Asphalt Roof Shingles

Asphalt Shingles "Buckled"

There are several different asphalt shingle roof conditions that an inspector may refer to as "buckling" or buckled shingles so here we give links to more-detailed articles that you should review if your roof shingles have been described as "buckled".

Buckled Curled Organic Mat Asphalt Shingles: roof at end of life

Above: Older organic mat asphalt shingles may be cupped, curled, buckled: signs of wear and a roof near end of life.

Details of three sorts of "buckled" roof shingle deformation, cause, evaluation and recommended actions as well as photos to help you distinguish among these three different asphalt shingle conditions are at

CURLING ASPHALT SHINGLES

and

CUPPING ASPHALT SHINGLES

and at

FISHMOUTHING ASPHALT SHINGLES

Also be sure to review BUCKLED PLYWOOD ROOF DECK - bulges in roof surface that may occur with sagging - given just below.

Buckled Roof Deck: Loose Plywood

As these photos from professional home inspector Dov Ber Kahn illustrate, we may see a combination of sagging, buckling, and poorly-nailed plywood on the same roof.

Above: the presence of raised asphalt shingles in a straight line at right angles to the roof ridge and eaves are most-likely due to poorly-nailed plywood whose edges are lifted from a rafter or truss below. I suspect on closer inspection of (an accessible attic) for a roof in this condition you'll usually see that the edges of abutting sections of plywood have lost their nailing connection to the rafters.

But this is a 1959 home with a cathedral ceiling; there's no under-roof access to inspect the plywood. When we see plywood that's sagging or buckling in line with rafters or trusses common causes causes include

• Inadequate original nailing: nails missed the rafter or truss or wree nailed too close to plywood edge or were wrong type or size of nail
• Attic or roof cavity moisture, contributing to plywood bucklilng or possibly plywood rot - more likely with poorly-vented roofs and roofs over homes with high interior moisture such as those suffering basement water entry or a history of leaks.
  
  This home shows a ridge vent but we can't see the soffits; there may be no intake venting at all, or as it's a cathedral ceiling, there may be inadequate venting.
• Use of thin plywood, perhaps 3/8" instead of 1/2"
• Damaged plywood from prior leaks
• Plywood too tight at installation: less common on older homes: plywood butted too tightly, moisture caused plywood swelling, causing buckling at plywood seams.

Below: more buckled shingles and sagging roof decking on the same home.

It's not an emergency repair, but the bent shingles over the raised plywood edges are likely to wear faster than their neighbors and can lead to early shingle failure or a roof leak.

If the rest of the shingles are in good shape with more than 5 years of remaining life I'd be inclined to repair this damage.

1. Best repair: after confirming from below that a properly aimed nail or screw can pull down the roof deck, from above shoot some constrruction screws through the decking into the rafter below - probably angling them to catch the rafter.

If the repairman can't lift shingle tabs so that screw heads will not be exposed to weather, then additional sealant (I like silicone as most-durable) is needed; take care to seal meticulously so as not to leak.

2. More troublesome repair: remove shingles over the damaged area, repair the roof decking, install new shingles (the color won't match).

• Dov Ber Kahn, a home inspector in Rockland County, NY has contributed photographs of various building features. Mr. Kahn is a licensed home inspector in New York and New Jersey, and can be reached at Website: Kahnbhomeinspectors, Tel: 845-445-8234, Email: kdovber@googlemail.com

Sagged Roof Deck

A sagging roof deck may be due to use of thin plywood, damaged or rotted roof sheathing, sagged rafters, too much space beween rafters, or other structural defects. Properly this is sagging, not buckling, but from the ground some inspectors may report "buckled roofing" or "buckled roof shingles" even though the problem isn't the shingles themselves.

Details are at SAGGING ROOF REPAIR

Asphalt Shingle Splice Damage / Defects

SPLICE DEFECTS on ASPHALT SHINGLES show up where manufacturing line splices are used to keep material moving during the manufacturing process should be discarded but they almost always end up installed on the roof.

Spliced asphalt shingles are a factory defect - and were not supposed to have been installed. The occurrence of spliced shingles on an asphalt shingle roof will be rare. We recommend simply replacing the damaged area with a new shingle.

Temporary repair can be made by sliding a piece of metal flashing under the damaged area.

Aesthetic or Cosmetic Roofing Issues

Some consumers have concerns with how their shingles look on the roof as much as with how long the roof will last. Roofing manufacturers offer a wide variety of products which give different "looks" and shadings. It's possible that in addition to site and installation conditions, variations in manufacturing process (granule adhesion, bleed-through) can affect how the roof looks from the ground.

We've also investigated client concerns with shadows appearing in early morning or late afternoon which show variations in the roof surface. (Some shadows which are only of cosmetic nature may be caused by slight buckling or unevenness in the roof decking and may not indicate a structural or durability concern.)

If you have particular concerns about roof appearance ask your roofer if s/he can direct you to a house where the product which interests you is already installed. Remember that site differences (orientation to sun, shade trees, height above ground, roof pitch, and probably other factors) may make shingles look a bit different on your house.

Please see BLACK STAINS on SHINGLES for our full discussion of the types and causes of stains on asphalt roof shingles.

Black Stains on Asphalt Roof Shingles

There are several common sources of roof shingle stains, each of which may have its own cause and treatment.

Bleed-Through or Extractive Bleeding Stains on Asphalt Shingles

Extractive bleeding or "bleed through" leaving black streaks running down an asphalt shingle roof is an indication of a defective roofing product.

The chemistry of the shingle is permitting black pigment from the asphalt to leach to the shingle surface and run down the roof. Typically bleed-through on asphalt shingles appears as black streaks running down shingles. You'll see black streaks of varying length.

Because of variations during the shingle manufacturing process, and possibly because of variations in site conditions (sun, shading, slope, moisture), different roof areas or slopes on the same building may display different amounts of black staining. (This term is commonly used with wood shingles.)

Remedies for bleed through staining on asphalt shingles: we wouldn't do much to a roof with this staining since we worry that power washing or chemical treatments may reduce the remaining roof life. At re-roof time I'd buy a better-grade replacement shingle.

Black Algae Staining on Asphalt Shingles

Misnamed as "mildew" or "fungus" by some writers, algae staining on asphalt shingles usually in shaded areas or on the more-shaded roof slopes- characterized by black staining fairly uniform over shingles, but appearing specifically in areas of the roof shaded by nearby trees.

Black algae stains on asphalt shingles tend to be fairly uniform over the stained area, not streaky as with bleed-through stained shingles.

Black algae staining on an asphalt shingle roof is actually dead organic debris from an alga, (possibly Gloeocapsa magma).

Remedies for black algae staining on shingles: Black stains on asphalt shingles caused by algae is avoided by some of the new roof shingle products which include chemicals to retard algal growth. Cutting back overhanging tree branches for more sun can also help reduce this problem. Zinc or copper strips tacked along the ridge will produce (in rain) metal salts which will kill algae as they wash down the roof.

Some folks recommend power washing to get reduce the staining - we would be concerned that the power washing process might damage the shingles and significantly reduce the remaining shingle life.

Debris Staining on Asphalt Shingle Roofs

Debris staining on roofs produces fairly uniform black or brown staining in areas where due to low-slope or presence of overhanging trees, organic debris collects on the roof slope. Decaying debris may encourage fungal or algal growth (cited above).

Lichens or even thick moss may also grow on such roof areas. Debris, lichens, or moss on a roof will shorten its life by holding water on the roof surface, preventing drying, and (in cold climates) adding wear and tear on the roof surface by freeze-thaw cycling.

Remedies for black or brown or gray debris staining on asphalt shingles: As cited above, cleaning off debris (gentle sweeping or washing, watch out for damaging the roof during cleaning), or cutting unnecessary overhanging tree branches may help.

Black Stains on Roof Shingles Around Chimneys

Soot from fireplace flues washing down onto the roof - characterized by staining appearing below and in line with the chimney

Similarly, soot from oil-fired heating flues washing down onto the roof, characterized by the same pattern of staining around and below the chimney; also probably an indicator of an operating problem with the heating system.

Gas Flue Safety Warning: If this same sooting appears on and around a gas-fired appliance flue, there is a very unsafe condition present and risk of fatal carbon monoxide production inside the building. Immediate action is be needed.

Using Roof Jacks

Question: how do you use roofing jacks?

2017/10/11 terry

how to use roofing jacks

Reply:

Good question, Terry,

Unfortunately I gave away my roof jacks so long ago I'm not sure I've got good photos.

Basically we used roof jacks in several courses up a roof that's too steep to walk upon safely. Typically the jack is installed after a few courses of shingles have been run at the roof lower edge.

The nails (3 10d or 12d common) are located so that they will catch a rafter edge not just the roof decking, and are spaced so that subsequent courses of shingles can be laid over the nailed-down jack nailing strap. Nails are driven with the nail head just lightly flush with the roof jack strap, not so tight that you can't later tap the jack up to remove it.

Planks are laid across the jacks as the next working level up the roof, and when we near the end of our reach we nail on another course of jacks and set more planks.

After the ridge and all shingles are in place, as we work our way back off the roof we take down the highest course of planks.

Then, as you can confirm by looking at the nail openings on the nailing heads of your roof jacks, you can simply tap the jack on its down-roof end to slide it up and off of the nails.

The nails are left in the roof but driven flush with the surface below so that we don't leave a nail head to wear through the shingle.

You can buy the least-costly fixed-angle 60 degree roof jacks or you can find ones like mine that have a stop and an adjustable angle, making them more versatile across various roof pitches.

Roofing Manufacturer Contact Information

Images above and below from H.M. Reynolds Shingle Co., showing green colored asphalt shingle roof in a 1910 catalog, retrieved 2021/08/05, original source: https://archive.org/details/HMReynoldsShingleCo

H.M. Reynolds was established in Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S., in 1868. The image below shows that the company's shingles were approved by the Board of Fire Underwriters (for fire resistance), and were available in red, green, and blue-black.

Remarkably the little advertising flyer shown above includes a note that this H.M. Reyolds paper and asphalt-shingle-sample brouchure could be folded together and blown-throug to play a tune or to make a noise like a parrot or rooster! The flyer's patent gives it an earliest-possible date of April 1909.

More about H.M. Reynolds and the early history of asphalt shingles is

at ROOFING MATERIALS, AGE, TYPES

Please see ROOFING WARRANTIES for our full discussion of roofing shingle warranties, class actions and settlements, how to report shingle failures, and a shingle failure report form.

• Atlas Roofing, 802 Highway 19 N, Ste. 190, Meridian MS 39307 601-484-8900
• Bird Inc., (obs. address: 1077 Pleasant St., Norwood MA 02062 617-5551-0656) is - an affiliate of CertainTeed Corporation - so try contacting
  
  CertainTeed: P.O. Box 860, 750 East Swedesford Road, Valley Forge, PA 19482 USA Phone: (610) 341-7000 Fax: (610) 341-7113 E-mail: corporate@certainteed.com
• Brookline School District v. Bird, Inc. - web: http://www.state.nh.us/courts/supreme/opinions/9710/brooklin.htm
• BPCO, 9510 St. Patrick, LaSalle, P! H*R 1R9 Canada 514-364-0161
• Celotex Corp., 4010 Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa FL 33607-5750 813-873-1700
• Certainteed, 750 E. Swedesford Rd., BOx 860, Valley Forge PA 19482 610-341-7000
• Elk Corp., 14643 Dallas Pkwy, Ste 1000, Dallas TX 75240-8871 214-851-0400
• GAF, 1361 Alps Rd., Wayne NJ 07470 201-628-3000 - Technical Services & Guarantee Status Office 1-800-ROOF-411 Web: http://www.GAF.com
  
  GAF class action settlement - call 800-414-4370 for more information or see the GAF Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Website: http://www.gaf.com/settlement/
• Globe Building Mtls, 2230 Indianapolis Blvd, Whiting IN 46394 219-473-4500
• IKO Chicago, Inc., 6600 South Central Ave., Bedford Pk, IL 60638 708-496-2800
• Malarkey Roofing, 3131 N. Columbia Blvd., Portland OR 97217 503-283-1191
• Owens-Corning Fiberglas, Fiberglass Tower, Toledo OH 43659 419-248-8000
• PABCO Roofing, 1715 Thorne Rd., Tacoma WA 98241 206-272-0374
• TAMKO Roofing, 220 W. Fourth St., Joplin MO 64802 417-624-6644
• Intec/Permaglas, POB 2845, Port Arthur TX 77643 404-724-7024

NOTE: Some manufacturers may consolidate with others or may have ceased operation.

Storm Damage to Asphalt Roofs

See Storm damage from wind -

See WIND DAMAGE to ROOFS

For distinguishing hail damage from other roof wear or defective asphalt shingle product or asphalt shingle installation errors

see HAIL DAMAGED SHINGLES & OTHER ROOF COVERINGS