Signs Your Old Roof Has Damage From Heat And Sun Exposure
Summer is hard on asphalt shingle roofs due to the unrelenting sun and soaring temperatures. If your roof is getting old, you may want a roofing contractor to check your roof to see if it's ready for summer or if the roof needs to be replaced. Here are signs of sun and heat damage on asphalt shingles and how you might slow down damage to your new roof if you have to get one.
Shingles Are Buckling, Lifting, Or Peeling
UV rays and heat are damaging to asphalt shingles. They cause the shingle to slowly degrade over time. Asphalt shingles are made with a layer of protective granules, but the granules wear away over the years. If your roof looks bald, it's because the granules are missing, and that indicates it's time for a roof replacement.
Without granules, your roof has little protection from the sun and damage can escalate over the summer. You might see shingles peel, crack, or buckle. This leads to roof leaks or shingle loss during storms.
Shingles Are Missing Or Decaying
The effects of UV exposure are cumulative, so the older your roof is, the more likely you'll see damage. That also means the risk of leaking increases with age. Add sun damage to damage from high summer humidity and storms, and your roof might lose some shingles. The shingles that remain might start to rot due to leaking and excess humidity.
When you notice your shingles look odd or are missing, call a roofing contractor to take a look. Making repairs before your roof starts to leak and decay could buy time before you need to have a new roof put on.
Nails Pop Out Due To Shingle Shrinking
Heat and sun exposure can dry out the shingles and cause them to contract. This shrinking can cause the nails that hold the shingles in place to back out. When they do, they make blisters on the surface of the shingles. When nails aren't tight against the roof, rain can leak in your attic, and mold and water damage are possible.
When a roofing contractor examines your roof for damage, they look for blisters that indicate nails are coming loose. If the problem is widespread, you might need a roof replacement, especially if the deck has water damage.
There isn't anything you can do to keep the sun off your roof, but you can slow down the sun damage to your new roof in a few ways. Make sure your attic has proper ventilation so your roof doesn't get hotter than necessary. You might also want to choose asphalt shingles for your new roof that have granules that reflect the sun so UV damage doesn't happen so fast.
Your roofing contractor will let you know if you can slow down the damage to your existing roof, and if not, they can suggest ways to install a new roof so it resists sun and heat damage for as long as possible.
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