A dangerous and unexpected storm blows through your neighborhood. Unfortunately, several asphalt shingles rip from the roof of your home or business amid powerful straight-line winds. Repairing roof shingles may be a daunting task. What will you do? Can your home or building’s roof be repaired easily? Or is it a much more involved process?
A storm can leave you disoriented and unsure of your next move. You need peace of mind from a responsive roofing contractor who provides the knowledge and experience to help you weather the roof repair process deftly and efficiently. Repairing roof shingles after a storm is a necessary first step to help you recover.
Common Explanations For Why Shingles Blow Off
1. Installation Mistakes
One of the most consequential problems leading to shingles detaching from the roof deck is installation errors caused by careless or inexperienced installers. One would assume that all asphalt shingle roofing installers have similar instructions and skills. However, due to insufficient training, many lack the knowledge or expertise to install shingles properly.
Each shingle has a narrow strip for correct nail placement. To ensure the shingle can withstand wind uplift, nail placement on a shingle must overlap with the top edge of the shingle row below. If nail placement is not within the strip, the corresponding nail will not be secured to the shingle below. Any strong wind gust will eventually cause the shingle to lift.
2. Too Much Roof Overhang
Uplift pressure remains the highest along the roof’s edge, where asphalt roofing shingles could dislodge. In fact, too much roof overhang significantly increases the likelihood of wind damage because the added surface area of a large overhang faces far greater driving force from gusts of air.
For this reason, the shingles situated at or near the roof’s edge are the most vulnerable to wind damage. To diminish the risk of wind damage to an asphalt shingle, the end of a shingle should hang over the edge by 1 to 1.5 inches at the most. If drip edge flashing exists, an asphalt shingle should hang over the edge by no more than 0.5 to 0.75 inches.
3. Your Roof’s Age And Deteriorating Condition
An older asphalt shingle roof is much more susceptible to shingle loss. Generally, a three-tab asphalt shingle roof is designed to last 12 to 20 years. An architectural asphalt shingle roof typically lasts 20 to 30 years before requiring replacement. Premium asphalt shingles may have longevity of between 25 and 40 years.
As an asphalt shingle roof ages, nails may loosen, pop, or rust. As nails work loose, shingles are at greater risk of separating from the roof deck. Additionally, the adhesive of shingles to the roofing surface weakens and loses its strength and shingles become increasingly brittle and less flexible.
Repairing Roof Shingles Following A Storm
If you experience the loss of one or more shingles from your home or business, make your first call to a reliable and experienced roofing professional. They will know what proactive steps to take next when repairing roof shingles. A qualified professional has the knowledge, tools, and equipment to ensure nothing is missed.
1. Perform A Comprehensive Assessment Of The Damage
Shingles that have gone missing may have caused damage to adjacent remaining shingles. Rarely does one shingle tear off cleanly without a spillover effect. Additionally, the underlayment could have suffered harm at the location of the missing shingle. A knowledgeable roofing professional can identify issues worth addressing and provide solutions that make sense.
2. Prepare The Area In And Around The Missing Shingle
This step may require removing a portion of a roofing sublayer and replacing it with new roof material. It also could involve extracting some nails and adjacent shingles in preparation for attaching a new shingle where one is needed. The replacement shingle needs to fit seamlessly into place to be secure. Otherwise, the risk of it eventually detaching increases dramatically.
3. Attach A New Shingle In Place Of The Missing One
A qualified professional has the tools and equipment to ensure nothing is missed when repairing roof shingles. They will align the new shingle to match the existing shingles. It should not be evident to a casual observer that the new shingle is a replacement. After the new shingle has been slid into place, the roofer will ensure it and the surrounding shingles are appropriately nailed, or otherwise securely adhered together.
Finding A Qualified Professional For Roof Repair
For homeowners and businesses in the Pacific Northwest, S&S Roofing offers unsurpassed residential and commercial roof repair services, including restoring damaged or missing asphalt shingles.
Many roofing companies steer clear of roof repair services. Not S&S Roofing. We love working with customers to regain the full benefit of their roofing systems with targeted repairs that help extend the longevity of an existing roof. To learn more about our roofing services or to schedule an appointment, contact S&S Roofing today.
