It’s Saturday morning, the weather is beautiful and you decide it’s the perfect day to pull those pesky weeds growing in your flower beds against the house. You’re alarmed because you see hundreds, maybe thousands of these little pebbles that have fallen from your shingles. Or maybe you’re cleaning out your gutters and pull out handfuls of the stuff.
These little pebbles are called granules. They are bits of stone cut to reflect light and heat away from the roof, preserving the asphalt underneath. They also give the roof its color and aesthetic appeal. While they play a critical role in shingle longevity, granule loss is natural and to be expected, even with a brand new roof- so don’t panic. Manufacturers put on way more granules than necessary, knowing some will be lost during install.
On one shingle there are about 2 full cups of granules and there are about two thousand shingles on the average house. That’s 250 gallons of granules on the average home, so if you’re scooping up cups of granules and not gallons, you’re probably fine.
Granule loss will occur as roofs age. If the roof is old and you’re seeing more granules around the home, it might be time to call your roofer for an inspection.
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