Do High Summer Temperatures Cook Roof Shingles on Long Island?

High summer temperatures can “cook” and damage your shingles if you don’t have an adequate ventilation system. Summer heat is a factor in shingle failure and early roof replacement.

Learn how you can protect your roof with a detailed roof inspection as we move into Long Island’s hottest months of the year.

Key Takeaways: Summer Sun and Your Roofing Shingles

• Improper roof ventilation causes shingles to overheat and degrade.
• Heat-damaged shingles can crack, curl, and lift away from the surface.
• Damaged shingles are more likely to leak and tear off in a storm.
• A detailed roofing inspection on Long Island will ensure your home is protected.

What Happens to Roof Shingles in Extreme Heat?

Heat is the enemy of roof shingles and a leading cause of early failure.

• Shingles curl and buckle when they expand under hot sunlight.
• They can eventually crack from continued expansion and contraction.
• Granules strip off from the surface, reducing the shingle’s UV resistance.
• This damage increases the risk of water penetration.
• Cracked and damaged shingles are more likely to rip off in strong winds.

Heat forces shingles to go through a complex chemical breakdown with various stages. Extreme heat can damage the adhesive underneath shingles, compromising their connection to the roof. That’s when they start to curl and crack. Even a single cracked and lifted shingle is a major problem. It compromises the stability of all the shingles around it.

The result is that if one shingle starts to tear off in a storm, it’s likely to take the surrounding shingles with it.

How You Can Protect Your Roofing Shingles from the Summer Sun?

Because the shingles are heated from above, we need to cool them from below. Your roof ventilation system is what keeps your shingles lasting for years, if not decades at a time. Air moving through the attic cools the roofing surface and protects shingles. It also helps to prevent mold and helps prevent ice and moisture damage in winter.

People often overlook the ventilation system because the surface of the roof is more obvious. Even if your roof looks like it’s in good condition, incorrect venting could mean that your shingles are slowly failing from within.

• A licensed roofing contractor on Long Island will inspect your roof ventilation during a detailed roof inspection.
• With adequate airflow through soffit and ridge vents, your shingles will last longer with a lower risk of early failure.
• Sometimes the vents are properly designed but obstructed from pest activity, debris, or movement of the attic insulation.
• Your contractor will clear the vents to ensure that air moves freely.

With two inspections a year (one after winter and another after the hurricane season), you can extend the life of your roof.

Your roofing contractor will also check the roof surface to identify cracks, missing granules, warped shingles, and problems with the roof deck. An inspection might require some minor repairs to safeguard your roof. Your contractor will take pictures of any damage and provide a quote for an effective roof repair.

Book Your Next Roof Inspection with Renew Roofing Solutions

Renew Roofing Solutions is your local Long Island roofing contractor. We are available for inspections, roof repairs, leak repairs, and roof replacement/installation. Our experienced team will ensure that your home is protected from the elements and ready to withstand scorching summer temperatures and Atlantic storms.

Do you have concerns about your shingles or roof ventilation system? Book a roof inspection now by calling us at 516-212-0307 or 914-415-7702.