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Asphalt Shingle & Other Roofing Material Testing Labs & Services
POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about how to have a roof shingle or other roofing materials tested by a shingle testing lab
Roof shingle testing laboratory testing services:
This article lists roof materials testing services and laboratories useful for testing roof shingles and other roof coverings for durability, wind uplift, granule loss, roof covering chemistry, and similar parameters.
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Directory of Roofing Shingle Testing Laboratories
[Click to enlarge any image]
Roof shingle testing laboratories support roofing manufacturers by testing shingle samples from the production line to maintain shingle quality control and to avoid manufacturing defects. These same laboratories may provide independent test services to roof failure investigators and insurance companies who are examining roofs for hail damage, storm damage, or other failures that may include defective roofing products.
If your roofing problem is a concern about
Defective roofing product such as manufacturing defects in asphalt shingles:
Simple roof shingle tests performed by many labs may include moisture and density - in my opinion tests of questionable utility in assessing the cause of a roof failure. Tests of weight and tear resistance and impact resistance and low temperature flexibility are also performed.
A more complex asphalt shingle test performed by some roof shingle testing laboratories is the desaturation test. This procedure analyzes the extent of loss of asphalt from the shingle substrate. As roof shingles age the volatiles are lost from the original asphalt impregnation of the shingle substrate (organic or fiberglass). As the asphalt ages it becomes more dry and brittle and loses some of its adhesive properties.
Roofing tests are guided by a near deluge of ASTM standards - please
see STANDARDS for ROOFING. For example (from the complete list given at this live link)
ASTM D 3462 / ASTM D3462M - 09a - Standard Specification for Asphalt Shingles made from Glass Felt and Surfaced with Mineral Granules. [DF: refers to fiberglass-based asphalt shingles].
ASTM D4977 - 03(2009) Standard Test Method for Granule Adhesion to Mineral Surfaced Roofing by Abrasion
ASTM D6381 - 08 Standard Test Method for Measurement of Asphalt Shingle Mechanical Uplift Resistance [Wind resistance of shingles - DF]
The asphalt roof shingle desaturation test may look at
Loss of asphalt from the roof shingle
Loss of mineral granule coating that protects the roof shingle surface
Loss of other sealants or other treatments from the shingle surfaces or shingle body
Watch out: a desaturation test evaluates the condition of the shingle and may help assess its remaining life but the test alone, without an expert on-site inspection of the building and all roof surfaces, is in my opinion not a complete diagnostic of the cause of roof wear nor an assessment of the condition of the whole roof.
Other critical information is observed on-site such as the condition of different roof slopes exposed to different conditions, variation in roofing over the same roof surfaces, building moisture, roof ventilation, even basement water entry or a history of ice dams that affect roof life. Other critical factors such as original shingle materials and shingle type, thickness, storage conditions, and plies or shingle design are crucial considerations that must be included in any roof assessment of life, condition, cause of damage, etc.
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Below we list a variety of roof and roofing product testing laboratories who offer roofing durability testing, impact testing, and other roofing material tests.
Laboratories Specializing in Asphalt Roofing Product Testing
Intertek, offices in North & South America ( Tel: 1-800-967-5352), Europe, the Middle East, & Africa, (Tel: +44 (0) 116 296 1620) and Asia Pacific regions (Tel: +852 2173 8888)
Website: http://www.intertek.com/
PRI Asphalt Technologies, Inc., 6408 Badger Drive,
Tampa, FL 33610, (813) 621-5777, 831-621-5777
www.priasphalt.com/ and for roofing in particular: http://pricmt.com/
Other Roofing Materials & Roof Shingle Test Labs
For Materials, Equipment and Devices Relating to Fire and Extended Coverage Insurance and for Impact Resistant Roofing Materials. Unless otherwise indicated, companies in this list are approved by the Texas Department of Insurance for testing the impact resistance of roofing products. Some of these laboratories offer a wider range of roofing product testing besides impact resistance.
AAA Roof Technologies, 207 Duncan Hill Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792
USA Office: 828-696-0755, Toll Free: 877-474-ROOF
Haag Research & Testing
Steven R. Smith, P.E.*
Director of Research & Testing
800-527-0168 (toll free)
214-614-6500 (main)
972-814-3554 (mobile)
214-614-6501 (fax)
1410 Lakeside Parkway, #100
Flower Mound, TX 75028
|
Website:
HaagResearchTesting.com
Email:
ssmith@haagglobal.com
Architectural Testing Inc.
130 Derry Court
York, PA 17402-9405
Phone: 717-764-7700
Fax: 717-764-4129
or
2865 Market Loop, Suite B
Southlake, TX 76092
Phone: 817-410-7202
Fax: 817-424-8463
Web: www.archtest.com
NOTE: listing for Architectural Testing Inc. applies only to the testing of roofing products to determine compliance with UL Standard 2218.
Factory Mutual Research Corporation
P.O. Box 9102
Norwood, MA 02062
Phone: 617-762-4300
Fax: 617-762-9375
*SGS U.S. Testing Company, Inc.
(Formerly United States Testing Company, Inc.)
291 Fairfield Avenue
Fairfield, NJ 07004
Phone: 973-575-5252
Fax: 973-575-7175
*Quality Auditing Institute
2825 Murray Street
Port Moody, B.C. V3H 1X3
Phone: 604-461-8378
*NOTE: The product certification program (listing, labeling and follow-up inspection service) for SGS U.S. Testing Company will be conducted by Quality Auditing Institute, Inc. However, this recognition applies only to wood shakes and shingles tested in accordance with UL Standard 2218.
**Quality Auditing Institute
2825 Murray Street
Port Moody, B.C. V3H 1X3
Phone: 604-461-8378
Fax: 604-461-8377
**NOTE: The Quality Auditing Institute is listed only for the testing of wood shake and shingle products to determine if they meet Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Standard 2218.
Southwest Research Institute
P. O. Drawer 28210
San Antonio, TX 78238-5166
Phone: 210-684-5111
Fax: 210-522-3547
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
333 Phingsten Road
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 708-272-8800
Fax: 708-272-8127
Testing Laboratories Serving a Wider Audience than Roofing Products & Roofing Industry Manufacturers
EMS Lab, the megalith of testing in the U.S.: materialstestinglaboratory.com/
Asphalt Roofing & Roof Shingle Testing Research
Also see additional citations atReferences or Citations at the end of this and other InspectApedia roofing articles.
Cullen, WILLIAM C. "Research and performance experience of asphalt Shingles." In 10th Conference on Roofing Technology, NRCA, Gaithersburg, MD, USA, pp. 6-12. 1993.
DuPuis, Rene M., Ph.D., P.E., "The Ins and Outs of Laboratory Testing of Roofing Materials", [PDF] interface (2000), retrieved 3 Dec 2015, original source: http://www.rci-online.org/interface/2000-07-dupuis.pdf
Excerpt:
To begin with, there are many commercial testing labs available
today. There are fewer labs with roof material testing experience
and only a handful that can perform serious research. If
product testing on a new roof material is needed, most commercial
labs can provide that service. Weathered, non-performing
roof materials are much more difficult to analyze since the
ASTM product standards assume that new materials are being
tested. One can test the weathered or aged material according to
the new material standard but cannot declare failure if the results
fall below. Roof materials change as they weather and heat age;
the ASTM product standards cannot quantify this rooftop
change. Judgment, experience, and comparative reasoning are
used to opine the condition of aged roof materials.
Beware if the testing lab cannot provide an interpretation of
the results. That may be a tip off that they know how to conduct
the test but really do not understand what they are testing for
and how the roofing material may respond. A roof consultant
may want to interpret the results, since the test lab may not have
experienced staff or get to see the roof in question. A knowledgeable
roof consultant will use lab test results to help explain
what happened to the roof system.
Garcia, Ruben G., Ray L. Corbin, Richard J. Gillenwater, Jim Compton, Cliff Patenaude, Brian Anthony, and Jim Hunter. "Roofing Materials." Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology (1997).
Koontz, Jim D. "The effects of hail on residential roofing products." In Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Roofing Technology,” NRCA/NIST. 1991.
McNulty, Raymond A. "Asphalt Roof Shingles - Composition, Performance, Function, and Standards." [PDF] Interface (2000). - retrieved 2015/12/03, original source: http://www.rci-online.org/interface/2000-01-mcnulty.pdf
Abstract: This paper describes the composition and function of each of the layers of a shingle.
The various types of shingles and their application are discussed. The more common problems
associated with asphalt shingles and the probable causes for these problems are
reviewed. The various standards pertaining to asphalt shingles are also discussed.
Noone, MICHAEL J., and W. KENT Blanchard. "Asphalt Shingles–A Century of Success and Improvement." In 10th Conference on Roofing Technology, National Roofing Contractors Association, Rosemont, Illinois, pp. 23-33. 1993.
Parker, Danny S., and John R. Sherwin. "Comparative summer attic thermal performance of six roof constructions." TRANSACTIONS-AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HEATING REFRIGERATING AND AIR CONDITIONING ENGINEERS 104 (1998): 1084-1092.
Weiss, John Morris. "Asphalt Shingles." Industrial & Engineering Chemistry 23, no. 2 (1931): 168-170.
Abstract: Asphalt shingles surfaced with mineral granules have become an important roofing material, and the published specifications now in use do not appear to be sufficient to secure adequate quality. The results of the examination of sixteen brands of asphalt shingles that are sold for roofing are presented, together with comments on the different compositions which are encountered. Certain recommendations as to the direction in which specifications should be changed are suggested.
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On 2019-12-30
by (mod)
- looking for roof test lab to send samples from time to time- TPO test cut
George
Thank you for contacting us, as I certainly share your interesting in roofing installation, failures, inspection, diagnosis, and repair - but our forensic lab does not work with roofing test cuts, though we do refer our readers to the roof test labs listed on this page.
In my opinion your tape shows a damaged section that would certainly not give a reliable bond.
For other readers:
TPO Roofing or Thermplastic Polyolefin Roofing is an example of a single ply or membrane roof covering currently widely used on low slope commercial buildings.
On 2019-12-30 by George Wilson
- example roofing sample TPO Roofing Test Cut
We are looking for lab to send samples from time to time. I teach a roofing course for industial flat roofing membranes.
This [photo above] is a sample of a TPO cut test.
I show the class cut tests every course.
Please see photo attached. Would your lab consider this a pass or fail? George Wilson, Cindott Inc, 416 606 3270, gwilson18@cogeco.ca. www.roofingtrainingcourse.com
On 2019-05-23 - by (mod) -
Re-posting from private email:
Anonymous asked:
would your lab test reveal the age of a 3-tab shingle
Moderator reply:
At TEST LABS - ROOF SHINGLE https://inspectapedia.com/roof/Roof_Shingle_Test_Labs.php you can find roof and shingle test labs that can do what you need
- keep in mind that nobody is going to tell you the absolute chronological age of a shingle unless you have a receipt or manufacturing date; rather one can tell the wear-age.
On 2019-01-10
by Dennis Klager
I guess what I'm asking is, how evenly spread out is abestos in roof shingles? Could I miss it?
On 2019-01-10
by Dennis Klager
How many samples should I take off of a roof to have tested in a lab for asbestos. Is one sufficient?
On 2017-03-04 - by (mod) -
Possibly, Steve though that sounds odd to me. Usually the minerals in asphalt roofing are copper or possibly zinc, both of which are not particularly attracted to a magnet. There might be metallic fragments in slag or other waste products that might be used in the production of some mineral granules used to coat asphalt shingles. And there might be other metals used in some reflective roof granule coatings.
Blalock, Christopher, and Larry Nelson. "Products useful as roof shingles and a process for making such products." U.S. Patent 6,194,519, issued February 27, 2001.
Bretz, Sarah, Hashem Akbari, and Arthur Rosenfeld. "Practical issues for using solar-reflective materials to mitigate urban heat islands." Atmospheric environment 32, no. 1 (1998): 95-101.
On 2017-03-04 by Steve Ruiz
I passed a magnet through a pile of granules in the gutter and found many flakes of metal. Are metal flakes part of the "mineral" coat?
On 2016-10-12
by (mod)
- shingle product ordered vs installed.
Here are some easy things to check to see if what you paid for is what you got on your roof before looking closely at the shingles themselves
Check what you think you ordered - and what is written in your roof installation contract - against the roofing manufacturer's product catalog. Some shingle types can be immediately distinguished, such as notched 3-tab shingles vs. laminated architectural shingles.
Look at the roof covering material packaging to identify the brand and product model and even the production run number
Ask your contractor for proof of purchase: an invoice from her building supplier, showing what was bought to put on your roof
On 2016-10-12
by Homeowner
- product I ordered is not the product that was actually installed.
I feel like the product I ordered is not the product that was actually installed. How do I get a verification. I am certain it is not the same color as I have photos and pieces of my previous roof that was installed less than 1 year ago. The product was the exact same invoice order but the shingles themselves are very thin and as before WRONG color (beyond a variation). Is this a service provided by your company?
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In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
ARMA - Asphalt Roofing Manufacturer's Association - Asphalt Roofing Manufacturer's Association - https://www.asphaltroofing.org/ 750 National Press Building, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20045, Tel: 202 / 207-0917
ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA, 19428-2959 USA The ASTM standards listed below can be purchased in fulltext directly from http://www.astm.org/
NRCA - National Roofing Contractors Association - Website: www.nrca.net 10255 W. Higgins Road, Suite 600,
Rosemont, IL 60018-5607, Tel: (847) 299-9070 Fax: (847) 299-1183
UL - Underwriters Laboratories - https://www.ul.com/ 2600 N.W. Lake Rd. Camas, WA 98607-8542 Tel: 1.877.854.3577 / Fax: 1.360.817.6278
E-mail: cec.us@us.ul.com
Texas Department of Insurance, lists companies approved for testing the impact resistance of roofing - see http://tdi.state.tx.us/home/roofingx.html
Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Amazon.com and also Wiley.com. See our book review of this publication.
Decks and Porches, the JLC Guide to, Best Practices for Outdoor Spaces, Steve Bliss (Editor), The Journal of Light Construction, Williston VT, 2010 ISBN 10: 1-928580-42-4, ISBN 13: 978-1-928580-42-3, available from Amazon.com
Architectural elements: the technological revolution: Galvanized iron roof plates and corrugated sheets; cast iron facades, columns, door and window caps, ... (American historical catalog collection), Diana S Waite, available used out of Amazon.
Asphalt Roofing Residential Manual from ARMA the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association Website https://www.asphaltroofing.org/product/residential-asphalt-roofing-manual/ ,
Building Pathology, Deterioration, Diagnostics, and Intervention, Samuel Y. Harris, P.E., AIA, Esq., ISBN 0-471-33172-4, John Wiley & Sons, 2001 [General building science-DF] ISBN-10: 0471331724
ISBN-13: 978-0471331728
Building Pathology: Principles and Practice, David Watt, Wiley-Blackwell; 2 edition (March 7, 2008)
ISBN-10: 1405161035
ISBN-13: 978-1405161039
Concrete Dome Roofs (Longman Concrete Design and Construction Series),
Concrete Roofing Tile, History of the, Batsford, 1959, AISN B000HLLOUC (availble used)
Copper Roofing, by CDA
Copper Roofing, Master specifications for copper roofing and sheet metal work in building construction: Institutional, commercial, industrial, I.E. Anderson, 1961 (hard to find)
Corrugated Iron, Building on the Frontier, Simon Holloway
Green Roof Plants: A Resource and Planting Guide, Edmund C. Snodgrass, Lucie L. Snodgrass, Timber Press, Incorporated, 2006, ISBN-10: 0881927872, ISBN-13: 978-0881927870. The text covers moisture needs, heat tolerance, hardiness, bloom color, foliage characteristics, and height of 350 species and cultivars.
Green Roof Construction and Maintenance, Kelley Luckett, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009, ISBN-10: 007160880X, ISBN-13: 978-0071608800, quoting: Key questions to ask at each stage of the green building process Tested tips and techniques for successful structural design
Construction methods for new and existing buildings
Information on insulation, drainage, detailing, irrigation, and plant selection
Details on optimal soil formulation
Illustrations featuring various stages of construction
Best practices for green roof maintenance
A survey of environmental benefits, including evapo-transpiration, storm-water management, habitat restoration, and improvement of air quality
Tips on the LEED design and certification process
Considerations for assessing return on investment
Color photographs of successfully installed green roofs
Useful checklists, tables, and charts
Handbook of Building Crafts in Conservation, Jack Bower, Ed.,
Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, NY 1981 ISBN 0-442-2135-3 Library of
Congress Catalog Card Nr. 81-50643.
Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer, Robert A. Young, Wiley (March 21, 2008)
ISBN-10: 0471788368
ISBN-13: 978-0471788362
Roof failure causes in depth (and specific methods for avoiding them)
Roof design fundamentals and flourishes, based on voluminous industry research and experience
New technologies and materials -- using them safely and correctly
Comprehensive coverage of all major roofing systems
pecifications, inspection, and maintenance tools for roofing work
In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.