Welcome to Thomas Ford Roofing Company
Roofing Specialist In Modesto, California
Roofing Specialist In Modesto, California
What are the warning signs that my roof needs attention?
What can be done about the black streaks on my
shingles? (see ALGAE GROWTH below)
Depicted below are symptoms that indicate your roof may need to
be serviced or replaced. Click on any problem to learn what's
causing it and how to fix it. If your roof is in the last 20% of its
expected life, you should probably think about replacing the roof
instead of repairing it.
ALGAE GROWTH
Algae growth causes a dark discoloration
on roofs. The algae are usually brown to
black in color which results in a streaked,
dirty looking rooftop. It can be mistaken
for soot, dirt, or tree droppings, which typically produce only
localized discoloration. It's caused by the growth of air-borne algae
which deposits spores on your roof. The good news is that algae
growth does not affect the service life of your roofing material. It
occurs most often in warm, humid climates such as the Southeast.
Discoloration of roofs caused by algae is difficult to remove, but may
be lightened by spraying a diluted solution of chlorine bleach,
trisodium phosphate, and water onto the roof. Solutions range from
one cup TSP, one gallon bleach and four gallons of water, to one
cup TSP and 2.5 gallons each of bleach and water. This solution
can then be rinsed from the roof in 10 to 15 minutes. Do not scrub.
Scrubbing will loosen and remove shingle granules. After spraying
be sure to thoroughly flush the roof and the greenery around the
home (grass, bushes and shrubs) with water. The effectiveness of
this type of cleaning may only be temporary, and the discoloration
may recur. High pressure washing is not recommended due to the
possibility of removing shingle granules, thereby shortening the life
of the Roofing System.
For a more permanent solution, re-roof with algae-resistant
shingles. They are specifically designed to inhibit most algae growth
for extended periods of time and are usually backed by some type of
manufacturer's warranty.
Buckling
Wrinkled or improperly applied
applied over old, rough shingles
Roof deck movement from absorbed
moisture
Poor roof ventilation
Remove the shingles that are affected. Cut the wrinkle in the felt or
smooth the original layer of shingles and replace the new shingles.
Add ventilation to the attic space. According to most building codes,
you need one square foot of vent area for each 150 square feet of
attic floor space. The minimum is one square foot for every 300
square feet of attic floor space, if the space is balanced between the
ridge and intake vents. A balanced ventilation system means that
about 50 percent of the required ventilating area should be provided
by vents located in the upper portion of your attic to serve as
exhaust vents, with the remaining 50 percent provided by eave
vents for intake.
Curling
High nails
Improper number of fasteners per shingle
Lack of ventilation
Check location and number of fasteners to insure that the shingles
are installed per the manufacturers instructions. If high nails are
present, use a hammer to make the nail head flush with the top of
the shingle.
Add ventilation to the attic space. According to most building codes,
you need one square foot of vent area for each 150 square feet of
attic floor space. The minimum is one square foot for every 300
square feet of attic floor space, if the space is balanced between the
ridge and intake vents. A balanced ventilation system means that
about 50 percent of the required ventilating area should be provided
by vents located in the upper portion of your attic to serve as
exhaust vents, with the remaining 50 percent provided by eave
vents for intake.
Damaged Flashing
Improper installation on a new roof
Drying and cracking on an old roof
Dented or bent by severe weather or
extreme temperatures
Settling of the structure
In most cases it is only necessary to remove and replace the
flashing and shingles around the damaged area.
Missing Granules
Normally a certain number of
granules will be loose, especially
after application. These granules
are called "riders" and are a normal
result of the manufacturing process.
Granule loss does not affect the service life of the shingles unless
the loss is severe enough to expose the asphalt or fiberglass mat.
On aging shingles, missing granules indicate a need for
replacement.
Following a hail storm, a sudden increase in granule loss is an
indicator of possible hail damage.
Missing Shingles
Improper fastening
Exposure to high winds
Replace shingles which have completely blown off.
Remove and replace shingles which have broken tabs.
For shingles with tabs blowing up and down, hand seal the shingles
with an asphalt plastic cement, commonly referred to as flashing
cement. This roofing cement must comply with ASTM D4586 -- Type
I or Type II which is the standard specifically for asbestos-free
asphalt plastic roof cement.
To hand seal, lift each tab of a 3-tab shingle and apply two spots of
the cement under each tab. Each spot should be approximately the
size of a quarter and placed 1" to 2" from each end of the tab and
near the bottom. Laminated shingles require 4 spots of cement per
shingle. After application, press the tab down firmly to start the
bond. Be careful not to apply the cement too close to the bottom of
the tab. This causes the cement to squeeze out when the tab is
pressed down.
Ceiling Spots
Spots are caused by leaks in the roof.
Check attic for leaks in deck.
Check chimney and vents for cracks in flashing.
Check rafters for leaks that "travel" away from original source.
Check eaves for water backing up from ice dams.
Check roof for damaged or missing shingles.
Rotting
Rotting is caused by absorption of moisture
by the mat at the core of the shingle.
This is a common problem with
organic-based shingles.
Replace with fiberglass mat shingles.
Blistering
Moisture in the shingle
If the blisters break open revealing the asphalt, the affected shingles
should be replaced.
What can be done about the black streaks on my
shingles? (see ALGAE GROWTH below)
Depicted below are symptoms that indicate your roof may need to
be serviced or replaced. Click on any problem to learn what's
causing it and how to fix it. If your roof is in the last 20% of its
expected life, you should probably think about replacing the roof
instead of repairing it.
ALGAE GROWTH
- Causes
Algae growth causes a dark discoloration
on roofs. The algae are usually brown to
black in color which results in a streaked,
dirty looking rooftop. It can be mistaken
for soot, dirt, or tree droppings, which typically produce only
localized discoloration. It's caused by the growth of air-borne algae
which deposits spores on your roof. The good news is that algae
growth does not affect the service life of your roofing material. It
occurs most often in warm, humid climates such as the Southeast.
- Recommendations
Discoloration of roofs caused by algae is difficult to remove, but may
be lightened by spraying a diluted solution of chlorine bleach,
trisodium phosphate, and water onto the roof. Solutions range from
one cup TSP, one gallon bleach and four gallons of water, to one
cup TSP and 2.5 gallons each of bleach and water. This solution
can then be rinsed from the roof in 10 to 15 minutes. Do not scrub.
Scrubbing will loosen and remove shingle granules. After spraying
be sure to thoroughly flush the roof and the greenery around the
home (grass, bushes and shrubs) with water. The effectiveness of
this type of cleaning may only be temporary, and the discoloration
may recur. High pressure washing is not recommended due to the
possibility of removing shingle granules, thereby shortening the life
of the Roofing System.
For a more permanent solution, re-roof with algae-resistant
shingles. They are specifically designed to inhibit most algae growth
for extended periods of time and are usually backed by some type of
manufacturer's warranty.
Buckling
- Causes
Wrinkled or improperly applied
applied over old, rough shingles
Roof deck movement from absorbed
moisture
Poor roof ventilation
- Recommendations
Remove the shingles that are affected. Cut the wrinkle in the felt or
smooth the original layer of shingles and replace the new shingles.
Add ventilation to the attic space. According to most building codes,
you need one square foot of vent area for each 150 square feet of
attic floor space. The minimum is one square foot for every 300
square feet of attic floor space, if the space is balanced between the
ridge and intake vents. A balanced ventilation system means that
about 50 percent of the required ventilating area should be provided
by vents located in the upper portion of your attic to serve as
exhaust vents, with the remaining 50 percent provided by eave
vents for intake.
Curling
- Causes
High nails
Improper number of fasteners per shingle
Lack of ventilation
- Recommendations
Check location and number of fasteners to insure that the shingles
are installed per the manufacturers instructions. If high nails are
present, use a hammer to make the nail head flush with the top of
the shingle.
Add ventilation to the attic space. According to most building codes,
you need one square foot of vent area for each 150 square feet of
attic floor space. The minimum is one square foot for every 300
square feet of attic floor space, if the space is balanced between the
ridge and intake vents. A balanced ventilation system means that
about 50 percent of the required ventilating area should be provided
by vents located in the upper portion of your attic to serve as
exhaust vents, with the remaining 50 percent provided by eave
vents for intake.
Damaged Flashing
- Causes
Improper installation on a new roof
Drying and cracking on an old roof
Dented or bent by severe weather or
extreme temperatures
Settling of the structure
- Recommendations
In most cases it is only necessary to remove and replace the
flashing and shingles around the damaged area.
Missing Granules
- Causes
Normally a certain number of
granules will be loose, especially
after application. These granules
are called "riders" and are a normal
result of the manufacturing process.
Granule loss does not affect the service life of the shingles unless
the loss is severe enough to expose the asphalt or fiberglass mat.
- Recommendations
On aging shingles, missing granules indicate a need for
replacement.
Following a hail storm, a sudden increase in granule loss is an
indicator of possible hail damage.
Missing Shingles
- Causes
Improper fastening
Exposure to high winds
- Recommendations
Replace shingles which have completely blown off.
Remove and replace shingles which have broken tabs.
For shingles with tabs blowing up and down, hand seal the shingles
with an asphalt plastic cement, commonly referred to as flashing
cement. This roofing cement must comply with ASTM D4586 -- Type
I or Type II which is the standard specifically for asbestos-free
asphalt plastic roof cement.
To hand seal, lift each tab of a 3-tab shingle and apply two spots of
the cement under each tab. Each spot should be approximately the
size of a quarter and placed 1" to 2" from each end of the tab and
near the bottom. Laminated shingles require 4 spots of cement per
shingle. After application, press the tab down firmly to start the
bond. Be careful not to apply the cement too close to the bottom of
the tab. This causes the cement to squeeze out when the tab is
pressed down.
Ceiling Spots
- Causes
Spots are caused by leaks in the roof.
- Recommendations
Check attic for leaks in deck.
Check chimney and vents for cracks in flashing.
Check rafters for leaks that "travel" away from original source.
Check eaves for water backing up from ice dams.
Check roof for damaged or missing shingles.
Rotting
- Causes
Rotting is caused by absorption of moisture
by the mat at the core of the shingle.
This is a common problem with
organic-based shingles.
- Recommendations
Replace with fiberglass mat shingles.
Blistering
- Causes
Moisture in the shingle
- Recommendations
If the blisters break open revealing the asphalt, the affected shingles
should be replaced.
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