Asphalt shingles and why they fail (part 3)

This four-part series is a focus on asphalt shingles and why they are a bad choice for a house’s roof covering.

• Part one – “A shingle back ground”
• Part two – “storage and transportation of shingles”
• Part three – How shingles are installed”
• Part four – “How shingles wear and why they fail

Standard construction practice is this quote; “I’ve done it this way for 20 year and never had a problem.” Industry standards are quite a bit different. Industry standards are guidelines from the industry that creates the product. For example, there are standards for masonry products like brick and mortar that are used to create walls for a brick home. These standards are established by the masonry manufacturers associations. These standards are not building code. They are the guidelines the masons should follow when using masonry products. The roofing industry is the same. When all the asphalt shingle manufacturers get together they decide how their products should be installed and write this into a “standard guide”. Installation instructions however are a different from these guidelines. The installation instructions are specific requirements that the installer should follow if their customer is going to have a warranty to fall back on. If a shingle roof is installed outside of the instructions, the manufacture can deny a warranty claim.

What does this mean for me? Well, for you homeowner, it means have the company installing your next roof agree to install the roof according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions. If you have them write this into the bid, a binding agreement in most cases, they are entering into a contract with you (see your attorney for legal advice). Once the roof is installed, have it checked out by a home inspector, roofing consultant or take a close look yourself if you feel qualified to access a roof top. If you find out the roof was not installed as agreed, hold back the balance due till a resolution can be agreed upon.

You might not want to start a fight with your roofer unless a fight is founded. Simple discrepancies do not justify holding back final payment. However, serious flaws in the installation do. What is a serious flaw? Fastening and flashing are by far the most important aspects of a good roof installation. If you find that fasteners are over-driven, under-driven, or driven at angles, don’t freak out. As long as there is a minority of this defect, your problems are few. But, if there is a widespread problem, you will have failure of the material well before it wears out. If serious problems are found, have the manufacturer’s representative come out and inspect it. What ever their findings, have them provide you with a letter to back up their findings. Keep in mind that even though I believe the roofing contractor has duty to inform you and make arrangements to deal with the problem, most do not address flashing or decking. Ask them to do this. Have them check out the flashing and decking and agree to pay them to make necessary repairs when found. However, have them show you why the repairs are necessary if it’s not clear. If you have any doubt, rely on your friendly home inspector or roofing consultant to stand firm on your side and defend your interests.

Overall, most roofs are not installed correctly. Expect this to happen. It is extremely important to hire a qualified roofing consultant or home inspector to make this determination.

Asphalt shingles and why they fail.

This four-part series is a focus on asphalt shingles and why they are a bad choice.

• Part one – “A shingle back ground”
• Part two – “storage and transportation of shingles”
• Part three – How shingles are installed”
• Part four – “How shingles wear and why they fail”
  

A shingle background

How they are made - Asphalt, or composite, roof shingles are made of a few different materials. The primary ingredients are a fiberglass mat saturated in asphalt and then the top is coated in granules that give the shingle it’s color. Organic shingles use an organic felt mat instead of fiberglass. Multiple layers are then coated on top with a granular material to provide color, resistance and protection. Other materials like fly ash or limestone powder are added to create durability and resistance to fire and water.

Types of shingles – The basic and most economical shingle is the standard three-tab composite shingle. There are many levels of a higher quality dimensional or architectural shingles that range in life expectancy from 25 to 40 years. Many shingles are damaged and replaced due to hailstorms or wind damage. In hail prone areas, there should only be one layer of shingles at a time. Overlaying shingles is a practice of adding a layer of shingles over the older worn out layer. In the past, this was done to save time and labor removing the older layer. But the added weight and fastener reliability is compromised.

Why shingles are not sustainable - Asphalt manufacturing creates an enormous carbon footprint. In addition, the lifespan of the basic asphalt shingle is of the lowest of all roofing materials. Asphalt roofing shingles are the number one choice when building or re-roofing a house primarily because of the low cost and ease of installation. However, when you consider how may insurance claims are submitted for hail and wind damage, it becomes more and more clear why our insurance premiums continue to rise. By choosing a sustainable roofing material like metal roofing or concrete tile, we pay more upfront but save the environment as well as our pocketbook over time.