Atlantic County, NJ
Two roofs with identical shingles can differ by a decade in service life. The difference is underneath and at the edges.
Asphalt shingles cover the overwhelming majority of houses in Atlantic County, and for good reason: they are economical, they can be repaired in sections, and a competent crew can install them quickly and well.
They are also the covering where installation quality varies most. The product on the pallet is consistent; what happens to it on the roof is not. Nail placement, starter courses, edge metal and ventilation are where the real difference in lifespan comes from.
Three-tab shingles are flat, lighter and lay in a uniform pattern. Architectural — or laminated, or dimensional — shingles are built up from more than one layer, are heavier, carry a deeper shadow line, and generally carry higher wind ratings. Most replacement work in this county now goes on as architectural shingles, and on an exposed site the extra weight and the higher rated wind resistance are worth having rather than a style preference.
Every shingle has a specified nailing area, usually a narrow band across the shingle. A nail placed too high misses the course below and holds only one layer. A nail placed too low is exposed to water. A nail overdriven cuts through the mat; underdriven, it leaves the shingle proud and the one above it sitting unevenly. None of this is visible once the next course is laid, which is precisely why it gets skipped, and why it shows up as wind damage years later.
Manufacturers publish an enhanced fastening pattern for high-wind applications — more fasteners per shingle, placed specifically, usually with hand-sealing at the rakes and eaves. For roofs on Absecon Island, in Brigantine, and on open bayfront and marsh-facing streets elsewhere in the county, we treat that pattern as the default rather than an extra. It costs a little more in labour and fasteners and it is the cheapest wind protection available.
The first course at an eave and the outer course at a rake are what wind tries to lift first. A proper starter strip — with its adhesive positioned to bond the leading edge of the first course — is what stops that. So is drip edge metal, fitted under the underlayment at the eaves and over it at the rakes, which also keeps run-off from curling back behind the gutter and rotting the fascia.
Asphalt shingles bond to one another with a factory-applied adhesive strip that activates with warmth. In cold installation conditions that seal may not form until the weather turns, which is why winter installations are sometimes hand-sealed at vulnerable edges. Over the years the same adhesive weathers, and an older roof that has lost its seal across a slope is a roof waiting for the right wind.
The failure modes split along the county's geography.
Local relevance
Not every municipality in the county has the same need for this. These are the ones where it is a regular part of our work.
Questions
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All 23 municipalities in Atlantic County
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