The influence of unsealing on the wind resistance of asphalt shingles

Abstract

This paper addresses the wind-induced tearing and blow-off of asphalt roofing shingles, which are the most frequently observed forms of residential building damage in hurricanes. Field surveys indicate that in-service asphalt shingle sealant strips can lose adhesion along their leading edge over time, leaving the shingle partially unsealed and susceptible to wind uplift. Two interrelated studies presented in this paper show that unsealing is a naturally occurring process and that unsealed shingles are a contributing cause of shingle roof cover damage in high winds. The first study quantified the number, location, and failure mode of laminate and three-tab style shingle systems installed on residential buildings at 30 sites in Florida and Texas. Systematic patterns of partially unsealed field shingles found on 22 of the 30 roofs resembled spatial patterns of wind-induced shingle damage observed in post-hurricane building performance assessments. As expected, older roofs generally contained more unsealed shingles than newer roofs. The results of the second study link blow-off to partially unsealed shingles. Seventeen ASTM D7158 Class H asphalt shingle roofs were aged outside for nominally one year at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety Research Center and then evaluated in full-scale wind tunnel tests. Partially unsealed field and hip shingles frequently exhibited damage during wind testing, while fully sealed shingles were not damaged unless adjacent, unsealed shingles failed first.