The Primary Causes of Asphalt Shingle Rippling

You may be worried seeing your asphalt roof looking wavy or rippled. This issue happens in new and old roofs due to various reasons. Here are the primary causes of asphalt shingle rippling. 

Expansion

When shingles are installed when the temperature outside is close to freezing, and the roofer failed to leave a gap, wavy patterns may occur from expansion during warmer weather. Unfortunately, the only way to fix this is to remove and replace the shingles. If the issue is left unaddressed, this could shorten the life of your roof.

Felt Underlay Damage

If your roof’s felt underlay was exposed to wet weather or morning dew during installation, your roofer should wait for it to dry before installing the new shingles. If your roofer stapled down the shingles while the felt was still wet, this will cause your felt underlay to wrinkle and the new shingles to look wavy. The same thing could also happen if the weather was humid during roof installation. Fortunately, this is mainly a cosmetic issue, and it will resolve itself after a few warm weeks.

Roof Leaks

Leaks usually penetrate the shingles first. Then, water pools on the underlayment, and the trapped moisture causes the shingles surrounding the leak to warp. This leads to shingle rippling and buckling. Make sure to repair the leak and shingles as soon as possible.

Sheathing Damage

Sheathing boards can warp if they were exposed to inclement weather and they weren’t covered with plastic before the shingles were installed. This can also happen if the sheathing boards were stored in a moist environment before they were attached to the roof.

Manufacturer Defect

If your roof is new, the rippling could be due to shingles with a manufacturing defect. You can use your roofing warranty to have it repaired.

You can always count on Renovation Team’s experienced and well-equipped team to provide you with top-notch roof installation and repair services. We guarantee only the best results for any project we handle. Call us at (636) 939-1061, or fill out our contact form for a free consultation.