The staining of the shingles
What Your Roof is going Through!
Shingles are extremely durable.They seldom fail prematurely. Shingles are considered by 
many to be the premier sorce in the industry. In fact, very few shingles are found to have manufacturing defects, but they do age.
Signs of aging within a short time after installation of your new roof system is not unusual to find — sometimes even within the first year.
As a homeowner you want to know whether the symptoms you see are precursors of premature failure or simply a natural part of the aging process.
This section of our web site is designed to help you make an informed judgment about the state of your shingle roof. Read the material carefully. The odds are that natural aging will be the process you see. But if the evidence supports a conclusion that you might have shingles with manufacturing defects. We want your roof shingles to live up to our promise, Quality made, Satisfaction Guaranteed…
SUN, RAIN, HEAT AND COLD… The hostile roof environment…
YOUR ROOF NEVER HAS A “GOOD” DAY…
How does Normal Weathering Affects Your Roof?
Consider the conditions your roof must endure. First there is the intense heat of the sun, which scorches the surface of the roof and raises rooftop temperatures 50 – 75°F above ambient temperature. The sun’s rays are relentless, especially during the early afternoon hours. In addition to heat, the sun is the source of ultraviolet radiation, which has been shown to degrade and accelerate the aging of the asphalt layers of the shingle. If not for the protective layer of colored granules, roofing shingles would fail very quickly. Other factors such as moisture, pollution and physical effects (roof traffic, hail, snow loads, tree limbs, etc.) all contribute to the aging and degradation of your roof’s shingles.
Seasonal and weather changes also play a role in the aging of asphalt roofing shingles. For example, consider the common situation in which the roof is bathed in the intense heat of the summer sun. On such a day the rooftop may reach temperatures in excess of 160°F. Now imagine a cold front sweeping through the area, bringing with it the violent thunderstorms that are a common occurrence during the sweltering days of summer.
Almost instantaneously, the rooftop temperature drops 60 – 100°F as it’s pounded with a summer shower. Thermal shocks such as this cause the roof deck beneath to expand and contract, placing a strain on the shingles. Year after year this process is repeated, resulting in cyclic fatigue of the shingles.
In addition to all of the climatic and external variables that can impact the performance of your roof, consider the internal factors that negatively influence the performance of roofing shingles. Research has confirmed that an improperly ventilated air space inhibits air movement and under most circumstances increases moisture content in comparison with properly vented attic air spaces. Heat shortens the shingles’ life and moisture causes deck movement and/or deterioration, which ultimately affects the performance of shingles.
As you can see, the roofing environment is a hostile one with many factors influencing the longevity of your roofing shingles. The natural aging process begins as soon as the shingles are installed on your roof.
Day after day the shingles are exposed to the elements — sun, rain, heat and cold. Your roof never has a “good” day….
The life cycle of a roofing shingle
When your new roof was installed, friends and neighbors may have remarked how it enhanced the beauty of your home. However, research indicates that aging begins soon after the shingles are installed and progresses rapidly during the initial curling phase (see Figure 1) of its life cycle. During this stage, granule loss may occur, small blisters may develop or the shingles may curl slightly at their edges. You may even notice that this curling is more pronounced during cold weather and the shingles may lie flat as temperatures rise. The good news, however, is that after this curing stage the shingles enter a long period of slow aging (see Figure 2), which lasts for the major portion of the shingles’ natural life.
During the “mid-life” period, aging continues at a much slower rate. The cracking or granule loss still occurs but does not increase at a noticeable rate. Only after this long period of “mid-life” does the aging process begin to accelerate once again as the shingles enter their declining years (see Figure 3). It’s during this period that homeowners normally think about replacing their roofs.
To the Right are some signs of a Failing roof
