What Is a Wind Uplift Rating?

Wind pushes on a roof, but the bigger threat is suction: air flows over the surface and pulls up, hardest at the edges, corners, and ridges. Rating systems test that pull. For asphalt shingles, ASTM D3161 uses a fan and assigns Class A, D, or F, for 60, 90, and 110 miles per hour, while ASTM D7158 measures uplift resistance on sealed shingles and assigns Class D, G, or H, for 90, 120, and 150. Commercial assemblies are rated by the pressure they resisted in testing, in pounds per square foot, as in the FM Approvals 1-90 class.

In a sales conversation the rating answers one question: what was this product tested to? Insurance conversations focus on the other side: what did this storm do to the roof? After a wind event, shingles that are creased, unsealed, or missing, especially at rakes and ridges, are what an inspector documents. Knowing the rating helps a rep explain why the same shingle holds on one house and fails on another that was nailed differently.

The rating belongs to the installed system, not the shingle alone. The classes assume the manufacturer’s fastening pattern and sealed shingles, and a roof with high nailing, too few nails, or unsealed strips can fall short of its label. Lab wind speeds are test conditions, not forecast gusts, so a Class H shingle is not a hurricane promise. Warranty wind-speed language often carries installation requirements, which makes it worth reading.