Does the Sun Hurt My Roof?

Summer is quickly coming to a close! This season in Connecticut has been one with brutally hot, sunny, and days with erratic temperatures. We have all heard the push from the medical community warning about the dangers of the sun on our skin, but does the sun hurt my roof?

UV Rays

If you can remember from your high school science class, the sun (which is 93,000,000 miles away from our Earth) emits powerful, harsh ultraviolet light (UV). This is a type of electromagnetic radiation that has a wavelength between 10 nm to 400 nm. This means that we can’t see the rays beaming from the sun, but they are very powerful! If not for the Earth’s atmosphere filtering them out before reaching the surface, they would be even more harmful to us. Even on cloudy days, UV rays are still being absorbed by your roof. In our last article, which you can find here, we talked about what asphalt shingles are made of and why they’re so resistant. But, over time, the UV rays we discussed take their toll on the shingles protecting your home. The chemical properties of shingles begin to decay; thus, we see they are no longer reminiscent of how they looked when they were first installed on your home.

Heat

Your roof acts as a barrier protecting you, your home, and valuables from the brutal heat of the sun. On a 90° day, the roof on your home can reach temperatures as high as 160°. This massive amount of heat energy will cause the materials composing your shingles to expand then contract as the temperature falls. Over time, this expansion and contraction will cause the shingles to not fit as well as they did when first installed. The shingles may come loose, buckle, or lift from the corners. Another concern regarding heat is a phenomenon called thermal shock. The shingle may expand (due to heat) by different amounts on different parts of the shingle. The differential in expansion will strain the system, eventually causing cracks and degradation from the material not being able to handle the intense shifts in temperature and expansion/contraction.

What to Look For

It’s always best to have an experienced professional inspect your roof from roof level. However, many symptoms of sun damage can be seen from the ground. Cracked, warped, curled, and bleached shingles are all causes for some level of concern because these symptoms mean the structural integrity of your roof is compromised. Please call us or schedule an appointment online if you would like us to assess your roof for these problems.

Every situation is different. This is meant only as a guide to help inform you of general roofing situations and maintenance. This is not a complete and exhaustive list or statement of every possible scenario and problem that could arise. We will not be held liable for any damage or injury sustained directly or indirectly from the information provided in this article/post.

 

About JPW Building, LLC

Also known as Guaranteed Roofing, we are a full-service roofing contractor servicing Connecticut and Rhode Island with specializations in roof repair for asphalt roofing, metal roofing, and commercial roofing. Installing multiple roofs every week, Guaranteed Roofing Guarantees all workmanship, materials, and satisfaction for every job. We specialize in roof replacement for leaking roof. We are an affordable roofing contractor who keeps roof repair cost low. For roofers near me, look no further than Guaranteed Roofing. Guaranteed Roofing’s installers are certified roofing contractors for Owens Corning, Certainteed, Tamko and GAF roofing products. These certifications allow us to offer a higher level of warranty coverage on these products and they indicate that we are fully licensed in Connecticut and Rhode Island as a proven roofing installer committed to continuing our education and services and have the highest standards of excellence, quality, and knowledge in the roofing industry. If you would like to schedule an estimate with The Reader’s Choice Award Winner for best Roofer in Windham County and one of the best roofing companies, please click here.

Copyright © 2019 JPW Building, LLC – All Rights Reserved.

Skip to content