To understand more about how your roof maintenance is being conducted, you need to know the different types of damage your asphalt shingle roof can sustain. One of the most common are cracked and split shingles, which can cause further damage to your home if they’re not properly addressed. But what’s the difference between cracked and split shingles? Expert roofing contractor Lask Exterior Solutions, LLC shares their insight:
How Shingles Are Made
There are two types of asphalt shingles available. One is fiberglass-based and is manufactured with a mat or substrate that’s composed of glass fibers of different lengths and orientations. The base is then saturated with a formulated asphalt coating and surfaced with a layer of weather-resistant mineral granules.
The other asphalt shingle type is organic-based. This is manufactured with a mat or substrate made from cellulose fibers such as recycled waste paper and wood fibers. Afterward, a specially formulated asphalt coating is applied to the organic base along with weather-resistant mineral granules.
Cracked Shingles
Asphalt roofing shingles are partly made with certain chemicals that make them flexible and waterproof. These chemicals often have a low boiling point, so over time, the shingles lose them due to moisture, evaporation, or aging. When this happens, the shingles lose their flexibility and start to shrink and crack. This can happen more often during summer when the temperatures are hot and humid.
Split Shingles
This type of damage in shingles is also known as thermal splitting and occurs due to temperature fluctuations that result in constant expansion and contraction. In warmer weather such as during summer, shingles tend to expand and cause the joints between them to decrease in size. But when winter comes, the temperature drops and the shingles shrink. The joints between them become larger along with the shingles connecting the underlying joints. This puts stress on the bridging shingles as all the bonded-shingle assemblies shrivel.
As one of the most trusted roofers in the area, you can count on the excellent services offered by Lask Exterior Solutions, LLC to get the job done right! Call us today at (815) 964-2220 or fill out our online contact form. We serve our customers in Rockford and surrounding IL areas.