And it’s not good… like when you see that pretty snake and it has the red bands touching the yellow, or the red sky in the early morning when your sailing. Those are signals – danger signs if you will. So, when you are looking at your shingle roof on a sunny day and you see that reflection – basically white edges of the shingles (or worse if you haven’t been paying attention). What you are seeing is the exposed fiberglass mat of the shingle– essentially the backbone of the shingle when it is made at the plant. That mat is meant to be internal to the shingle – not external. Not to go into a long discussion on shingle manufacturing (more on that another time) but here it is in a nutshell – A roof shingle is basically fiberglass mat, coated with liquid asphalt, and sprinkled with tiny granite granules (for color among other reasons, and you guessed it… to protect the asphalt from UV rays).
The Sun is the great destroyer, or deteriorator if you will, at least here in Texas. It causes many issues – just ask my skin doctor who gleefully burns spots off my arms, face, next, and shoulders once a quarter – he says those spots can kill me one day because I’ve spent too much time in the sun. Well friend, when you see the shine, your roof has spent too much time in the sun and it’s time to call the doctor aka a good roofer. That exposed fiberglass mat will wick water and moisture, which will expand and contract, which will prompt more granules to ‘leave’ the shingle, which will expose the asphalt to the UV, then the UV deteriorates the asphalt, which exposes the mat… and you get it – we keep going until you have a ‘white roof’ pre-maturely. Whew – that was long, but I’m trying to tell you it is the beginning of a cycle that is destroying your roof. So-what you say – “what’s left of those shingles are still hanging on my roof and protecting my home right?” WRONG. If you look at fiberglass in a microscope it is tiny glass straws – straws that hold water. Water that seeps into the wood deck and starts the rot, and the mildew, and eventually the drip. Big Money problems and bigger headaches if untreated.
“Why is this happening to me?” Well, many reasons – the reason only a good detective aka good roofer can answer. It could be: storm damage, foot fall from other trades, manufacturing defects, mechanical damage, ventilation (yes – I said it – but it is so true – and yes most builders and few roofers in Texas understand proper ventilation – future posts on roof ventilation soon), and lastly, wait for it … it could just be the natural progression of your roof. Shingle roof systems don’t last forever and in the final stages of life they shed granules like a tall cottonwood sheds leaves in the fall. And it could be a combination of several of the previously stated factors. It may only be in one localized area and not your whole roof –
“What should I do?” – #1 safety first. I sure don’t recommend you get on your roof for a closer look unless you really know what you are doing, and you have good medical insurance. Those loose granules create the effect of standing on the roof surface with roller skates on – even with ‘Cougar Paws’. There is no ‘stopping’ the process or reversing the decline once it has begun. That area needs to be re-roofed, but the real answer is Call a good Roofer. Typical shine is not an emergency, but it is the ‘beginning of the end’ – see paragraph 2 above. A good roofer will offer a plan of action and a solution that is best for your home and your needs. He or she may need to get the manufacturer involved, suggest that an insurance claim be submitted, or provide a repair and or ventilation change.
Photo 1 – extreme granule loss. Yes – some people will ignore it and hope the problem goes away.
Photo 2 – hard to see from the ground. On the roof there was several areas of missing granules and exposed asphalt. This roof was replaced.
Photos 3 and 4 – very early in the game. We set up an annual roof check with the H/O. I expect several more ‘good’ years until action on roof
Author Mike Harrison
Mike can be found at IntegriBuilt Roofing in Irving, Texas. He has been in the roofing industry for 24 years in all segments of the industry – manufacturing, distribution, and roof specification, sales, and management. He spends his free time enjoying his family and 3 great kids, watching Aggie football, and yes – being a roof geek and asking, ‘What’s up with that roof?’
Feel free to reach out to him with questions and comments @ mharrison@Integri-Built.com
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