Shingle failure is one of the most common roof problems in America. As such many think this is a natural part of having a shingle roof. In reality it isn’t, in fact a properly installed and maintained shingle roof can last for decades without a single failure.
It’s all about the installation, especially fastenings, if not fastened properly your shingles may blow off, and if this happens you will be responsible for going after the roofing contractor or pay for the repairs yourself as improperly installed shingles are not covered by manufacturer warranties.
Shingles must be installed exactly to manufacture specifications. Otherwise the warranty will be voided. Unfortunately there are a lot of roof contractors out there who either cut corners or are ignorant of these requirements and the result is homeowners are left with a roof with voided material warranties, oftentimes without the homeowners knowledge until it’s too late. It happens all the time, especially on roofs that have been air-gunned and not hand-nailed!
How can a poor shingle installation void a warranty?
1.Over-driven nails rip through the shingle and make it very easy for the shingle to be blown off by gusts of wind. Common when nail guns are used.
2.Under-driven nails will hold up the shingle above, preventing it from properly sealing down to the shingle below. This can let dust in which will prevent the sealant from activating, and allows wind to catch the shingle and tear it off.
3.Nails that are driven crooked into the shingle cut into the shingle on one side of the nail, while the other side holds up the shingle above. These two things combined makes for a perfect opportunity for shingles to be blown off by wind.
4. Nails that are too short. Nails must be long enough to penetrate through the shingle and all the way through the sheathing. If the roof decking is thick, nails must penetrate up to 3/4″ into the wood.
5.Too few nails. Each type of shingle requires a certain number of nails to be used per shingle, the average is 4 nails placed evenly.
6.Improper placement of fasteners – Each type of shingle also has a “nail line” where nails are required to be placed to achieve the designed performance. If the nail line is missed, then blow-offs are more likely to occur and are not covered by the manufacturer warranty.
Avoid roof problems by doing your homework and hiring only the best roof contractors with a reputation for quality, not cheapness.
If you’re having shingle problems, contacting the roof contractor who installed it should be your first move, if they are still in business. If they are they should repair it at no cost. If you are int the Metro Atlanta area and can’t reach them or they try to charge you contact Atlanta Roofing Specialist’s for a free estimate at 770-419-2222 and we’ll advise you and make sure your roof is done right!