That attic airflow thing gets overlooked way too often. I’ve seen a bunch of roofs where folks blame the shingles or the installer, but it’s really just heat and moisture cooking things from underneath. Had a job after a hailstorm last spring—customer swore the storm wrecked their shingles, but when we got up there, it was all warped and wavy on the north side, just like you said. Turns out their insulation had slid down and blocked almost every soffit vent. The attic was basically a sauna.
Once they cleared it out and added a ridge vent, the difference was night and day. Shingles actually flattened out a bit, which surprised me. I’m still a little skeptical about how much they can “heal” after warping, but I’ve seen it happen a couple times now. Makes you wonder how many “bad shingle” complaints are really just ventilation issues. Not saying storms don’t do their share of damage, but sometimes it’s the stuff you can’t see from the ground that’s causing all the headaches.
Makes you wonder how many “bad shingle” complaints are really just ventilation issues.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve lost count of how many times folks blame the shingles, but it’s the attic turning into a sweat lodge that’s the real culprit. Had a cedar roof job last summer—customer was ready to swap out the whole thing, but once we sorted out their blocked gable vents, the curling slowed down a ton. Not saying shingles are magic, but with good airflow, they last way longer than most people expect. Funny how something you can’t even see from the street can make or break a roof.
Funny how something you can’t even see from the street can make or break a roof.
That’s the part most folks miss, honestly. Had a client swear their shingles were “defective” after just 8 years, but their attic insulation was packed right up to the soffits. Once we cleared that out, temps dropped and shingle wear slowed way down. Makes you wonder how many roofs get replaced for no real reason.
- Ventilation’s underrated, for sure.
- Seen plenty of “bad” roofs that just needed airflow, not a full tear-off.
- Packed insulation kills soffit vents—shingles cook from underneath.
- Quick fix: check attic airflow before blaming the shingles.
- Also, if you’re thinking green, proper venting means less AC use in summer.
- Not every roof problem needs a new roof… sometimes it’s just what’s hiding in the attic.
Not every roof problem needs a new roof… sometimes it’s just what’s hiding in the attic.
That hits home. I once got called out to look at a “ruined” roof—homeowner was convinced the shingles were shot. Turns out, insulation was jammed right up against the soffit vents, so no air was moving. The attic felt like a sauna. We cleared the vents and added baffles, and the shingle temps dropped way down. Anyone else run into weird attic surprises? I’ve seen everything from bird nests to forgotten Christmas lights up there...
