One of the most common symptoms of roof damage is when the top has curled shingle edges or
cupped shingle edges.
Both of these issues are caused mainly by the moisture on your roofing deck or underlayment.
Curled shingles look like something is pushing them from beneath, and cupped shingles look like
their central part is sinking.
Curled Shingles are caused by lack of insulation or poor attic ventilation, as well as improper
installation.
Cupped Shingles are caused when inferior quality materials are deployed or simply due to the
harsh environmental conditions.
You can see the deformity of shingles from the ground. This deformity is a warning sign that
your roof needs replacement. Otherwise, in the case of a storm, the barely attached shingles will
be completely ripped off and leave your underlayment or decking exposed and vulnerable.
Here are the common causes of curled and cupped roofing shingles explained
further
Moisture:
Moisture is the root of many roofing problems. This moisture can be absorbed by the decking
during the roof replacement process and consequently seep into the underlayment, causing it to
wrinkle. This wrinkling will cause the shingles to propel up.
However, the most common cause of moisture is inadequate attic ventilation. Due to different
electrical appliances and other activities, hot, humid air stars rising to the ceiling from our
rooms. Once this hot air hits the cold inner surface of the decking, it immediately condenses. The
extended contact of these condensed vapours with the decking weakens its structure because of
rot, mould and termites. In addition to these vapour formation, the hot air itself is harmful to your
roof too. The roof is already battling the brutal sun rays from the outside. And, when there is
inadequate ventilation, the roof decking also has to encounter hot, humid air hitting it from
beneath constantly.
Once the decking structure is debilitated, the adhesion with the underlayment and shingles also
weakens since the shape and form of decking no longer remain intact.
UV Damage:
You might have proper ventilation but still have curling or cupped shingles on your roof. But,
don’t worry, there is a reason for that too.
The reason is brutal UV rays hitting the granules on your shingles. These UV rays are damaging,
and if your roof is unfortunately at a boiling place. The UV rays will remove the tarry substance
on these shingles. After removing this tarry substance, the UV rays will dry, shrink and crack the
shingles.
Thermal Shock:
Roofing shingles can only shrink and compress to a certain degree. The elasticity of the roofing
shingles weakens when placed in conditions where the weather changes all the time, has hot days
and cold nights. Thermal shock exacerbates the unfortunate situation caused by UV rays. The
rapid stretching and contracting also weaken the adhesion of the roofing shingles with the
underlayment and decking.
Defective Shingles:
Another reason why shingles show curling or cupping at edges is that their manufacturing is
faulty. Shingles manufacturing uses a combination of ingredients, each added in its proper
proportion. However, If one component like sticky tar is added more than its defined proportion,
then it ruins and compromises the entire shingle’s structural integrity. The imbalance causes the
shingle to lose its granules at a much faster pace. When the granules are gone, the exposed areas
become more vulnerable to harmful sunrays. Consequently, the shingle changes its structure
which again causes it to detach from the underlayment.
What To DO?
If you’re facing these roofing problems, then don’t worry! Reliable Roofing can inspect your roof
and tell you the necessary course of actions. Never show disinterest in curling or cupping
shingles. These defective shingles won’t just ruin the overall look and appeal of your home.
They’re a symptom of the need for a complete roof replacement. If you choose Reliable Roofing
as your roofing contractor, we’ll not just replace your roof or damaged parts of it. We’ll also
evaluate why there were curled or cupped shingles in the first place. For instance, if our
diagnosis leads to us concluding that you have issues in your ventilation, we’ll recommend you
get proper ventilation before starting working on your new roof. Another advantage of hiring us
as your roofing company is that we only use the top quality roofing shingles whose granules
don’t fall off easily.
