Ventilation's important, sure, but honestly I think shingle quality has dropped noticeably over the years. My dad's roof lasted 25+ years with minimal venting, yet mine barely hit 15 despite proper airflow. Seems manufacturers are cutting corners too, not just installers...
You're onto something there. I've noticed shingles from even reputable brands seem thinner and lighter these days. Had a customer recently whose roof barely hit the 12-year mark, despite textbook-perfect ventilation. Meanwhile, I replaced his neighbor's roof—installed in the late '90s—and it was still holding up surprisingly well. Seems like manufacturers are tweaking formulas or something... maybe to cut costs? Either way, it's frustrating when proper installation and venting still don't get you the lifespan you'd expect.
Yeah, I've been noticing the same thing lately. Helped out on a job last summer where the shingles were barely 10 years old and already curling badly. Ventilation was spot-on, attic was dry—everything done right. Meanwhile, my uncle's roof from the mid-90s is still rock solid, even after a couple nasty hailstorms. Makes me wonder if they're skimping on asphalt quality or something to save a buck... wouldn't surprise me these days.
I've noticed something similar around here too. Had my roof redone about 8 years ago, and already seeing some granule loss and slight curling at the edges. My neighbor's place, built in '92, still has its original shingles looking surprisingly decent—makes me scratch my head a bit. I've heard from a buddy who works in construction that manufacturers have tweaked their asphalt formulas over the years to cut costs or meet environmental regs, and that's affecting durability. Not sure how true that is, but it kinda makes sense given what we're seeing.
Also wonder if climate shifts might play a role? Seems like summers are hotter and winters more unpredictable lately...maybe that's putting extra stress on materials. Either way, it's frustrating when you pay good money expecting 20-30 years out of a roof and start noticing issues before you're even halfway there.
I've definitely noticed newer shingles don't hold up like older ones did. But could attic ventilation be playing a bigger role than we think? Poor airflow can really cook shingles from underneath, especially with hotter summers lately...might be worth checking out.
