How Granular Loss Can Impact Your Roof

Granular loss is an occurrence that those with an asphalt roof may come across. This means that the roof needs attention. Asphalt shingles start losing the exterior surface cover in the form of small granules due to excessive wear or tear or prolonged erosion without proper maintenance. These often get deposited in the gutter or fall to the ground over time, notes Bigham & Associates Management company.

Many people ignore these signs and overlook the need for immediate roofing repair or replacement. As a result, the situation worsens further, leading to cracks and leaks, along with curled and missing shingles. So, every house owner must know the impacts of granular loss on their roofs, especially if it’s an older structure.

What causes a granular loss in roof shingles?

Granules are usually made from small stones and fiberglass that adhere to the shingles’ surface and act as the first line of protection against environmental elements. But after several years, you will find these granules weaken and fall, leaving the shingles bare and exposed to corrosion and wear and tear. Here are some common causes for granular loss.

• Poor-quality asphalt shingles have loosely connected granules. As a result, they start losing the external protective covering after a couple of years.
• Improper installation of the shingles also increases the chances of granular loss significantly, especially if they are exposed to wear and tear often.
• Constant exposure to heavy foot traffic during maintenance or new installations on the roof can also lead to granular loss, especially if proper precautions are not taken.
• Often, you will find trees and branches causing friction with the roof shingles. This also leads to granular loss due to constant surface scraping and excessive contact friction.
• If the roof is subjected to pressure washing too often, the granular loss will increase due to the use of excessive force during the wash.

In what ways does granular loss impact the roof?

Once the roof shingles start losing the external protective layer of granules, there will be severe consequences if not addressed at the right time. Below, we have discussed some of the negative impacts of granular loss.

1. Loss of extra protection: As discussed above, shingle granules act as the first line of defense against environmental variables and wear and tear. So, the granular loss will reduce the protective covering of the shingles, exposing them to corrosion and erosion.
2. Reduced longevity: Once the shingles lose the granular coating, they will suffer more damage and develop cracks and leaks. As a result, their longevity will reduce significantly, forcing you to get them replaced.
3. Increased repair costs: Repairing the roofing structure that has suffered from granular loss will be quite expensive. Besides, installing a new granular coating on the shingles involves higher material and labor expenses.

Conclusion

Addressing granular loss in its early stages helps avoid the implications we have discussed above. However, whether simple repair work will suffice for the loss or the roof needs a complete replacement of the affected shingles can be decided only with the help of a professional roofing contractor.