Granule loss after one winter sounds a bit quick, though... might be worth asking your installer about that.
That’s definitely worth flagging. I’ve seen premature granule loss tied to poor ventilation or even manufacturing defects, especially in colder climates. Did you notice any ice damming or unusual attic moisture during the winter? Sometimes that accelerates wear.
I’ve seen premature granule loss tied to poor ventilation or even manufacturing defects, especially in colder climates.
That’s a fair point, but I’d lean toward installation error or a bad batch of shingles if you’re seeing that much granule loss after just one winter. Ventilation issues usually take longer to show up in visible shingle wear. I’ve inspected roofs where ice damming sped things up, but even then, you’d expect some warning signs inside—like ceiling stains or frost in the attic. Any chance the shingles were stored outside before install? Sometimes that’s overlooked and can cause early breakdown too.
Had a job last fall where we ran into something kinda similar. The homeowner called us out because their new shingles were already shedding granules like crazy—looked like someone dumped a bag of gravel in the gutters. This was after just one winter, too, and we’re up in northern Minnesota, so it gets cold but nothing out of the ordinary for here.
At first, I figured it was maybe a ventilation thing or some wild weather, but the attic was bone dry—no stains, no frost, nothing weird. What really got me thinking was when the homeowner mentioned the shingles sat on pallets in their driveway for a couple weeks before install. They were covered, but not super well, and we had a few days of sleet and rain during that time. I’m still learning the ropes, but our foreman said moisture can mess with the adhesive strips and even the granules if they get saturated before they’re nailed down.
We pulled a few shingles off to check underneath, and they crumbled way easier than they should’ve. The supplier ended up sending out a rep, and they swapped out the batch for free. Turns out there was a manufacturing recall on that lot number—bad adhesive or something—but I still wonder if sitting outside made it worse.
I’ve seen older roofs with poor ventilation where you get curling or cracking after a few years, but never this much granule loss so soon. Makes me double-check how we store materials now, especially when the weather’s iffy. It’s wild how many things can go wrong before you even get the shingles on the roof...
That’s wild about the granules—
—I know that feeling. I had a similar mess after a big storm last spring, and I remember thinking, “Did my roof just shed its skin?” Mine’s asphalt too, but it’s pushing 15 years, so I chalked it up to age.looked like someone dumped a bag of gravel in the gutters
Honestly, stories like yours make me wonder if metal would be worth the upfront cost. I’ve been eyeing those standing seam panels, but then I hear about hail dents and the noise when it rains... Plus, my neighbor went metal and says snow slides off so fast it scared his dog. Still, at least you don’t have to worry about granules clogging up everything.
I never thought much about how long shingles sit around before install. Makes sense though—if they get soggy before they’re even on the roof, that can’t be good. Just one more thing to stress about when you’re trying to save a few bucks by buying materials yourself. Sometimes it feels like there’s no winning with roofs...
- Totally get the “no winning with roofs” feeling. It’s like, pick your poison—granules or dents.
- Metal’s upfront cost is tough, but I’ve seen neighbors go decades without touching theirs. Still, hail can be a pain and the rain noise is real (my cousin swears by attic insulation for that).
- Shingles sitting out too long? Yeah, I learned the hard way—mine got rained on before install and never sealed right.
- If you’re thinking green, some metal roofs are made from recycled stuff and last forever, but yeah, snow slides are wild... My dog barked at ours for a week.
- There’s always trade-offs. At least you’re not alone in roof drama land.
