What this video covers
A homeowner in Edinburg opened a letter from their insurance company saying the roof had to be replaced. It is eleven years old, and it was sold to them as a 30-year roof. Nothing about it failed in a storm — it was finished before it started.
- 0:14 The shingles are blistered, not hailed: the attic venting was never calculated properly, so the attic cooks. The shingles blister from underneath until the surface looks like somebody went over it with a hammer. It is routinely mistaken for hail damage.
- 1:20 Leftover shingles instead of a starter strip: turning a shingle upside down and running it along the eave is not a starter strip. A real starter has its own sealant line in the right place, so the first course bonds down and water cannot get under it.
- 2:21 Drip edge installed backwards: if you can see the metal drip edge from on top of the shingles, it is on wrong, and water wicks back over the metal instead of running off it.
- 3:03 Where it ends up: rot in the soffit and fascia, which is what actually gets replaced along with the roof.
Why attic venting decides how long your shingles last
Shingles are rated for the weather on top of them, not for heat coming up from underneath. In the Rio Grande Valley an under-vented attic holds heat all summer, and that heat drives moisture out of the asphalt and lifts the surface into blisters. Once the blisters pop, the granules are gone and the mat is exposed.
The important part for a homeowner: this is an installation decision, not a product defect and not weather. Intake and exhaust venting have to be calculated for the square footage of the attic. If that was never done, the roof above it has a shorter life regardless of what the shingle wrapper said.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell blistered shingles from hail damage?
Hail hits are random and usually come with matching marks on soft metals — vents, flashing, gutters, the mailbox. Blistering is spread evenly across the slopes, is concentrated where the attic runs hottest, and leaves round craters rather than bruised dents. If the soft metals are clean and the shingles are covered in craters, look at the attic.
My insurance company says replace the roof. Does that mean they pay?
Not automatically. An insurer requiring a replacement to keep a policy in force is a separate question from an insurer paying a claim for storm damage. It is worth getting the roof inspected and documented before you respond, so you know which conversation you are actually in.
What is a starter strip and why does it matter?
It is the purpose-made first course at the eave, with its sealant line positioned to bond the shingles above it. Cut-up or upside-down field shingles do not put adhesive in the right place, so the bottom edge of the roof never seals and wind and water get underneath.
Can attic venting be fixed without replacing the roof?
Often the venting itself can be corrected. What cannot be undone is shingles that have already blistered. That is why it is worth checking the venting on a roof that is still young.
Do you charge for an estimate?
No. A roof inspection is free, and you get photos of whatever we find, attic included.
Got a letter about your roof?
If your insurance company has told you the roof has to go, we will come and look at it and tell you what actually went wrong — and whether it is what they think it is. Call (956) 586-5711 or book a free roof inspection. See also how roof insurance claims work, roof replacement and soffit and fascia repair.
Related: what a missing starter strip does to the edge of a roof, and why blistered shingles get mistaken for hail.
Frontline Roofing — 601 N Main Street, Suite 102, McAllen, TX 78501. Serving McAllen, Mission, Edinburg and the Rio Grande Valley.