The main role of roof shingles is to form a layer of protection around a building in order to protect the structure from extreme weather changes, thereby reducing maintenance costs and increasing the value of a property . When it comes to selecting a material to be used in these shingles, there are options to choose between asphalt singles, organic shingles and tile shingles. Amongst all of these, asphalt shingles offer the twin benefit of affordability and durability.
However for structures that are constructed in geographical regions where there are sudden and extreme temperature changes, asphalt shingles do not prove to be a feasible option. This is primarily because fluctuations in temperature lead to cracks in the shingles, often causing long term damage. The other consideration is that, while people and architects can choose from a variety of colors and textures, asphalt shingles can only be used on roofs that have steep slopes .
The most common factor that leads to extensive shingle damage are hurricanes and storms that hit a region. This is because strong winds and rain results in tree branches falling off, carrying he debris across buildings, which in turn may fall on top of the roof of a building. Since one of the functions of installing a shingle on the roof a building is to minimize wind resistance, in the case of a storm, the wind forces become so strong that they are able to rip shingles off the roof, leaving the roof materials underneath completely vulnerable . This in turn, may also make the roof weaker and increase chances of seepage and leakage.
However, what is important to understand is that the extent and expenses of repair required, depends on how many and how much of the shingles have gone missing. In cases where only a handful of shingles have been damaged, it does not result in extensive roof damage and a quick fix is to pad the underside of the roof (where the shingle damage has occurred) with felt paper to keep water out. Since the process is simple, it can be done by a homeowner himself. The only problem is that while this is a relatively cheap and easy to implement solution, felt paper in itself is not very durable, particularly in tropical conditions with heavy rains and strong winds. Once it begins deteriorating, water will start entering the roof, causing water damage there and if allowed to seep into the walls, there is a chance of permanent damage to foundation of the structure.
The problem of wrinkles or creases occurs when the roof repair process has not been completed properly, especially when felt is used in moist weather. A common practice is to remove the old shingles and complete the felting process on one day and install the new shingles the next. If organic felt paper is used for felting, leaving it exposed to the air causes the paper to absorb moisture, wrinkle and crease. This can be easily avoided by working on the roof in sections, and tearing off only those sections that can be felted and shingled as soon as possible. The roof will not have any creases or bumps if time lag between felting and shingling is minimized, and the felt is allowed to dry out properly before placing shingles on top of it .
Another common reason as to why creases appear in the roofing system is because during the initial construction, enough gaps were not left between plywood boards to allow room for the material’s expansion and contraction. The other possibility is when the roof was being sheathed, the workmen failed to fasten the plywood properly with the roof frame . In order to determine if the creases are caused due to a lack of gaps or improper fastening of the plywood, is to press down on the roof area with this problem. If the shingles move, that indicates a gap, but if the shingles underneath broke down due to lack of space, then the crease/wrinkle will not move at all.
Whatever the underlying cause of the wrinkles may be, it is important to have this problem fixed as soon as possible. This is because missing shingles and creases compromise the integrity of the roof, and rain water, dust and debris will all enter the house, and in extreme situations, even cause the roof to collapse inwards.
Works Cited
Marshall, Timothy P. "Wind Effects on Asphalt Shingles." Journal of Roofing and Building Materials (2012): 10-20. Print.
Warseck, Karen. "Roof Failure: Effect and cause." Journal of Building Operations Management (2009): 24-34. Print.
