- Totally agree about the “sandbox in the gutters”—been there, swept that.
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“Sometimes the first sign of trouble is inside, especially with older asphalt roofs.”
- I learned this the hard way after a surprise drip over my holiday decorations.
- Anyone else notice more granule loss after ice storms vs. just heavy rain? Or is that just my luck?
- I keep hoping for a magic spray, but my wallet says otherwise...
I’m not totally convinced ice storms are worse for granule loss than heavy rain. I’ve had more issues after those crazy spring downpours, honestly. Maybe it depends on how old the shingles are? Mine are about 15 years in, and they shed like crazy after any big storm, ice or rain. The “magic spray” thing cracks me up—if only it was that easy...
I’ve noticed the same thing with heavy rain. The last big thunderstorm we had, I found a ton of granules in the gutters, way more than after the ice storm that came through last winter. Age probably plays a huge role—my shingles are just over 10 years and starting to look pretty patchy. I’m pretty skeptical about those spray-on fixes too... seems like a temporary bandaid at best.
Storms really do a number on shingles, especially once they’ve hit that 10-year mark. I’ve seen a lot of roofs in that age range start shedding granules after heavy downpours—the rain just seems to wash off whatever’s loosened up over time. Ice storms are rough too, but honestly, the pounding from a good thunderstorm seems to accelerate the wear faster, at least from what I’ve noticed on jobs around here.
As for those spray-on sealants, I get why folks are tempted, but I haven’t seen them hold up long-term. Maybe they buy you a season or two if you’re in a pinch, but once the shingle surface is compromised and patchy, it’s usually time to think about replacement. I had a customer who tried one of those sprays last summer—looked okay for a few months, but by winter, the leaks were back and the granule loss was even worse. Sometimes it’s better to tackle the real issue instead of layering on quick fixes... just my two cents.
“As for those spray-on sealants, I get why folks are tempted, but I haven’t seen them hold up long-term. Maybe they buy you a season or two if you’re in a pinch, but once the shingle surface is compromised and patchy, it’s usually time to think about replacement.”
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ll admit—I caved and tried one of those spray-on deals last fall. My roof’s only 8 years old, but we had a couple of shingles that looked like they’d been through a cheese grater after a hailstorm. Didn’t have the budget for a full repair right then, so I figured, why not? Honestly, it held up better than I expected through the winter. No leaks (yet), and the granules seem to be hanging on.
Maybe it’s just beginner’s luck or my roof’s still got some life left, but I’m not totally writing off the sprays for short-term fixes. That said, I’m definitely keeping an eye out for any “surprises” next time it pours. If nothing else, at least I got to feel handy for an afternoon... even if my ladder skills are questionable at best.