Why Are My Roof Shingles Wavy?

Ever Wonder Why A Roof’s Shingles Look Wavy?

Curling shingles, the main culprit of wavy shingles, is inadequate ventilation, which I discussed here.

These buckling shingles are usually noticed in a straight-line pattern, or across the roof in ripples that look like they have air bubbles stuck under them.

Although the underlying cause is usually excess moisture under the shingles, there are several factors that add to the severity of wavy shingles, including:

Roof buckling
Example of shingles buckling in a ripple pattern across this roof
  • Faulty nailing, where shingles are nailed too tightly together, causing them to buckle, popping up.
  • Use of low quality underlayment, such as tar paper that was wrinkled during roof installation or shifts and moves around under the shingles.
  • Poorly installed decking, which was installed with inadequate spacing between panels, or the plywood was too thin and comes loose and shifts over time.
  • Shifting plywood on the deck due to high moisture levels under the shingles. This deck movement forces the felt and shingles to shift as well due to everything being interconnected by the roofing nails embedded throughout. As a result, the shingles move closer or further apart, causing unsightly buckling in the process.

As can be seen, most of the causes of shingle buckling are excess humidity—which needs to be eliminated first by improving attic ventilation by a qualified roofing company.

Then, decking needs to be fixed if it is loose or damaged. Finally, shingles can be re-fastened, or replaced if they are warped.

When faced with buckling or wavy shingles make sure to get your roof inspected, as this could be a sign of harmful moisture in your attic which will not only prematurely age your roof, but cause the wood to rot in the rest of your home.

Call Archer Roofing – the roofing company with extensive building code training and the best customer reviews in Toronto at (250) 808-6297.

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