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Asphalt Shingle Cupping - Signs of Shingle Wear RoofAPedia © Enter your search terms Submit search form   Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com

• Asphalt roof shingle cupping, curling, fishmouthing, distinctions & photographs
• Types & photographs of organic felt asphalt roof shingle defects & failures

This website describes signs of wear and age on asphalt roof shingles, focusing here on cupped roof shingles and how to identify & explain the most-common asphalt roof shingle failures. These defects occur on organic-mat or fiberglass-mat asphalt roof shingles. Readers are also invited contribute roof failure information to the web author for research purposes. web author for research purposes. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

Cupping Asphalt Shingle Explanation & Photos

Asphalt roof shingles often show cupping (a concave center) - discussed here, curling (raised edges which curl downwards) - discussed on the next page, and fishmouthing (raised edge of a shingle tab at its center with little curling) - discussed on a subsequent page [see links at the left of each of our pages]. Each of these asphalt roof shingle conditions is different in appearance and while all of them may indicate worn, old, or fragile roof coverings, their causes and prevention vary. In some of the photos of cupped roof shingles on this page, "fishmouthing" is also visible (see photo at page top). It is common for multiple wear signs to be present at once. Cupping asphalt roof shingles (see photos on this page), particularly on organic or felt-based asphalt shingles, are a normal wear pattern that shows up with shingle age. The top arrow in the photo at left points to the left side of a "cupped" area of this roof shingle. The shingle edges are also curled in these photos, which is part of this wear pattern. This "normal" cupping or curling pattern will display shingles which are concave in their center, with the corners and possibly the three exposed shingle tab edges curled such that the very edge of the shingle curls downwards. Shingles in this condition are fragile and nearing end of life. In this condition, if someone walks on cupped shingles the raised cupped sections will break and can lead to early failure and leaks.

Cupped roof shingles are fragile: You should avoid walking on cupped-shingle roofs, particularly in cold weather (shingles are more likely to break). If I absolutely have to walk on such a roof, I'd tiptoe carefully, avoiding stepping on the raised or cupped shingle sections, or if doing repairs, I'd prop a ladder up off of the roof surface and work from that scaffold as is sometimes done with slate or other fragile roof surface repairs.

Walking on a cupped shingle roof can cause irreprable damage: Take this warning seriously: an old cupped asphalt shingle roof may not yet be leaking and could last several more years depending on its condition. But I've seen cupped asphalt shingle roofs that had been destroyed by the "inspector" who walked all over the roof, breaking shingles everyhwere he stepped, leaving a trail of damage and leading to the need for an immediate roof replacement. The roof would have needed replacement soon before the "inspection." After the "inspection" the roof needed immediate replacement. We could actually see the "footprints of destruction" across the roof surface.

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Technical Reviewers

Particular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.

• Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
• Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com
• Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY.
• Daniel Friedman - principal author
• Technical reviewers are invited to comment or ask questions - contact us

Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. If you just "scroll down" you'll miss some important articles. See links at page left.

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