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Wind driven rain can enter through roof vents and other potential openings in a building’s envelope. This is less common than flashing failures. It usually occurs at older ridge vents or those not provided with baffles or other methods of blocking water. Such leaks usually occur as a single event due to a strong wind […]
Ice damming typically manifests as stains at an upper exterior wall, or at the ceiling just inside an exterior wall. The Building Science Corporation (www.buildingscience.com) describes ice damming as follows: “Ice dams happen when the outside temperature is below freezing, the roof deck temperature is above freezing, and there is snow on the roof. The […]
Flashings are applied at joints, intersections, and roof penetrations and are intended to prevent water intrusion. They are often concealed and made of sheet metal, membrane, or another waterproof material. Roof penetrations include plumbing ventilation pipes, chimneys, electrical masts, attic vents, skylights, etc. Intersections and joints include valleys, roof-wall interfaces, crickets such as those found […]
Wind damage to asphalt shingle manifests as creased or displaced shingles. This damage generally occurs on the windward side of the roof and often results in creases in a straight line parallel to the rows of shingles, due to the support offered by the overlying shingles. Wind damage to a shingle roof does not always […]
Roof tiles are usually made from concrete or clay, and are commonly cast into rectangular shapes of different profiles including flat, ‘S’, and barrel (which is actually a two-piece tile). Tile roofs are commonly found in warmer climates, as clay on concrete have high resistance to sustained UV exposure. Older tile roofs were commonly installed […]
Unsealed shingles are common at asphalt shingle roofs. Asphalt shingles have an adhesive strip so that they the overlying shingle bonds near its lower edge with the shingle below. This enhances wind resistance as it helps prevent the shingle from being lifted and damaged by wind. Factors that can contribute to a adhesive strip failing […]
Sliding shingles can result from improper fastening. Steeper slope roofs are more susceptible to this condition. Two problems with fastening are typically associated with this condition. Overdriven nails result in the nail heads penetrating or partially penetrating one or both layers of shingles. This results in less shingle material or damaged shingle material being fastened, […]
Inadvertent mechanical damage is commonly found on asphalt shingles. Human activities on asphalt shingle roofs, particularly during warm weather, can mar or otherwise damage shingles. Examples of this include: shingle installers dropping or dragging materials or tools across the roof; installers cutting through a shingle and affecting the shingle below (see the photograph below); and […]
Shingle granule loss is a naturally occurring process that occurs throughout the useful service life of a shingle from normal exposure. Surface granule displacement is expected and is caused by footfall, rain, light winds, normal aging, etc. It is greatest in the first few months after the shingles are installed. The granules on the shingles […]
The outward progression of a staple or nail fastening a shingle to the roof deck, commonly referred to as a “nail pop,” can lift or puncture an overlying shingle. Nail pops are common on shingle roofs and can occur from various adverse conditions. They are often a result of poor attic ventilation, which contributes to […]
