Shingle Cracking vs. Splitting: Is There a Difference?

In North America, asphalt shingles remain the most popular roofing material for residential properties because they are relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to install. However, this high-performance roofing is still not completely immune to a few problems, such as cracking and splitting. 

Asphalt Shingle Cracking

During the manufacturing process, volatile compounds, which are chemicals with a low boiling point, are added to the asphalt mix to make the shingles waterproof and flexible. As asphalt shingles age, they gradually lose these volatiles, mainly due to evaporation. As a result, the asphalt dries out, shrinks and cracks. Heat from the environment can also accelerate this process, leading to craze-cracking or haphazard cracking on the weather surface of the shingles. Similarly, too much filler in the asphalt mix may cause craze-cracking.

Keeping the temperature of your residential roofing system and attic space consistently cool can extend the service life of your asphalt shingles. Be sure to install proper ventilation and use asphalt shingles with solar-reflecting granules to decrease the amount of heat transferred to your living areas.

Asphalt Shingle Splitting

Splitting is caused by thermal expansion – the tendency of a material to change shape and size in response to a change in temperature – of asphalt shingles. When shingles expand in hot temperatures, the joints between them decrease in size; when shingles shrink in cold temperatures, the joints become larger. Finally, as bonded-shingle assemblies shrivel, the bridging shingles become more stressed. In turn, too much stress reduces the effectiveness of the adhesive strips, causing the asphalt shingles to split. Splitting usually appears randomly on the roof or in a diagonal pattern.

You can count on Northeast Gutters and Remodeling for high-quality roofing and siding installation services. Our skilled team is committed to providing our customers with the outstanding workmanship and personalized solutions they expect. Call us at (860) 899-7878, or fill out our convenient online form to request a free, no-obligation estimate.