Why is My Roof Missing Shingles?

Is your roof looking a little patchy? Are you finding random shingles in your landscaping?

Missing shingles turning up on the ground are not an encouraging sight. They’re a sign that something’s wrong with your roof, and if you’re like us, you probably want to get to the bottom of it.

There are a number of reasons that roof shingles go missing, and if you’re hoping to stop them from falling off, you came to the right place. Here are a few of the most common reasons shingles start falling and what you can do about them:

 

Wind

The number one reason most quality roofs are missing shingles has to do with high winds and extreme weather. While asphalt shingles can stand up to quite a lot, when serious storms come along, there’s always the possibility that you could lose a few shingles. If the wind gets up under the shingles, it can have enough force to rip the shingles right from your roof.

What’s the Solution?

Luckily, if your home is losing shingles due to high winds, your roof really isn’t to blame. If you catch the problem quickly, your roofer should be able to just add in a few new shingles where the old ones used to be, and you shouldn’t have too much of a problem.

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to prevent against high winds. Asphalt shingles are a seriously durable roofing material, but even they can’t always stand up to Mother Nature in the event of high winds.

Since you can’t do much in the way of prevention, it’s best to just make sure you’re giving your roof a close inspection with a pair of binoculars after serious storms so you can get missing shingles replaced as soon as possible to avoid any further damage to your roof.

 

Age

If your roof is getting on in years, you might start to notice shingles falling off, curling, or more. Asphalt roofs have an average lifespan of about 12-15 years, so if it’s been much longer than that, the simple fact is that your shingles have seen about all of the wear and tear they can handle. A few signs that your shingles could be falling off due to old age:

• Shingles don’t have many granules — the gritty granules on shingles are important. When they start to wear off, it’s a sign that your roof is getting pretty old and might need replacement.
• Shingles are curling — Extreme heat and temperature changes will eventually cause shingles to curl. This is a classic sign that your roof is near the end of its life.
• Shingles are cracking — If you’re finding shingles on the ground below your roof, and you notice that some of them have deep cracks, that’s another sign of their age. Like curling, extreme temperatures can cause shingles to dry out and crack over time. When this happens, it’s usually a sign you need a new roof.

What’s the Solution?

If your roof is just plain old, your only real solution is a replacement. When asphalt shingles reach the end of their life, all you can do is replace them. If your roof is more than 12-15 years old, and you’re noticing shingles falling off, curling, and cracking, it’s time for a new roof. Here are a few tips when planning for a new roof.

 

Installation Issues

Noticing shingles falling off a brand new or fairly new roof? If you haven’t had any high winds, installation could be to blame. Roof manufacturers have very strict guidelines for how their products should be installed, and if your roofer didn’t follow those instructions to a T, you might run into problems like shingles falling off, even though your roof is only a few years old.

What’s the Solution?

Quality roofers stand by their work. If you have a newer roof that’s losing shingles for no good reason, call up your roofer. They should work with you to at least replace the shingles that have fallen, and inspect the rest of the roof to see what the real problem is.

If you’re having trouble getting ahold of the roofer who installed a roof that’s now falling apart, you might want to get a second or third opinion. Most local roofers offer initial inspections for free — they’ll tell you what the problem is with your roof, and offer an estimate for the fix. This can help give you an idea of what’s going wrong, and you can take that information to the roofer who installed your roof.

 

If your roof is missing shingles but you’re still not sure why, the Werner Roofing team can help you figure out what the problem is. No matter how big or small the job, we’re happy to help you fix or repair any missing shingles. Give us a call today at 616-844-5382 or contact us online for your free estimate.