COMMON SHINGLE ROOF PROBLEMS – FAMILY ROOFING

Posted on by David Reid

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At Family Roofing, we take great pride in our experience, expertise, quality and customer service. It is our mission to provide excellent workmanship and complete customer satisfaction from start to completion of a project. Our reputation is based on service, safety and quality, regardless of how large or small the job.

 

COMMON SHINGLE ROOF PROBLEMS

Your roof covers the largest asset you own, so you should be aware of the signs of trouble.  A small leak can go undetected for years, causing huge damage before you notice anything. It’s important to inspect your roof regularly.  Below are some of the most common signs of roof problems.

Missing or Damaged Shingles

Shingles may be missing due to strong weather conditions, wearing away of the protective surface, or the activities of animals, etc.  Removing fallen snow, branches and other debris will help protect your shingles.  Roof shingles are your first line of defense against external elements.  Without them, the interior of your home become vulnerable to inclement weather or other external hazards.  Even one missing shingle may expose you and your home to risks.  Leave it to chance and the issue will worsen over time, causing severe or permanent damage to your property.

There are many other reasons why roof shingles go missing.

  • Structural damage.  Structural damage is one of the most common reasons why roof shingles blow off or come loose.  When water penetrates the roof, the roof deck eventually warps or rots.  Next thing you know, nails and adhesives start to come loose.  This causes shingles to disengage from the roof deck, increasing the chances of it to blow off due to inclement weather.

  • Simple wear and tear.  Roof shingles are at risk for wear and tear after around 20 years of use, maybe longer if they’re made of high-quality materials.  One sign that the roof needs to be replaced is if adhesive seals start to lose their grip.  When this happens, the shingles are more likely to curl up or lift away due to external causes.

  • Poor installation.  Roof shingles are built to last, unless they were installed poorly.  Thankfully, bad workmanship can be spotted easily if you know the signs.  One telltale sign is when a shingle or two are the wrong color or size.  Another is when a shingle is not aligned with surrounding shingles, a sign that a nail was not placed correctly across the nailing strip.

Once you see any of the above signs, it’s recommended that you call a roofing contractor to have the shingle reattached or replaced as soon as possible.

Damaged Flashing

Flashing is the impervious material that prevents water from penetrating space between another object and the roof.  Have you noticed the metallic or plastic strips that line the bottom of a chimney or surround a skylight?  That’s flashing.  While beneficial intact, flashing around chimneys can separate from the brick, allowing rainwater to leak inside the house.

Signs of Wind Damage on Asphalt Shingle Roofs

Some signs of roof wind damage are more obvious than others.  After a severe weather event, significant wind damage to a roof may be highly visible, such as:

  • A puncture from a fallen tree limb

  • Large swatches of exposed underlayment where shingles have been blown off

  • Mangled or missing sections of flashing, or

  • Missing hip and ridge shingles

Other signs may be subtler, but you can spot them if you know what to look for both indoors and out.  As always, keep safety in mind with anything you do and wear appropriate protective gear.  If you are unable to safely check your home’s exterior or interior for signs of roof damage, contact a professional roofing contractor.

Outdoor Evidence of Roof Damage

Walk your home’s perimeter to check for pieces of shingles and scan the roof for:

  • Areas where shingle edges look slightly raised, which tells you the seals may have been broken

  • Narrow lines near the shingle edges which can indicate they may have been flipped up and creased

  • Scratch marks across the roof field where wind-borne debris has raked across the roof

  • Damaged ridge or soffit vents

  • Cracked or gaping chimney flashing

  • Curled, torn or raised shingles along the roof edges

  • Deposits of debris such as tree branches or broken glass on the roof or in the gutters