Do your asphalt roof shingles have dark, coin-sized blisters or pock marks? Call our roofing contractors in Central Illinois at Sundown Exteriors at (309) 275-6801 for a roof inspection and diagnosis today!
If you have asphalt shingles on your home, you will probably deal with blistering shingles within your roof’s lifetime. Blistering is a common issue with asphalt shingles that you should not ignore. Trapped moisture and poor ventilation cause blistering on roof shingles.
Blistering roof shingles may not be an immediate cause for alarm, but if left unchecked, they could become a more significant problem in the future. To extend the life of your roof, call in our roofing professionals at Sundown Exteriors. We are a licensed and insured company proudly serving Bloomington, Normal, and Lincoln, Illinois.
Our team at Sundown Exteriors can replace any damaged, blistered shingles while also helping you try to prevent blister pops by solving relevant ventilation issues.
Why Are My Roof Shingles Blistering?
All roofing types come with a list of common issues, and popular asphalt shingles are no different. One of the most common problems homeowners have with these shingles is blistering.
The two main reasons it happens are:
1. Trapped Moisture
The first cause of blistering on shingles is due to manufacturing errors that allow moisture to get trapped between the layers that comprise the shingle. Most asphalt roof shingles consist of three layers:
- the backing, composed of paper or fiberglass
- the asphalt
- the granules
When the moisture stuck between these layers heats up from sun exposure or attic heat, it expands or turns to vapor, forming blisters.
2. Poor Ventilation
Blistering on shingles may develop or worsen if your attic has poor ventilation. When heat cannot efficiently escape from your home’s attic space, it transfers to the roof. This heat causes the moisture trapped within the shingles to expand or vaporize.
Are Blisters on My Roof Shingles a Problem?
Honestly, yes and no. Unpopped shingle blistering is unsightly but not all that concerning. It’s when the blisters pop—which they will likely do eventually—that you should become concerned about the longevity of your roof.
When a blister pops, it loses its granules, which weatherproof your roof. As your shingles lose granules, your roof becomes exposed to increased UV light and moisture. If you leave the blisters unchecked, this exposure can deplete the life of your roof and lead to problems like water damage.
Preventing Blistering on Roof Shingles
It may not always be possible to prevent blistering on asphalt shingles, but here are a couple of methods of prevention:
- Invest in high-quality asphalt shingles. This method of preventing blistering shingles is only helpful when it’s time to replace your whole roof, but it’s worth mentioning. Choosing a superior-quality shingle may prevent blisters from forming because the materials may have less trapped moisture.
- Address attic ventilation issues. Even the most expensive roof shingle won’t prevent long-term damage due to blistering if your roof is too hot. By ensuring proper ventilation of your attic, you can avoid overheating your roof and forming blisters.
Stopping Roof Shingle Blisters From Popping
The roof blisters will likely pop eventually, but you can help keep this from happening by keeping these two things in mind:
- Don’t walk over blistered shingles
- Keep overhanging trees trimmed and healthy to prevent impact damage from falling limbs
Distinguishing Between Blistering Roof Shingles and Hail Damage
The indentations from hail roof damage can look very similar to asphalt shingle blisters, so calling a professional roofer from Sundown Exteriors to closely inspect the pocked shingles is essential for an accurate diagnosis.
If you believe your roof is suffering from blistering shingles, make sure hail didn’t cause the damage before overhauling the ventilation in your attic for no reason.
Blistering can look very similar to hail damage since both have coin-sized depressions marked by missing granules, but you can tell the difference by answering a couple of questions:
1. Is the damage contained to one slope?
While blistering shingles will likely be visible across the roof, hail damage may be contained to one zone depending on the wind direction at the time of the storm. If you only find damage on one slope, it is likely from hail.
2. Do you see any unpopped blisters?
If you see the damage of popped blisters as well as evidence of unpopped blisters, the damage is likely due to blistering.
Let Our Roofing Team at Sundown Exteriors Help You
If you’re not sure what type of damage you’re looking at, blistering shingles or not, our professionals at Sundown Exteriors can help. Call us today at (309) 275-6801 to get a quote at the best price in the Bloomington, Normal, or Lincoln, IL, area. We can take care of all roofing repair and replacement services.