What Does Granule Loss Mean For Your Roofing System?

Mineral granules across a roofing system are designed to protect shingles from weather and sunlight. Shingles can start to lose these granules over time whether it’s from inclement weather or from heavy storm damage. Regular inspections are the best choice to protect yourself and your roof from granule loss. A professional roofing contractor can come in and easily scout out the signs of decaying granules and help advise you on the best solution for the situation. If you start to notice the signs of granule loss, such as granules making their way to the ground after a serious storm, it could be wise for you to consider getting a roofing repair or replacement.

New Roofing

Asphalt shingles are manufactured with granules built into them. Some other granule systems will interlock with embedded granules but none are actually attached to the surface. These granules will fall off during storms or when there is an extensive amount of wear on the roofing system. Granules and asphalt will loosen away from your roofing system and may be carried away in runoff.

The Slope of Your Roof

The slope of your roof can also be responsible for granule locks. South and west facing slopes on your roof are often affected by granule loss because they are exposed to storms and the sun more often. The sun is a huge culprit when it comes to roof damage and granule loss on your roof. In climates with heavy sunshine, such as Florida, roofs take more of a beating; it is important to be up to date with scheduling roofing inspections to keep an eye out for these symptoms.

Your Shingle Manufacturer

The older your material is, the more likely it is to experience problems like granule loss. Some roofing contractors work with lower quality materials to save money, these low quality shingles are more likely to have problems and certain batches of these shingles can be especially problematic. Shingles that come from different batches will often experience different rates of wearing this can mean that you may end up with a section of your roof that is missing many granules whereas the other remains intact. Impurities during manufacturing can also speed up granule loss which will lead to more problems with shingle strength.

Ongoing Foot Traffic

Asphalt shingles are not designed for continuous foot traffic and this can cause many granules to become loose as for traffic increases across your roofing system. Limiting foot traffic to the minimal inspections that you may need to make can be crucial.

These are some of the most common reasons that home and business owners experience granule loss on their roofs. If you notice any problems with your roof, not just granule loss, contact us for an inspection in a timely manner. Roofing problems are notorious for rapidly growing into huge headaches, avoid this pitfall and let Old Time Roofing handle your maintenance and repair today!