December 26, 2015 in Garland
The tornado that crossed Garland on the evening of December 26, 2015 was rated EF4 by the National Weather Service, the second-highest rating on the scale. It is the reason many Garland homeowners take wind damage seriously and look closely at who they let on their roof after a storm.
The NWS damage survey recorded these details for the Sunnyvale, Garland and Rowlett tornado:
| Detail | NWS survey finding |
|---|---|
| Rating | EF4 in Garland, EF3 in Rowlett |
| Estimated peak wind | 170 to 180 mph |
| Path length | About 13 miles, Sunnyvale to Lake Ray Hubbard |
| Maximum width | 550 yards |
| Time on the ground | 6:45 to 7:02 p.m. CST |
Source: NWS Fort Worth/Dallas public information statement. Most storms that reach Garland are hail or straight-line wind, not tornadoes, but the same rule applies to all of them: document the damage before anything is moved or repaired.
Wind damage is not hail damage
Hail damage is mostly on the surface: bruised shingles, lost granules, dented metal. Strong wind works differently. It gets under the roof edge, breaks the shingle seal, peels courses back and can lift decking off the rafters. Some of that is invisible until the covering comes off, which matters for the insurance claim.
After a wind event we start in the attic, looking for daylight, shifted decking and nails pulled through. Then we walk every slope and photograph edges, ridges and flashing. That record supports the storm damage scope and gives the adjuster something concrete at the adjuster meeting. If water is already getting in, our emergency roof repair page explains how we stop it until the permanent fix.
Re-roofing permits in Garland
The City of Garland issues a separate re-roofing permit for residential roofs. It appears on the city’s list of residential building and construction permits, and the permit must be issued before tear-off begins. We confirm it is in place before the crew is scheduled.
You can see the full list on the city’s residential permits page. Garland’s Building Inspection department handles residential roofing permits and inspections.
Older Garland roofs: layers and attic airflow
Many Garland homes have older roofs that were covered over at some point instead of being stripped, and attic ventilation that would not meet today’s standards. Both shorten the life of a new roof, so we check for them on every replacement estimate.
A second layer of shingles hides the decking, adds weight and traps heat. We tear off to the deck, replace any damaged boards and show you the photos. Poor attic airflow lets summer heat build up under the shingles. Where intake or exhaust is short, we price the correction as a separate line so you can see it. On a roof that still has life in it, we quote a repair instead of a replacement.
Getting to Garland from Arlington
Garland is about 40 miles from our office on Little Road in southwest Arlington, usually 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. We book Garland inspections by appointment and try to group them with other work in east Dallas County.
We also serve Mesquite, Dallas and Plano. Our DFW roof replacement cost guide explains what drives the price before the estimate. Call (817) 754-9484 to book a free inspection.