A homes shingles can begin curling and breaking over time. This is most commonly due to improper ventilation. Moisture can build in you attic space and without being removed through appropriate air flow can curl the shingles. Poor installation can also cause these effects. If there aren’t enough nails or they are put through the adhesive strip the shingles are more prone to come loose. There have also been law suits against manufacturers such as Certainteed for not producing the quality product they claim.
Your deck is the wood sheeting underneath your shingles and felt paper. When branches or other heavy objects impact your roof they can do damage to your deck. Generally the shingles will show cracking or lose granules in those locations to expose the impact location. If you notice your roof is not flat but waves, that is a sign that your decking is no longer strong. Most likely water has gotten exposed to it and has warped or expanded the wood. It is important to not shingle over these problems, your roof needs new strength.
When you have patches of missing shingles it can be a sign that your roof is getting old. Sometimes it is your installer didn’t nail it well enough in some locations, or they haven’t had time to adhere. Wind will catch them and pull them out. Most often the missing shingles are old and brittle and break off. In the first situation patching shingles is a possible fix but in the second the roof is sometimes to weak to handle the process.
When a shingle is toward the end of its usefulness it can become brittle, hard, and no longer adhere. When this begins to happen it is only a matter of time before you start to see other symptoms and will need to replace it. If they become to brittle it can actually do more damage getting on the roof to look at them as well as being dangerous. If you think your roof is at this stage calling a roofer to diagnose is your best option. Also if your roof is getting older you may begin to see moss. Most newer shingles are algae resistant but that protection fades over time.
Black streaks are caused by the removal of granules from your shingle. The granules are the tiny rocks that protect your roof from damage. Over time they will come loose and the black tar that held them is what you see, leaving your roof vulnerable. If you see black streaks you will probably find piles of granules in your gutter as well.
Three tab shingles are an old style of shingle that comes with three notches pointing down from the nail flange and look like a brick pattern. Just because you have these shingles doesn’t mean your roof is bad. What it does mean is more than likely it is getting older and should be monitored just in case. Unless a roofer put the cheapest shingles on your roof recently. Most roofers will use some level of architectural shingle because the expense isn’t drastic and they are a much greater quality in strength and wind resistance
These are the warning signs to look out for on your roof. It is important to keep an eye out for any of these problems and if bad enough have them assessed by a certified roofing company. Neglecting your roof can be a costly mistake. Your roof protects your home and everything in it, and if it is not in good shape can destroy your decking as well as allow water throughout your home. If you are not sure or are worried about the condition your roof is in Taylor Builders LLC is happy to come take a look, assess your situation, and if necessary give an estimate of your options.