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all types of roofing | eavestrough | soffit | fascia | skylights | carpentry | repairs
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Midland
Penetanguishene
Roofing
Ph: 705-528-0555
Fax: 705-534-0621
Email: info@mproofing.com
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Q: What is the difference between a fiberglass and an organic shingle?
A: The difference between a fiberglass and an organic shingle is the type of mat that is used in the production of each shingle. Organic mats, which are used to make organic shingles, are composed primarily of cellulose fibers derived from selected recycled paper or converted wood chips. On the other hand, fiberglass mats which are used to make fiberglass shingles, are composed of glass filaments of various lengths and orientations, bonded together with inert binders. In most climates, both shingles, if installed properly on well-made roof decks, perform similarly.
Q: Why / When should I use an asphalt shingle underlayment (felt paper) ?
A: An asphalt shingle underlayment is typically dry felt that may be impregnated or coated with an asphalt saturant. The use of an underlayment is recommended for the following reasons:
Resins are produced by wood board decking. Asphalt-saturated felt protects shingles from the resins that may be released.
Asphalt-saturated felts protect decking material from wind-driven rain.
To validate warranties, many manufacturer's require the use of asphalt-saturated felts on a wood deck.
The use of asphalt-saturated felt reduces "picture framing." According to CASMA (1992), picture framing is the visible outline of deck panels caused by irregularities in roof decking thicknesses.
To obtain a Class A fire resistance rating, asphalt-saturated felts should be used underneath shingles reinforced with glass fibre felt.
The underlayment should conform with CSA 123.3-M (No. 15 / ASTM D226 Type 1 No. 15 felt) and/or CAN 2-51.32 (Breather Type Sheathing Paper) industry standards.
Q: What is a drip edge and how is it applied?
A: Drip edges are used for water shedding at the eaves and rakes and for preventing wood materials from rotting. It is important that the drip edge is "made of a corrosive-resistant material that extend approximately three inches back from the roof edges and bends downward over them." (Residential Asphalt Roofing Manual, 1997)
The drip edge should be applied beneath the underlayment or eave protection along the eaves and over the underlayment on the rakes.
Q: My gutter is filled with granules. Is there a problem with my shingles?
A: Not necessarily. An excessive amount of granules are applied during the shingle manufacturing process to make sure that the asphalt on the roofing sheet is completely covered. It is important to completely cover the sheet with granules so that the asphalt is not exposed to ultraviolet light.
The granules are then pressed in. Due to the excessive amount of granules applied, some of the granules are only held loosely in place. Most of the excess granules are removed by the shingle manufacturing process, but some of these granules do get packaged with the shingles. These excess granules are known as "hitchhiker" granules.
"Hitchhiker" granules will typically come off during the first two years of shingle exposure on the roof. They usually will be found in gutters or at the bottom of downspouts. The loss of these granules is normal and does not affect the performance of the shingle. Granule loss only becomes a problem when the asphalt becomes exposed on the surface of the shingle.
Q: What is causing the algae growth on my shingles?
A: Algae growth is typically seen on light colored shingles. It exists as a brown to black discoloration of the shingle and is caused by an algae known as Gloeocapsa.
Although algae may exist on a shingle, it does not affect the performance of the shingle. Essentially, this is an aesthetic problem.
Q: How do I get rid of the algae growth on my shingles?
A: There are several ways to reduce the discoloration:
For a new roof, install a zinc or galvanized type metal near the ridge of the roof. As the metal ions are oxidized and erode off of the metal strip, they wash down the roof inhibiting cellular algae growth.
A dilute solution of chlorine bleach, trisodium phosphate and water can be applied - one part chlorine bleach to three parts water with a quarter cup of trisodium phosphate. Note: Trisodium phosphate should be available at any paint supply store. Gently spray the solution on the shingles. For stains that are hard to remove, scrub mildly. Scrubbing too harshly will remove granules. Rinse the shingles thoroughly with water. In the past, this has been a temporary solution and usually needs to be repeated every couple of years. Apply this solution carefully to avoid damaging other parts of the building or the shrubbery below.
Due to the increase in algae discoloured roofs, shingles are now available with small quantities of zinc or copper granules embedded in the mineral surfaced granule coating. These particles inhibit the algae growth through some of the life of the asphalt roof.
Q: What are low slope roofs?
A: Roofs that have slopes of 4:12 or less are considered to be low slope roofs. (4:12 means a vertical rise of 4 inches for every 12 inch horizontal run, or 18.4°). Never apply asphalt shingles to slopes that are below 2:12 (9.5°). Shingles applied on low slope slopes do not last as long as shingles on steeper roof pitches, due to the increased exposure to sunlight and other weather conditions. Generally, laminated/architectural shingles are better suited to steep roofs, and do not offer aesthetic benefits when applied on low slopes.
Q: How can I reduce some of the problems associated with low slope roofs?
A: Low slope roofs are more susceptible to water entry due to ice dams and wind-driven rain. Therefore, the key to a successful low slope roof is to increase the water shedding properties of the roof system.
Rain and melting snow do not run off quickly on low slope roofs. As a result, the potential for ice dams is increased. By providing adequate ventilation the formation of ice dams can be decreased. Note: "The National Building Code of Canada allows various types of ice dam membranes to be used, but CASMA recommends that self-adhering modified asphalt membranes be used." (CASMA Technical Bulletin No. 16, 1998)
Q: What is fish mouthing?
A: Fish mouthing is the raising of a portion of the front edge of a shingle to create an "eyebrow" appearance. This may occur at the lower tab edge or along the cutout edge. These distortions may be more noticeable on certain roofs because of the slope, sunlight and shingle color. These "fish mouths" do not affect the life expectancy of the shingle, and they do not result in leakage, blow-off or other shingle problems.
Q: What is color shading?
A: A roof observed from different lighting conditions or angles may have darker or lighter spots in certain areas. This apparent difference in color is referred to as "shading." Shading is usually caused by unavoidable slight variations in texture which occur during the shingle manufacturing process.
Black or dark colored shingles are more prone to shading problems. A small amount of light is reflected from dark surfaces. Therefore, even slight textural differences may cause shading. Light colored shingles reflect greater amounts of light than darker shingles and as a result it is harder to notice shading problems. Since blends are made from a number of colors, shading differences are masked and are even less noticeable.
The material on the back of a shingle is sometimes transferred to other shingles that are next to it. Also, when shingles are stacked too high or stored for long periods of time, stains can develop. Both conditions can create the appearance of shading. These are only temporary problems and the will naturally weather off.
Note: Shading does not effect the water shedding performance or life expectancy of a shingle.
Q: What are the aging signs in shingles?
A: All shingles, whether organic or glass based, will be subjected to UV rays from the sun, causing the asphalt coating to dry, loosening the granules covering in the long run. Other visible signs are pieces of torn shingles, curled tab corners as well as centerline cracks.
Q: How can I ensure proper performance from shingles in cold climates?
A: Proper performance from shingles installed and used in cold weather can be achieved by following the recommendations listed below:
Make sure that the roof is properly ventilated.
Be careful when using shingles in cold weather. They tend to get brittle and may crack or break. Try not to throw, drop or bend shingles.
If you are in an area that experiences freezing winter temperatures, eaves protection should be used to reduce water damage from ice dam formation. Use self-adhering eave protector membranes. They are easier to work with in cold weather.
Hand seal asphalt shingles in cold weather with an asphaltic cement recommended by the manufacturer.
When applying ridge caps, keep the shingles that are being used as ridge caps in a warm place so that they will be flexible enough to bend.
When re-covering an existing roof with new shingles, make sure that the old shingles are flat.
In areas that receive high amounts of snowfall, try not to damage shingles when removing snow. Damage caused by snow removal is not covered under our limited material warranty.
Use caution if walking on a roof in the winter time. The sealant bond between shingles can become quite brittle in cold weather. Therefore, traffic on the roof may cause sealant bonds to break.
Q: What is winter curling?
A: When the front edge of a shingle tab lifts to form a shallow "U" saucer shape in cold weather and flattens when the weather is warmer, this phenomenon is known as winter curling. Sometimes, the entire front edge of a shingle may lift uniformly.
When the top surface of the shingle is cooled, this part of the shingle contracts. At the same time, the bottom of the shingle receives a certain amount of heat from the attic, especially if the attic ventilation is insufficient. As a result, the shingle curls slightly.
The appearance of winter curling depend on: the age of the shingle, whether the attic is sufficiently ventilated, the type of shingle, roof pitch, humidity and climate. Complete elimination of winter curling is rare, although the durability and watershedding properties are not affected.
Wind-driven rain is another concern associated with low slope roofs. By improving the underlayment or by using a special shingle application method, the damaged caused by wind-driven rain can be reduced.
Q: Can hail affect asphalt roofing shingles?
A: Hail can affect asphalt roofing shingles. The damage caused by hail can be classified into two groups: aesthetic damage and functional damage. Aesthetic damage results in slight granule loss and the life of the shingle is usually not affected. Functional damage is characterized by substantial granule loss or cracking or penetration of the shingle. Functional damage may result in short term leaks or a reduction of the life expectancy of the shingle.
Q: What are ice dams?
A: Ice dam formation is the result of continuous freezing and thawing of snow due to escaping heat from the house or from gutters being backed up with frozen slush. When this occurs, water may be driven under the roof which may cause ceiling, wall, insulation and gutter damage.
Q: What can I do about ice dams?
A: Ice dams can be preventing from forming by:
Installing a vapour barrier above the home's warm space.
Insulating the attic floor.
Ventilating the attic.
Damage from ice dams, if they do form, can be reduced by:
Removing debris from gutters so that it does not build up over time.
Making sure that the outer edges of the gutters are lower than the slope line. This will allow for snow and ice to slide clear.
Installing eaves flashing, such as IKO's ArmourGard Ice & Water Protector
Q: Can I use salt to remove the ice on my shingles?
A: Yes, but there are some drawbacks to doing this.
Q: Can I use a shovel to remove snow and ice from my shingles?
A: Yes, but it is not recommended.
Q: How are shingles made?
A: Shingles are made in a continuous web process. Large rolls of felt are fed into a dry looper, which serves as an accumulator. The felt then goes to the saturator tank. In the saturator tank, the felt is impregnated with saturant asphalt. From the saturator tank, the felt moves to the wet looper, where the saturant is drawn into the felt as it cools. This allows the felt to attain a high degree of saturation and dries the surface of the sheet. The saturated organic felt or the glass mat (glass mat shingles do not require the saturation process) moves to the coater. At the coater, coating (asphalt with air blown through it) is applied to the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet. Mineral stabilizers are added to the coating which improve the shingle's fire resistance and weather ability. Next, granules are applied to the top surface of coating. Granules are ceramically colored crushed rock; the granules give the shingle its color, but more importantly protect the coating from ultraviolet light. Back surfacing is then applied to the sheet to prevent it from sticking to the machine and to other shingles when packaged. The release tape is also applied to the back of the sheet to prevent the sealant buttons from sticking to the next shingle in the package. The granules are then pressed into the top coating. Once the sheet is cooled, sealant buttons are applied. The sealant buttons allow one shingle to bond to the overlying shingle on a roof, to prevent wind uplift. The roofing sheet is then measured and cut into shingles. At this stage, the two pieces of laminated shingles are adhered together. The shingles are wrapped into bundles and stored in the warehouse until they are ready to be shipped to the appropriate location.
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