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Fishmouthed roof shingle fail(C) Daniel FriedmanRoof Shingle Warranty Claim Procedures

How to report a roof failure, forms, manufacturer contact information

Asphalt roof shingle warranty claim procedures, forms, contact information:

Where & how you can report a failing or leaking roof covering. Whom should you contact, in what order? What sorts of roof complaints (discoloration or shadows) for example, might not be considered a product failure. Are algae and stains a roof failure? What about cracked shingles or shingles blown off due to high winds?

This article includes a list of fiberboard and fiber-cement roof shingle warranty claims companies, websites, and it reports on which of those claims websites actually are helpful - or not. The article discusses roof shingle warranty claim procedures and it includes reports from readers regarding shingle warranty claims processing by some roofing product manufacturers. At page top, curling shingles on a six-year old asphalt shingle roof.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?

Where & How to Report a Failing Roof

Fishmouthed roof shingle fail(C) Daniel Friedman[Click to enlarge any image]

Article Contents:

Where & How to Report a Failing Roof

If you have a roof failure that appears to be due to a defective product, first try:

Roof Shingle Algae Stains and Roof Warranties

Extractive bleeding roof stains (C) Daniel Friedman Watch out: Algae resistance provisions of asphalt roof shingle warranties are limited in coverage and scope.

See STAINS on ROOF SHINGLE

and ALGAE STAINS on ROOFS for details.

Using first a 2001 vintage Owens Corning Roof Shingle Warranty as an example, note that [quoting]

Roof Shingle Warranty Exclusions [include the following]
Discoloration caused by algae, fungi, lichens or cyanobacteria (unless covered under the section “What About Algae Resistance” that follows)

What About Algae Resistance
If the Shingles that you purchased were not specifically labeled as “Algae Resistant” (“AR”), then any discoloration caused by algae is not covered by this warranty as explained in the section above “What is Not Covered.”

However, if you did purchase AR shingles, they are covered under this warranty for a period of five (5) years commencing on the date of installation (“AR Warranty Period”) against discoloration caused by algal, fungal, lichen, or cyanobacterial growth (“Algae Growth”). If such discoloration occurs during the AR [Algae Resistant] Warranty Period, you will be entitled to
the following remedy:

Remedy for Algae Growth – Should the AR Shingles exhibit discoloration due solely to algal, fungal, lichen, or cyanobacterial growth during the AR Warranty Period, your sole and
exclusive remedy, and Owens Corning’s sole obligation, shall be for Owens Corning to pay you an amount equal to the reasonable cost of cleaning such growth off of the affected AR Shingles.

A later 2008 Owens Corning Roof Warranty provided to us by a client whose Owens Corning algae-resistant shingle roof was just two years old when an extensive green algae growth was observed, provides similar constraints as the 2001 warranty above, but extends the warranty period to ten (10) years.

Regarding roof shingle discoloration by algal, fungal, lichen, or cyanobacterial growth, the 2008 warranty provides:

... if you did purchase AR shingles, they are covered under this warranty for a period of ten (10) years (prorated after the first twelve (12) months) following the date of installation ("AR Warranty Period") against discoloration caused by algal, fungal, lichen, or cyanobacterial growth ("Algae Growth"). If such discoloration occurs during the warranty period, you will be entitled to the following remedy:

1. Remedy for Algae Growth - If your shingles are discolored by algae growth during the first twelve (12) months of the AR Warranty Period, we will cover the cost, including labor, (such cost not to exceed the initial cost of the AR shingles plus the initial cost of installation), as reasonably determined by Owens Corning to repair, replace, or recover the affected AR shingles, subject to certain limitations.

Specifically, we will not cover any metalwork, flashings, or other related work, and we will not cover the cost to tear off or dispose of your AR shingles. For purposes of this AR shingle warranty, the term "repair" as used above refers to cleaning or otherwise removing any algae growth from the AR shingles. Decisions regarding whether your AR shingles should be repaired, replaced, or recovered will be made solely by Owens Corning.

2. Proration - If your AR shingles have been installed longer than twelve (12) months labor will not be covered and we will prorate the the cost of your coverage to take into account the number of months of use that you have enjoyed through the date of your claim. For example, ...

Watch out: the shingle manufacturer's warranty also requires that you make your claim within 30 days of discovery of the problem. Also, we are not sure how widespread this position will be found to be taken, but an Owens Corning representative informed us (by telephone O.C. to DF, 04/2010) that the algae-resistant portion of an Owens Corning roof shingle warranty is limited to one genera/species of roof algae.

It appears that she was describing a more narrow interpretation than the language of the 2008 roof warranties above, as she was excluding green algae staining.

Watch out: don't try cleaning asphalt shingle roofs without checking with the manufacturer about their recommended methods. For example using power washers (not recommended), and some chemicals may damage the shingles and reduce the roof life. Other chemicals such as bleach may also cause staining on other building areas and can be unsafe if not handled properly. To remove and prevent black algae stains on roofs,

see BLACK STAIN REMOVAL & PREVENTION.

OPINION: algal growth on asphalt roof shingles, unlike moss and lichens growth, is a cosmetic concern and is not likely to affect roof shingle life. But as the warranty above includes lichens, you should keep an eye on your roof for that more destructive growth.

See MOSS & LICHENS on SHINGLES

Also see STAINS on ROOF SHINGLES

and see ALGAE STAINS on ROOFS for more information about the causes and cures of stains on roof coverings.

Roof failure basic field report information for Research Purposes

For research purposes we would also like to receive your reports of roofing product failures as we are actively researching roof failures, repair alternatives, and warranty claims procedures. We welcome photographs and history reports of examples of failures on asphalt shingle roofs and claims experience in New York Pennsylvania Connecticut New Jersey NY PA CT NJ and in California, Oregon, Washington State CA OR WA, (both fiberglass and or non-fiberglass based shingles, GAF and all other brands).

You can help by providing information.

CONTACT US to email a description of your roof shingle failure experience as outlined below or if necessary, to arrange for consulting in the NY metropolitan area. Regrettably the volume of web traffic precludes free email, telephone, or other consulting except for the elderly, disabled, and people of limited means.

Roofing Warranty Claim Result Report

Printer friendly PDF form of this table
Roof type: e.g. asphalt shingle, fiberglass-based or asphalt shingle, organic-mat based  
Age of roof: date installed, or approximate age if known, or indicate unknown  
Roof Ventilation: none, ridge, soffit, gable-end, roof vents, power vents, blocked/unblocked at eaves or ridge, unknown.  
Roof shingle brand & model, if known  

Shingle color, weight, rated or claimed life expectancy if known.

  
City and State where building is located  
Describe conditions under which the roof failed, when the failure was first observed, and what related building damage occurred. Photos are helpful.  
Describe the results you obtained when contacting your roofer for assistance.  
Describe the results you obtained when contacting the roofing product manufacturer or local supplier for assistance.  
Other Comments:  
Contact information: Name, telephone, Email. Note: contact information is optional. Our privacy policy: 100% private. Your personal information is released to no one. Period.  
Print, fill-in and email a copy of this report to us for inclusion in our data of roofing warranty claims. (Sorry, we cannot intercede between consumers and the manufacturer in individual warranty claims. See Contact Us for email or U.S. postal mail information.

List of Fiberboard & Fiber Cement Roof Shingle Warranty Claims Companies & Websites

Worn damaged fibre cement roof cladding at Oamaru New Zealand (C) Daniel Friedman

The New Zealand fibre cement roof shown at left is discussed
at ASBESTOS & FIBER CEMENT ROOFING

George Podrug provided Masonite Woodruf™ roofing information for home inspectors in 1999.

Defective Hardboard Siding (similar products): see the detailed articles at SIDING HARDBOARD IDENTIFICATION & CLAIMS
 including Louisiana Pacific and other hardboard siding manufacturer claims websites and contact information

Also see SIDING, ASBESTOS CEMENT and Asbestos Cement and Fiber Cement Siding & Roof Shingles
at
and ASBESTOS & FIBER CEMENT ROOFING

Roof Shingle Warranty Claim Procedures & Reader Experience

Question: Our Globe Roof Shingles (1997) are Leaking

We purchased 20 year warranty Globe shingles for our roof in 1997 and are now having problems in fall 2011 with leaking roof in several places. Shingles have not worn well. I have their address and have sent them a letter, but anything else that I can do to get my warranty? - D.M.

Reply:

Please take a look at the information about Globe shingles in the article above - you'll see that we have not heard of much success with Globe since 2005 but we do offer some advice about pursuing the matter through your roofer.

Reader comment: importance of roof ventilation in roof life

(Dec 7, 2011) Jon Wright said:

Very good info. Most manufacturers now offer non-prorated material and labor warranties up to fifty years through their certified contractors. You have GAF Master Elite and Certainteed Master Roofers which have been vetted by the manufacturer.

But no matter what warranty you get, you have none if you do not follow the minimum 'Three Hundred Rule of Balanced Ventilation."
also, you can eliminate air born fungus by putting a piano wire on either side of the ridge. The zinc will inhibit it just as there is no staining downhill from turbines, chimneys, and other galvanized metal objects.

Reader comment: experience with Atlas Chalet Shingles - leaks

(Dec 20, 2012) memphis10uhsee said:

I have Atlas Chalet Shingles on my roof and now have leaks, when the roofing company put the shingles on, i was never given a warranty, I was told I would be able to get the rest of the shingles and it's been since 2010 and I still don't have them. What do I need to do?

Reader comment: experience with GAF/ELK roof shingles

(Nov 29, 2012) DollieDee said:

Im a homeowner in central texas. After many leaks and repairs since completion of our house in 2006, we are looking into the warranty included with the GAF/ELK grande shingles ordered for our home. Its brought to our attention the complexity of the situation...

Many homes in our subdivision (built by same builder) are experiencing the same issues (all have same type of shingles). We contacted said builder and were referred to a roofing company that builder subcontracted to order and install the roof. Contacted the Roofing Company to be informed that this particular shingle is defective and the manufacturer is held responsible.

ELK is no longer in business, being bought out by GAF, and GAF will not honor any warranty originated with ELK products. HELP! i dont know who to hold responsible for this. i appreciate any insight.

Question: does installation of shingles by a non-certified contractor void the shingle warranty?

(Oct 14, 2012) Cheryl said:

I was told that some manufacturers warranties of roof shingles installed by a contractor that is not certified to install voids the warranty. Is this true? Which manufacturers is this true for if so?

Reply: No, and yes sort-of: explanation of example roofing shingle warranty terms: product warranty vs. workmanship warranty

Cheryl,

As far as I know the shingle warranty is not dependent on contractor certification but rather on correct installation.

If my research learns something different I'll post it here.

There are certification programs for roofers, see our article with that title in the ARTICLE INDEX.

As some roofing manufacturers offer special warranties for work performed by a certified contractor, the terms of that special warranty will not apply if you use a different, non-certified roofing contractor.

But just about every roofing product includes a warranty statement on the package and in the product literature. Here is some partial roofing warranty text excerpted from GAF's roof shingle warranty documentation.

You will read in these excerpts that the warranty against manufacturing defects varies by product and in my OPINION you can infer that "manufacturing defects" will (and should) exclude roof failures that are due to installation errors or other building defects that may affect the roof life.

Manufacturing Defects:

GAF Lifetime Asphaltic Shingles. Subject to the provisions below, all GAF Asphaltic Shingles other than Sentinel ® , Royal Sovereign ® , and Marquis ® WeatherMax ® Shingles and Ridge Cap and Starter Strip Shingles carry a Lifetime warranty (as defined below) against manufacturing defects and a Smart Choice ® Protection Period of 10 years. 

Manufacturing Defects:

Other GAF Asphaltic Shingles. Marquis ® Weather - Max ® Shingles are warranted against manufacturing defects for 30 years; Royal Sovereign ® Shingles are warranted for 25 years, and Sentinel ® Shingles are warranted for 20 years. T

he Smart Choice ® Protection Period is 5 years for Marquis ® WeatherMax ® and Royal Sovereign ® Shingles, and 3 years for Sentinel ® Shingles. The warranty term and Smart Choice ® Protection Period for Ridge Cap and Starter Strip Shingles are described below.

...

Definition Of Lifetime [for a roof]: The word “Lifetime” means as long as you, the original owner(s) [or the second owner(s) if coverage was properly transferred during the Smart Choice ® Protection Period], own the property where the shingles and/ or accessories are installed.

The Lifetime warranty and 10-year Smart Choice ® Protection Period are applicable only to shingles and accessories installed on a single family detached residence owned by individuals.

For any other type of owner or building, such as a corporation, governmental entity, religious entity, condominium or homeowner association, school, apartment building, office building, or multi-use structure, the length of the warranty is 40 years and the Smart Choice ® Protection Period is 5 years.

- GAF, "The GAF Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty" retrieved 4/21/2014, original source: http://www.gaf.com/Warranties_Technical_Documents/Steep_Slope_Warranties/GAF_Shingle_Accessory_Warranty.pdf

The GAF company provides a (perhaps confusing to some) panoply of warranties including the "Smart Choice" refered to in the txt above. What's the GAF Smart Choice Warranty?

What Is GAF’s “Smart Choice® Protection Period”? GAF’s warranties come with a special provision called the Smart Choice® Protection Period that provides extra coverage against manufacturing defects during the critical early years of your new roof.

During this period, in the event that you experience a manufacturing defect on covered components, GAF will provide you with 100% replacement materials and the reasonable cost of labor to install them.

This is important because some roofing warranties may only provide replacement materials, but not the labor to install them. -  "Roof Warranty Information", GAF Corporation, retrieved 4/21/14, original source http://www.gaf.com/Roofing/Residential/Warranty_Information/FAQ

Watch out: generally roofing manufacturer warranties pertain to the product itself and warrant against manufacturing defects, not against workmanship errors that may occur during the roof installation (and that could void some product warranties).

Be sure to discuss the workmanship warranty terms with your roofing contractor. Some roofing manufacturers offer a warranty program such as GAF's Golden Pledge Limited Warranty ® that will include both product warranty and workmanship warranty. This warranty is linked with the company's Master Elite roofing contractor program.

See CERTIFICATIONS for ROOFING CONTRACTORS -

...


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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

Protex roof tile or Protex Shingle problems? Consumer Complaints

(May 21, 2014) Peter Walker said:

Have Protex tiles been a problem/ Thank you

(Sept 5, 2014) Homeowner said:

I have Protex roofing on my house and it is in terrible condition. A significant number of the tiles are cracked, and nearly all of them are extremely brittle. The roof is also leaking in an area of my home. Is there any pending litigation against Protex?

Gary Gay Austin TX grg392000@yahoo.com said:

My 12 year old large luxury home just failed roof inspection and cost me a resale opportunity. Inspector said the Protex roofing material is defective and that the roof needs to be replaced. Many cracks, slipped tiles and potential leaks. I am now undergoing a $140K tearoff and replacement using Monier Saxon Country Slate (concrete).I have many pics. The original roofing company and builder are unresponsive regarding this situation. Huge financial and embarrassing hit for me.

Reply:

Peter, I have not received nor been able to dig up product failure reports for Protex roofing. We cite that product in the above article to distinguish it from Cal-Shake

You do not have a Cal-Shake Shake Roof if:

The shakes on your roof are made of wood The cement composite shakes on your roof were manufactured by: American Cemwood, NatureGuard, Terra Shake, FireFree®, Hardie Shake, Monier, Owens Corning Mira Vista, Protex.

If you have experience of problems with Protex I'd want to hear about it.

Use our email found at our CONTACT link to send me some sharp photos of the damage and we'll comment further

Gary use the email found at our CONTACT US link at page top or bottom to send along photos for comment or contribution. Sorry you got hit.

"failed" a home inspection is an unfortunate term.

Houses do not pass or fail. They just are.

All buildings need maintenance and occasional repair. A buyer is dreaming if s/he expecta otherwise. A fair price includes, among other features, building condtion. For example, a seller and buyer might agree to make a fair allowance then let buyer make repairs, increasing buyer confidence in the work.

Note: A separate product, Protex™ 63 mold spray using the same appelation is discussed

at MOLD SANITIZER, SPRAY, BIOCIDE USE GUIDE

Reader Question: Protex Slate roof fastener failure report

I found a small exchange on your website [shown just above - Ed.] about the Protex Shake-Slate Roofing product. Our business had a Protex Slate roof installed 10 Years ago.

The problem we are facing is that tiles are sliding off the roof. As well as you can see dozens of loose tiles still barely hanging on. We had a roofer look at fixing the loose tiles – he said that he asked around and that no roofer wants to work on Protext Slate because they are so brittle that the tiles around them will break if they try and repair. I have tried to track down the manufacturer PTX Industries, Inc. all phone numbers for them have been disconnected – cannot find anything about them online. There is a 40 year warranty on the product.

Below is an exchange I found on your website from another customer who used Protex Slate. (They were not happy) I was curious if you have heard of any more complaints or if the any other customer was able to find the manufacturing company.
Best - [Anon, email on file] Burbank CA 28 January 2015

Reply:

This may be a fastener failure rather than a roof material failure.

I'd need a few details, and I'd like to a see some photos both of the whole roof and a couple of closeups of sliding or danages slates to be able to give advice,

But if the Protex slates themselves are intact, depending on how many are loose, repair may be feasible if you can find a slate roofer who knows slate roof repair methods. There are methods to work on fragile roofs if justified.

Would you say that more than 25% of the slates are loose? If so the roof may be beyond economical repair.

At SLATE ROOF REPAIRS we describe approaches to repairing slate or similarly fragile roofing surfaces. Two procedures that may pertain to your roof are

If you ask a conventional asphalt shingle roofer about a roof like yours the situation may be one that the roofer is understandably reluctant to tackle. In fact in a disturbing case in New York a client called an asphalt shingle roofer to "repair" his slate roof only to be convinced by the roofer that it would be smarter to tear off the old slates (of which less than 10% needed repair) and to install a "new safe asphalt shingle roof". The result: the owner reoved 300-year high quality slates and replaced them with a 20-year material.

But if the number of loose slates or similar rigid roof covering tiles or shingles is not so great a to make the job cost-prohibitive, an experienced slate roofer would be up to the job.

Watch out: it would make sense first to obtain a more accurate understanding of just what is failing on your roof. If many fasteners have already failed I'd be worried about the choice of original fastener, or nailing errors or some similar mistake.

In that case even securing all of the loose slates now won't protect against other slates or tiles or shingles continuing to come loose. A useful clue might be to learn over what period of tim the present loose Protex slates have actually come loose. If the rate of fastener failures is increasing the roof may not be economically repairable.

Question: why are there glue strips or spots on asphalt shingles ?

(Apr 2, 2014) Pat said:

I have installed the shingles on my house and removed the cellophane and in the 20 years since then I have not lost one shingle.

I moved to a senior housing development and the roofs here are 14 years old and low and behold we had a wind storm and shingles are all over the place along with the cellophane and now a contractor is going to try to sell us to replace all the houses that were not damaged to get new roofs. What ever happened to 20 or 25 year shingles?

Why put the glue strips in the first place?

Reply:

Pat, the glue strips are there to allow the single taps of each upper course to bond to the lower course (with a bit of time and heat from the sun). This bonding in turn prevents wind-damage that otherwise lifts the shingle tabs and blows them off of the roof.

The people with the most at stake in this argument are the roofing manufacturers- we should follow their advice.

Leave the cellophane or paper release strip in place; it's not interfering with bonding, it's job is to prevent the shingles from sticking together while still in the bundle. When the shingles are installed in offset courses up the roof the release strip stuck to the under-side of an individual roof shingle is no longer covering the wind-uplift-damage-prevention glue spots or strips that are exposed on the upper surface of the shingle in the course below.

This is of course a separate question from your last sentence.

Question: reader finds experts confirm: leave the release strips in place but still disagrees

(June 20, 2014) Mike O said:

I called the Roofers Union and they backed up the contractor and said leave the cellophane on.
It will disinigrate ( like his brain )
The dumbest statement that I ever heard was next:
The cellophane is for shipping. What a moron. So what he just said to me is that the tar was
placed on the shingle TO HOLD THE CELLOPHANE IN PLACE!!!!!!
That's called "Back up the love roofer"
THE REAL STORY IS THE TAR was put on the shingle to give it added strength and the cellophane was placed on the tar to prevent them from sticking to each other. STICKING key word The tar strip
is there to give STICKING POWER TO THE SHINGLE and stop them from lifting so rain can get in under them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have had my roof since 1999 and only 5 shingles blew off and they were the 5 shingles that still
had the cellophane on them.

Reply:

Mike, we have researched this question with great care to find and cite authoritative sources and to put the arm waving speculation. The article above gives correct information. Please take another look and let me know if anything you see there is unclear.

  1. The glue strips or spots on shingles are there to bond down the tabs of the next upper shingle course to protect against wind-uplift damage. The release strips, once the subsequent shingle course is nailed in place, are no longer atop the glue strips on the shingle in the lower course. We leave the release strips in place because
  2. The cellophane or silicone-treated paper release strips on the shingle under-side are doing no harm
  3. The cellophane or silicone-treated paper release strips on the shingle under-side are not in the way of the now-exposed glue strips found on the upper surface of the shingle course below.
  4. There is risk of shingle damage if you pull these release strips off

Question: reader doesn't understand that staggered shingle courses eliminate release-strip worries

(June 21, 2014) Anonymous said:

Try this simple logic: The manufacturer wouldn't have put the goo on the shingle unless it was going to be used to stick to another shingle. Obviously the cellophane strip is to keep it from sticking to other shingles while in transit. The only unanswered question is: Does the cellophane dissolve swiftly after installed, presumably due to the heat of the sun? If yes,the goo would be allowed to serve its purpose - eventually.

How long or what minimum heat does it take to dissolve the cellophane? If the cellophane does not dissolve, the goo was put on for no reason whatsoever. If it does dissolve, removing the cellophane manually allows quicker sealing of the goo to the underlying shingle.

In not taking the time to remove the cellophane on installation, the installer is gambling that a high wind won't occur before the tape dissolves. I presume also that, if the cellophane is removed, it opens up a lot of opportunities to touch down the shingle a bit crooked, probably without the ability to lift it back up and straighten it. That is another cost factor - lost time and damaged shingles.

Reply:

Simple but mistaken logic. Please read the article above.

The cellophane does not need to dissolve.

The cellophane strip is NOT in the way once the shingles are placed in successive courses on the roof.

The cellophane strip is there only to prevent the adhesive tar strips on shingles from sticking to other shingles while they are togehter stacked up in the shingle bundle - before use.

You'll see that at installation the self-adhesive tar strips and the cellophane strips remain nowhere near one another once the shingles are installed - see the arrows on our illustration, and also that forced tearing off of the cellophane is not recommended by the manufacturer, in part because doing so can cause shingle damage.

Question: reader questions why there is sticky stuff on the underside of the shingle

(July 30, 2014) pete ianuzzi said:

so why is there sticky stuff on the bottom, just to hold the cellophane tape in place?? and did mfr.'s original require you to remove this seal. I seem to remember reading that in the small print many years ago...40+years ago

Reply:

of course not Pete

The functional sticky stuff is the sealant that is present on the upper surface of the shingle in the course below. That sealant is heated by the sun, sealing the next upper course shingle tabs down on to the lower course of shingles.

A small amount of adhesive between the release strip (cellophane or silicone impregnated paper strips) holds the release strip in place bonded out of the way to the underside of the next upper course of shingles. It's not in the way and should be left in place.

Question: reader doesn't understand glue strips, shingle course offset, and does not agree with instructions from the shingle manufacturer

(Aug 8, 2014) Anonymous said:

I just read an article at Inspectapedia.com/roof/shingle....Anonymous below is correct!!!!! Although they go on to
say the bottom line is "NO" you do not need to remove it...There IS a "YES" argument....The YES argument makes more sense
then DanJoeFriedman.....The YES indicates that in high wind areas or areas subject to High WInds and Heavy rains, or if the roof was laid in cooler weather, the cellophane probably will not disintegrate immediately thus allowing dirt or

particles to get under the shingle which MAY NEVER SEAL PROPERLY. IN ADDITION TO REMOVING THE CELLOPHANE, IT IS NOT A BAD IDEA TO APPLY EXTRA SEALANT!

ROOFERS don't want to remove it because of 2 reasons....it takes too long AND if your working like a mad man
and just throwing them down, there is a chance that a misalignment would have to be redone and a shingle wasted.

ITS ALL ABOUT THE $

Reply:

Anonymous

One simply cannot imagine any economic benefit to roofing shingle manufacturers that would accrue from your argument.

But you are part of a considerable group of folks who have trouble picturing where the release strip ends up and where the actual glue strips or spots end up as shingles are placed on the roof. Check out the photo with arrows in the article above and you'll see why leaving the release strip alone is harmless and is recommended.

I should add that in a few instances we have actually seen shingles damaged by the pulling off of the cellophane strip.

Bottom line: remember that the manufacturers have a lot at stake in the successful installation and life of their product. While there may be some arguable compromises on product quality, life, warranty and other worries, following the roof shingle manufacturer's own instructions on how their product should be installed is the smartest approach to roofing.

It is unfortunate that so many people are confused about the cellophane strips and roof shingle tab sealant, particularly as the manufacturers and other experts have written so clearly on the matter. What we have published on this matter is hardly personal opinion. It's researched and cites authorities on the topic.

You are mistaken in your "all about money" claim in this case - the manufacturers don't make any more money with or without cellophane strip removal, but they do know what leads to product success or product failure - which is of great import, and which is why shingle tab sealant is provided in the first place - to protect against wind uplift.

It would appear that your confusion and that of some other readers stems from failure to notice that when shingles are taken out of a bundle (in which the cellophane on an upper shingle's underside prevents it from adhering to the adhesive tabs on the upper surface of a shingle below), and then placed onto the roof in successive courses, the underside of the upper shingle is a good 4-6 inches higher up-roof (depending on the shingle exposure) than the tab adhesive spots of the shingle below.

Thus the cellophane, left in place as the shingles are installed, is now here near the sealant tabs so it can not interfere with shingle adhesion.

Take a look at the annotated photograph just above in this article and you can see that shingle layout.


...

Continue reading at WARRANTIES for ROOF SHINGLES or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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HOW TO REPORT SHINGLE FAILURES at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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