: Fiberglass batt insulation loses its R-value when wet and doesn't recover even after it dries. Blown-in cellulose insulation compacts and settles when saturated, creating gaps in your thermal envelope. Either way, your heating and cooling costs go up and your comfort goes down. If you're already dealing with under-insulation issues, moisture intrusion makes it exponentially worse.
Mold Growth: Michigan's humidity levels during summer provide perfect conditions for mold growth in damp wall cavities. Once mold establishes itself in your wall assembly, remediation requires tearing out affected materials — a much more expensive fix than addressing the siding damage that let water in.
Framing Deterioration: Wood studs and headers exposed to moisture begin to rot, compromising your home's structural integrity. This is particularly common around windows and doors where wind-driven rain penetrates damaged flashing and saturates the framing.
The challenge with moisture intrusion is that by the time you see interior evidence — water stains on drywall, peeling paint, musty odors, or visible mold — the damage inside your walls is already substantial. Professional inspection after wind events catches these problems early, before water has time to cause structural damage.
What to Look For: Signs of moisture intrusion include water stains on interior walls (especially near windows and corners), peeling or bubbling paint on interior surfaces, musty odors in rooms adjacent to exterior walls, visible mold growth on baseboards or lower wall sections, and warped or buckled siding panels that indicate moisture is trapped behind them.
During our inspections, we use moisture meters to check for elevated moisture levels in wall assemblies, even when there's no visible damage. If we find high readings, we know water is getting in somewhere, and we trace it back to the entry point — usually a compromised siding detail that needs immediate repair.
This is why we tell Port Huron homeowners not to wait weeks or months after a windstorm to schedule an inspection. Every rain event that happens while your siding is compromised puts more water into your walls. The difference between a $1,200 siding repair and a $8,000 wall reconstruction project is often just a matter of timing.
Fascia, Soffit, and Trim Damage
When homeowners inspect for wind damage, they usually focus on the main siding panels and miss the components that are often hit hardest: fascia boards, soffit panels, and trim pieces. These elements take direct wind pressure and are frequently the first to fail during severe storms.
Fascia boards — the vertical boards that run along your roofline where gutters attach — are particularly vulnerable because they're exposed to wind uplift from below and direct wind pressure from the side. When wind gets under your roof edge, it creates suction that can pull fascia boards away from the rafter tails. If your fascia is damaged or loose, your gutter system loses its attachment point, leading to gutter failure and water management problems.
Soffit panels — the horizontal panels under your roof overhangs — serve both aesthetic and functional purposes. They provide ventilation for your attic space while protecting the underside of your roof structure. Wind can rip soffit panels loose, bend them, or tear them completely off, especially on homes where the original installation used inadequate fasteners or where the panels have deteriorated from age and moisture exposure.
Here's what we check during fascia and soffit inspections:
- Fascia board attachment: We check whether fascia boards are securely fastened to rafter tails and look for signs of pulling away, rot at fastener points, or water damage from failed gutters.
- Soffit panel integrity: We inspect every soffit panel for cracks, missing sections, or panels that have bowed or separated from their mounting channels. Vented soffit panels get special attention because they're more vulnerable to wind pressure.
- Trim piece security: Window and door trim, corner trim, and decorative trim elements are checked for looseness, separation, or damage. These pieces are often held by minimal fasteners and can be ripped off by high winds.
- Flashing condition: We examine all flashing details where trim meets siding or where different materials intersect. Damaged or missing flashing is a direct path for water intrusion.
- Paint and finish condition: Peeling or bubbling paint on fascia or trim often indicates moisture problems that make the wood more vulnerable to wind damage and rot.
Damaged fascia and soffit aren't just cosmetic problems. Loose or missing soffit panels allow animals — squirrels, raccoons, bats, birds — to access your attic space. Damaged fascia compromises your gutter attachment and allows water to run behind the gutters, saturating the wood and causing rot. And compromised trim around windows and doors creates pathways for water intrusion that can damage interior finishes and framing.
We see this particularly often on older homes in Port Huron where the original wood fascia and soffit have never been replaced. After 30-40 years of Michigan weather, wood components deteriorate, fasteners corrode, and paint fails. When a severe windstorm hits, these weakened components fail first.
The good news is that fascia and soffit repairs are usually straightforward and relatively affordable when caught early. The bad news is that if you ignore damaged soffit and fascia, you end up with attic moisture problems, pest intrusions, and structural damage that cost exponentially more to fix. This is why our inspections always include a thorough assessment of these often-overlooked components.
When to Repair vs. Replace
After we complete a wind damage inspection, the question homeowners always ask is: "Can we just repair this, or does the whole thing need to be replaced?" It's a fair question, and the answer depends on several factors: the extent of damage, the age and condition of your existing siding, the availability of matching materials, and your long-term plans for the home.
Here's how we evaluate repair versus replacement decisions:
When Repair Makes Sense
Limited, localized damage: If wind damage is confined to one or two walls, and the rest of your siding is in good condition, targeted repair is usually the right call. We can replace damaged panels, re-secure loose sections, and restore weather protection without touching the undamaged areas.
Newer siding in good overall condition: If your siding is less than 10 years old and the damage is clearly storm-related rather than a symptom of broader deterioration, repair is typically cost-effective and sufficient.
Matching materials are available: For common siding profiles and colors, we can usually source matching panels for seamless repairs. This is easier with vinyl siding than with discontinued fiber cement profiles or custom colors.
No underlying installation deficiencies: If the damage occurred despite proper installation, repair addresses the problem. But if damage reveals installation shortcuts or code violations, repair without addressing those issues just sets you up for repeated failures.
When Replacement Makes More Sense
Widespread damage across multiple elevations: When wind damage affects three or four walls, or when damage is scattered across the entire house, the cost of comprehensive repairs often approaches the cost of full replacement — and replacement gives you a warranty and uniform appearance.
Siding is 20+ years old: If your existing siding is approaching the end of its service life, using wind damage as an opportunity to upgrade makes financial sense. You avoid paying for repairs on a system that will need replacement in the next few years anyway.
Mismatched repairs from previous damage: If your home already has patched or mismatched siding from previous repairs, adding more patchwork creates an increasingly inconsistent appearance. At some point, starting fresh makes more sense.
You're planning to sell: If you're preparing your home for sale in the next 1-3 years, new siding provides better ROI than patchwork repairs. Buyers notice mismatched siding and factor it into their offers.
Energy efficiency concerns: If your home has comfort or energy cost issues, wind damage can be an opportunity to upgrade to insulated siding that improves thermal performance while addressing the storm damage.
Insurance coverage: If your insurance company is covering the damage and your policy includes depreciation replacement coverage, you might be able to upgrade to better materials for minimal out-of-pocket cost.
The 50% Rule: In the construction industry, there's an informal guideline: if repairs will cost more than 50% of what full replacement would cost, replacement is usually the smarter choice. You get a complete warranty, uniform appearance, and the opportunity to upgrade materials and address any underlying issues with your wall assembly.
We've worked with homeowners who chose repair when replacement made more sense, and they ended up calling us back within two years for full replacement anyway. We've also worked with homeowners who insisted on full replacement when targeted repairs would have solved their problems for a fraction of the cost. Our job is to give you an honest assessment based on the actual condition of your home, not to upsell you on work you don't need.
For homeowners in Port Huron, Marysville, or St. Clair dealing with wind damage, we provide both repair and replacement estimates so you can make an informed decision based on real numbers, not guesswork. And if you're curious about what different siding options might cost for a full replacement, our guide to siding costs in Metro Detroit provides realistic pricing for Southeast Michigan homes.
What Professional Siding Repair Costs in St. Clair County
Let's talk real numbers. After a windstorm damages your siding, you need to know what you're looking at financially — whether you're paying out of pocket or filing an insurance claim.
Siding repair costs vary based on the extent of damage, the type of siding material, accessibility, and whether there's underlying damage to sheathing or framing. Here's what we typically see for wind damage repairs on Port Huron area homes in 2026:
Minor Repairs (1-3 panels, no structural damage)
- Vinyl siding: $300-$600 for panel replacement, including labor and materials
- Fiber cement siding: $500-$900 for panel replacement due to higher material costs and more labor-intensive installation
- Engineered wood siding: $400-$750 for panel replacement
These prices assume the damaged panels are easily accessible (no extensive ladder work or scaffolding) and that matching materials are readily available.
Moderate Repairs (one wall section, 50-100 sq ft)
- Vinyl siding: $1,200-$2,500 depending on the complexity of the area (windows, trim, corners)
- Fiber cement siding: $2,000-$4,000 due to higher material costs and installation requirements
- Engineered wood siding: $1,500-$3,200
Moderate repairs often include fascia or soffit work, trim replacement, and addressing flashing details around windows or doors.
Extensive Repairs (multiple walls, 200+ sq ft)
- Vinyl siding: $3,500-$7,000
- Fiber cement siding: $6,000-$12,000
- Engineered wood siding: $4,500-$9,000
At this scale, you're approaching full replacement territory, and it's worth getting estimates for both repair and complete re-siding to compare value.
Full Replacement (typical Port Huron area home, 1,500-2,000 sq ft)
- Vinyl siding: $8,000-$15,000
- Fiber cement (James Hardie): $18,000-$30,000
- Engineered wood (LP SmartSide): $12,000-$22,000
- Insulated vinyl siding: $12,000-$20,000
These ranges include removal of old siding, installation of new house wrap if needed, all trim and accessories, and proper flashing details. Prices vary based on home complexity, number of windows and doors, and specific material selections.
Additional Costs to Consider
Sheathing repair: If wind-driven moisture has damaged the OSB or plywood sheathing behind your siding, expect $800-$2,000 additional for sheathing replacement on affected areas.
Insulation replacement: Saturated insulation needs to be removed and replaced. Budget $400-$1,200 depending on the affected area and insulation type.
Fascia and soffit work: If your fascia boards or soffit panels sustained wind damage, add $1,200-$3,500 depending on the extent of damage and material choices.
Painting: If you're replacing wood siding or trim, factor in professional painting costs of $2,500-$5,000 for a typical home.
Insurance Considerations
Most homeowners insurance policies in Michigan cover wind damage to siding, but coverage details vary significantly. Here's what you need to know:
Replacement cost vs. actual cash value: Replacement cost policies pay to replace your damaged siding with new materials of similar quality. Actual cash value policies factor in depreciation, meaning you'll receive less money and need to cover the difference out of pocket.
Deductibles: Most policies have deductibles ranging from $500 to $2,500. If your damage estimate is close to your deductible, filing a claim might not be worth it due to potential premium increases.
Matching issues: Some insurance companies will only pay for the damaged section, even if matching materials aren't available. This can leave you with mismatched siding unless you negotiate for coverage of additional areas to achieve uniform appearance.
Documentation is critical: Insurance adjusters need clear evidence that damage was caused by a specific wind event. This is where professional inspection documentation from contractors like NEXT Exteriors becomes valuable — we provide detailed damage reports with photos that support your claim.
We work with insurance companies regularly and can provide the documentation and estimates they require. We don't do the insurance adjuster's job for them, but we make sure they have accurate information about the scope of damage and proper repair methods.
If you're comparing whether to repair or replace, our team provides detailed estimates for both options so you can make an informed decision. We've been serving St. Clair County since 1988, and we've seen every type of wind damage scenario. We know what repairs hold up and what repairs are just temporary fixes that cost you more in the long run.
Get a Professional Wind Damage Inspection
If your Port Huron area home took a hit from recent windstorms, don't wait for small problems to become expensive repairs. NEXT Exteriors provides thorough wind damage inspections and honest recommendations for repair or replacement. We've been protecting Michigan homes since 1988, and we know exactly what to look for after storms roll through St. Clair County.
Schedule Your Free InspectionOr call us directly: (844) 770-6398
Frequently Asked Questions About Wind Damage and Siding Inspection
Schedule an inspection within 1-2 weeks of a severe wind event if possible. The sooner you identify damage, the sooner you can prevent water intrusion and file insurance claims while the storm is well-documented. If you wait months, it becomes harder to prove that damage was caused by a specific storm, and moisture problems have more time to develop inside your walls.
You can do a basic ground-level inspection looking for obvious damage like missing panels or visible cracks. But professional inspection is necessary to identify hidden damage at the fastener lines, compromised flashing, moisture intrusion, and problems on upper walls that aren't visible from the ground. Professionals also provide the documentation you need for insurance claims. If you're filing a claim or if you suspect significant damage, professional inspection is worth the investment.
Most Michigan homeowners insurance policies cover wind damage to siding, but coverage details vary. Your policy might provide replacement cost coverage (pays for new materials) or actual cash value coverage (factors in depreciation). You'll need to pay your deductible, and the insurance company will want documentation proving the damage was caused by a specific wind event. We provide detailed inspection reports that support insurance claims and work with adjusters regularly to ensure homeowners get fair settlements.
Minor repairs (a few panels) can typically be completed in one day. Moderate repairs affecting one wall section might take 2-3 days. Extensive repairs or full replacement projects take 5-10 days depending on the size of your home and weather conditions. Timeline also depends on material availability — common vinyl siding colors are usually in stock, but custom colors or discontinued products can add weeks to the schedule while we source matching materials.
If your siding has been discontinued or we can't source an exact match, you have several options. For small repairs, we can sometimes blend a close match on a less-visible wall. For larger repairs, you might need to replace an entire wall section or elevation with new material to avoid obvious mismatches. In some cases, this is where insurance coverage becomes important — some policies will cover the cost of replacing additional sections to achieve uniform appearance when exact matches aren't available.
It depends on your siding's age and condition. If your siding is 20+ years old and showing signs of wear beyond the wind damage, replacement makes more sense than investing in repairs on a system nearing the end of its life. If you're planning to sell in the next few years, new siding provides better ROI than patched repairs. If your home has energy efficiency issues, upgrading to insulated siding during repair addresses multiple problems at once. We provide honest assessments and estimates for both repair and replacement so you can make an informed decision based on your specific situation.
Wind damage is sudden and event-specific — panels that were secure before a storm are loose or missing afterward, or you find new cracks and impact damage that weren't there previously. Normal wear and tear develops gradually over years: fading color, minor cracks from age and temperature cycling, or loose fasteners from decades of expansion and contraction. Insurance typically covers sudden wind damage but not gradual deterioration from age. This is why timing matters for inspections — documenting damage shortly after a storm helps establish that it was caused by that specific weather event rather than gradual aging.