When a new roof was installed, friends and neighbours may have remarked how it enhanced the beauty of the home. However, research indicates that aging begins soon after the shingles are installed and progresses rapidly during the initial curing phase of its life cycle. During this stage, granule loss may occur, small blisters may develop or the shingles may curl slightly at their edges. You may even notice that this curling is more pronounced during cold weather and the shingles may lie flat as temperatures rise. The good news, however, is that after this curing stage the shingles enter a long period of slow aging, which lasts for the major portion of the shingles’ natural life.
During the “mid-life” period, aging continues at a much slower rate. The cracking or granule loss still occurs, but does not increase at a noticeable rate. Only after this long period of “mid-life” does the aging process begin to accelerate once again as the shingles enter their declining years. It’s during this period that homeowners normally think about replacing their roof.