Shingle 411 for New Homeowners!

Most homeowners in the US have composition shingles on their home. The word composition is used because the shingle is a composite of asphalt, fiberglass or cellulose mat and then covered with shiny granules that are made from ceramic, minerals or metal. 

The granules in a shingle wear over time and are lost due to contact with debris, foot traffic and weather patterns - sun, rain, hail, snow. Luckily in most parts of California we don’t have to deal with the last two — with hail being particularly hard on roofing systems. How do you know it’s time to replace your shingles? As you examine a worn roof, you will notice that granules can collect in the gutter or on the roof leaving the mat of the shingle visible.

Composition shingles can be categorized by pound per square foot - the heavier the shingle the longer it will last. Your basic 3tab shingle will last 25 years, dimensional (most common) is 30 years and then a designer or architectural shingle can last as long as 50 years. 

Depending on the shingle on your home, after the appropriate time has elapsed, it’s time to replace your shingle (and check on what’s underneath!) And this may seem obvious, but any leaks or moisture on the inside of your house is a sign that there is a failure in some aspect of the roofing system and should be dealt with immediately. Do not wait to address issues of moisture! A proper seal of the external envelope of your home and a functioning, healthy roofing system are paramount to your home's energy efficiency. 

Check your roof for bare mats stripped of granules or patterns of ware in valleys, transitions and areas containing other objects connected to the roof (satellite dishes, window dormers, etc) - these are the areas most likely to fail. 

At Castone Roofing we are proud official applicators of Malarkey Roofing Products. It is a superior upcycled product that contains amazing technology in the granules that actually reduces smog. The granules are manufactured by 3M and we find that aspect of the product so exciting. We recommend checking out their outstanding educational material on their website. 

https://malarkeyroofing.com/products

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