Roofing…Overlooked and underappreciatedWed, 08/29/2012 - 18:21 — TomKrugerA comment about the roof coverings and the effect of ventilation. In the Grayslake, IL area, roof covering is usually asphalt shingles. Two general statements that hold true are (a) three tab asphalt shingles are a lower grade than architectural multilayered asphalt shingles; and (b) the life of an asphalt shingle increases with the increased pitch of the roof. In fact, shingles should never be used on a flat or nearly flat roof. The average life of an asphalt shingle is between 20 and 30 years, depending on the quality of the shingle and the pitch of the roof. A low quality shingle placed on a steep pitched roof might last 25 years plus while a quality shingle placed on a roof not as steeply pitched might last 25 years or less.
However, the asphalt shingles above were installed only 16 years ago, something has gone wrong. There are other underlying problems. As the sun beats down on the roof, it heats the shingle. Not only is the shingle heated but so is the wood material behind the shingle. Eventually the air in the attic is heated. In the summertime, temperatures can reach over 160F, thus cooking the shingle from Reply |