Q&A – Why are my Shingles Blowing Off the Decking?

This Georgia homeowner wanted to know why new shingles were blowing off the roof while the old, original shingles were still intact. 

Steve, a homeowner in Georgia, noticed that recently installed shingles were coming off the roof and wanted to know why. They asked:  

New roof was put on three years ago. The decking is 1x6 slats, not solid decking. Shingles are blowing off because decking is not solid, according to roofing company. House is 50 years old. Why did none of original roof blow off? Original roof was installed on the same 1x6 decking that new roof was installed on. 

One of our roofing experts, John Kenney from Cotney Consulting Group, says: 

Without having any additional information on the condition of the wood planks, below is the information I can offer. 

Manufacturers' requirements for that type of wood plank to be roofed over are: Nominal 1" thick x 6" wide wood planking, with a maximum 1/8" spacing at the ends and sides    

I will assume the shingles are correctly sealed, which is not the cause of the blow-off. If that is the case, then more than likely, the nails missed the deck in spots and went between the plank gaps (larger than 1/8", which is common on older decks that shrink), which is causing the blow-off. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for this if that is the situation. 

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About John Kenney 

John Kenney is the Chief Executive Officer at Cotney Consulting Group. Prior to starting Cotney, John had 45 years of experience in the construction industry. John began his career by working as a roofing apprentice at a family business in the Northeast. Because of his skill and hard work, he progressed from roofing laborer to foreman, estimator, chief estimator, Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer with his various companies. John has worked for multiple Top 100 Roofing Contractors and is intimately familiar with all aspects of roofing production, estimating, and operations. In his last role, John was responsible for the daily operations and performance of a large commercial roofing contractor. During his tenure, John ran business units associated with delivering excellent workmanship and unparalleled customer service while ensuring healthy net profits for his company.