Causes & Types of Asphalt Shingle Roof Failures

ASPHALT SHINGLE FAILURE TYPES - How to identify types of asphalt shingle roofing failures/defects
- Causes & photographs of asphalt roof shingle cracking
- Types & photographs of organic felt asphalt roof shingle failures
- Shingle cupping, curling, cracking, fishmouthing, granule loss
- Asphalt roof shingle blisters and splices, photographs
- Black stains on roofing, extractive bleeding, moss, lichens on shingles
- Storm damaged shingles, wind blow-off, hail damage, ice chopping damage
- Storage, Poor Workmanship, Other roofing defects
Questions and answers about roof shingle failures, roof condition disclosure to buyers, recourse
References

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Asphalt roof shingle failure guilde: this article series tells readers how to identify & explain the most-common asphalt roof shingle failures and how to obtain asphalt roofing shingle failure claims assistance. Common asphalt shingle failure factors include improper storage and handling of the asphalt shingles before installation, improper nailing, improper flashing (which pertains to any roofing material), and defective asphalt shingle product material leading to thermal splitting, cracking, blistering, staining, and in some cases curling or cupping shingles.

What are the Types of Failures That Occur on Asphalt Shingle Roofs?

Storm damage from wind and hail occur and need to be distinguished from defective asphalt shingle product or asphalt shingle installation errors. Cupping and curling due to age can be distinguished from "fishmouthing" (shown in the photo above) caused by inadequate attic venting and building moisture.

Readers are also invited contribute roof failure information to the web author for research purposes. web author for research purposes.

In general, roof "failures" or complaints separate first into these general categories:

Cosmetic roof covering complaints, such as shadow lines, superficial blistering (maybe becomes a wear issue), uneven surfaces, improper randomizing of shingle bundles leading to color patches on the roof. Also see BLISTERS on ASPHALT SHINGLES and see STAIN DIAGNOSIS on ROOFS.
Functional roof covering defects that result in active leaks or an anticipated reduction in the life of the roof shingles compared with the shingle warranty period or shingle life anticipated by the manufacturer. Keep in mind that the life of any roofing product on a particular building is greatly influenced by factors beyond the material itself, such as
- Correct roof product installation according to the manufacturer's instructions and roofing industry standards for roof deck preparation, underlayment, placement, nailing, flashing, and even wear from traffic on the roof during and after installation.
- Roof slope, color, and orientation to sun and weather
- Effects of nearby trees
- See ASPHALT SHINGLE LIFE / WEAR FACTORS for our complete list of factors that affect the life of a roof

Asphalt Shingle Failure Types List

Below we list detailed articles describing types of asphalt shingle roof failure articles:

  ASPHALT SHINGLE INSTALLATION
  ASPHALT SHINGLE LIFE / WEAR FACTORS
  ASPHALT SHINGLE PROPERTIES
  ASPHALT SHINGLE RE-ROOF GUIDE
  ASPHALT SHINGLE UNDERLAYMENT SPECS
  ASPHALT SHINGLE VALLEY FLASHING
  ASPHALT SHINGLES on VERY STEEP ROOFS
  ALGAE, FUNGUS, LICHENS, MOSS COMPARED
  ALGAE STAINS ON ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES
  ALGAE STAIN TEST METHODS
  ALGAE, FUNGUS, LICHENS, MOSS on SHINGLES
  BLACK STAIN REMOVAL & PREVENTION
  BLISTERS on ASPHALT SHINGLES
  CELLOPHANE STRIP REMOVAL?
  CRACKS in FIBERGLASS SHINGLES
  CUPPING ASPHALT SHINGLES
  CURLING ASPHALT SHINGLES
  EARLY ASPHALT SHINGLE FAILURE
  EXTRACTIVE BLEEDING on SHINGLES
  FISHMOUTHING ASPHALT SHINGLES
  GRANULE LOSS from SHINGLES
  HAIL DAMAGED SHINGLES
  LADDERING & STAIR STEPPING SHINGLES
  LIFE / WEAR FACTORS in SHINGLES
  MECHANICAL DAMAGE of SHINGLES
  MOSS & LICHENS on SHINGLES
  ORGANIC FELT SHINGLE DEFECTS
  SPLICE DEFECTS on ASPHALT SHINGLES
  STAINS on ROOF SHINGLES
  WHAT ARE ASPHALT SHINGLES
  WIND DAMAGE to ROOFS

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Asphalt Roof Shingle Failures

Question: My Cracked Roof Shingles are a Product Defect but No One Told Me When I Was Buying the House

I am having a roofing issue and would love your opinion/suggestions on how to proceed.

I purchased a home in Jan. of 2010. The home was inspected by a licensed inspector prior to the purchase.

I recently had a roofing contractor come out to look at an issue I have with some siding. From the ground, the roofer noticed that the shingles were part of the GAF class action lawsuit from 1999. He got up on the roof and confirmed his suspicions. He also took photos of cracked and damaged shingles.

[Our photo at left of thermal splitting on an asphalt shingle roof is an example but it is not the very roof discussed in this question - DF]

I got some information about the roof from my realtor. The roof was replaced in the early part of 1999 with those GAF shingles. The house was sold in December of 1999.

I'm thinking that the class action/recall information never made it to the new owners or they chose to ignore it. Either way, we have a badly damaged roof, our inspector failed to note any of it, and 11+ years have passed since the class action lawsuit.

I am in the process of trying to file a claim with GAF, but I'm afraid that at best, I'll get a pro-rated amount (obviously just a fraction of an entire new roof).

My question is: do I have any recourse against the previous homeowner? the inspector?

I'm at a loss, so any ideas would be very helpful. Thanks very much - J.M.

Reply: How Do We Decide If a Home Defect Should Have Been (Could have Been) Disclosed?

Thermal splitting asphalt shingle (C) Daniel Friedman

First, you should obtain an accurate assessment of the roof condition, it's estimated remaining life, and whether or not the damage you report is significant - in writing, by a neutral professional. At CRACKS in FIBERGLASS SHINGLES we discuss asphalt shingle cracking and product failures that indeed were known to be happening around the time you bought the home.

While we still see an occasional asphalt shingle roof with thermal splitting (the cracks in the article we cite above), most of those roofs have been replaced by now.

If when you bought your home in 2010 its roof was covered by asphalt shingles that were 15 years or so old, and more if the shingles were visibly cracked or damaged, the inspector might have warned you that there was little or no reliable roof life remaining, independent of the product failure question.

You might have legal recourse over a home inspection adequacy or an owner or realtor disclosure issue, but that's a legal question to take to an attorney familiar with real estate law.

The attorney will want to review your contracts and any other documents presented at the time you purchased the home.

In our OPINION, IF there was visible evidence of a significant defect or dangerous condition at the time of your home inspection, the inspector should have told you about it.

Shingle cracks in cutouts (C) Daniel Friedman

Watch out: if conditions prevented the home inspector from direct access onto the roof or at least a look from a ladder set against the roof edge, shingle damage, cracks, and splits such as that shown in own photo (above left) could have been difficult or even impossible to spot. Inspecting the roof from the ground, even with good binoculars, can't show all roof damage types and conditions.

And keep in mind that there are good reasons that an inspector is never required to walk on a roof surface, such as accessibility, safety hazards and/or fragile roof conditions.

The asphalt shingle crack shown at left is located in the upper portion of an asphalt roof shingle, visible at the cutout between shingle tabs of the shingle course overlaying the split shingle. This crack would be just about impossible to see without a very careful on-roof inspection.

Additional on-roof photos of some hard-to-see shingle cracking problems are at CRACKS in FIBERGLASS SHINGLE.

In our OPINON, if you can show that the prior seller knew about the condition, s/he may have been obligated by real estate fraud law to tell you about it; though in some states the seller can pay a modest fee - in NY it's $500 - in exchange for being allowed to disclaim any representations about the condition of the home at the time of purchase. So particularly when such a disclaimer is going to be made, a thorough home inspection by a competent home inspector, and by one who has absolutely no conflicts of interest, is essential to protect both buyer and seller from a future dispute.

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Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com
Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY.
Asphalt Roofing Residential 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
Low Slope Roofing, Manual of, 4th Ed., C.W. Griffin, Richard Fricklas, McGraw-Hill Professional; 4 edition, 2006, ISBN-10: 007145828X, ISBN-13: 978-0071458283
- 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
Problems in Roofing Design, B. Harrison McCampbell, Butterworth Heineman, 1991 ISBN 0-7506-9162-X (available used)
Roofing The Right Way, Steven Bolt, McGraw-Hill Professional; 3rd Ed (1996), ISBN-10: 0070066507, ISBN-13: 978-0070066502
Slate Roofs, National Slate Association, 1926, reprinted 1977 by Vermont Structural Slate Co., Inc., Fair Haven, VT 05743, 802-265-4933/34. (We recommend this book if you can find it. It has gone in and out of print on occasion.)
"Weather-Resistive Barriers [copy on file as /interiors/Weather_Resistant_Barriers_DOE.pdf ] - ", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
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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
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