Is It Normal for New Shingles Not to Lie Flat?
"Roofer says it’s from sagging rafters based on location, but nothing structurally wrong."
A homeowner whose roof was replaced this past spring wrote that on r/Roofing, and added that it didn't look right. Some of what you see can be a sealing matter: new shingles are held down by a heat-activated adhesive strip1, so how well the roof has sealed depends on temperature. But curled, loose or missing shingles, or a new leak, are not something to wait out. Call the installer with your contract and warranty in hand2.
Quick answer:
- Look from the ground for curled, loose or missing shingles, especially at the edges3.
- Photograph every problem with the date, and check ceilings inside for new stains.
- Read your contract and warranty before you call the installer.
- Send the installer a written notice, and get a second opinion if the answers are vague.
On this page
Today you can take the photos and find your paperwork. Neither costs anything, and both make the next call easier.
What can be settling, and what looks like a defect?
New shingles that haven't sealed yet may lie flatter once warm weather activates the strip. One reply in a roofing thread put it this way: "That’s why you don’t install shingles in cold temperatures, it should relax after warmer weather". That is a belief, and how long it takes is a question for the installer, not something to accept on faith.
What is not a wait-and-see sign is shingles that are curled, loose or missing, especially along the edges. Wind can lift shingles that are not sealed down, and water can seep underneath4, so a lifted shingle should not sit for months. A new stain on a ceiling is the same kind of warning.
When some of the shingles are not lying flat, the cause is harder to call from the street. Nails, cold-weather installation and the roof deck underneath have all been blamed by people online, and none of that can be settled from a photo. Treat each one as a question for the installer and, if needed, for an inspector.
What to check from the ground today
You don't need to go up on the roof for any of this. Walk around the house and look.
- Edges and corners: curled, loose or missing shingles, and any bulge or wavy line you didn't see when the crew left.
- Inside: new stains or drips on ceilings.
- Photos: one wide shot and one close-up of each problem.
- Paperwork: the signed contract, the written warranty and the final invoice, in one folder.
- Questions: the ones in the section on the installer below, written down before you call.
Do this once now, and again after the next rain or the next change in weather. Your photos will show whether anything has changed.
Who fixes it: the installer or the manufacturer?
A new roof comes with two warranties. The manufacturer's generally covers defects in the manufacture of the roofing material5. The second is a workmanship warranty from the roofing contractor5, which is the installer's own promise about the work they did.
The actual wording of each controls, so read it before you press the installer. Review both your contract and any warranty you received2 and look for what is covered, for how long and which provisions would void the warranty6. That is why the installer is the call to make, and why the paperwork goes in your hand before you dial.
Wondering what could void a roof warranty, or what a lifetime label means? What a roof warranty actually covers.
Steps to take, in this order
- Document: dated photos of every problem, before anyone touches the roof.
- Prepare: read the contract and warranty, and write down what you want the installer to answer.
- Notify: send the installer a written notice and keep a copy, so the date is on record.
- Escalate: if the answers are vague or nothing happens, get a view that does not come from the installer.
If someone besides the installer inspects the roof, what should they cover? A roof inspection checklist for what to check and ask.
What to say to the installer
Ask in writing, because a phone call leaves nothing to point to later. Useful questions:
- What do you think is causing this, and why?
- Were the shingles installed in cold temperatures?
- What will you do to fix it, and by what date?
- Which warranty applies, yours or the manufacturer's, and would a visit from another roofer change either one?
You can send this:
Please tell me in writing what you believe is causing these shingles not to lie flat, what you will do to fix it, and by what date. I'm attaching photos of each problem.
If an installer won't put this in writing, that is an answer too. One reply in another r/Roofing thread said, "Go after the contractors that installed it". In practice that starts with a written notice, not a fight. If the contractor still won't fix the work and you live in California, the licensing board will try to mediate between owner and contractor7.
If water is coming in while you wait
Catch the drip with a bucket, move furniture and belongings away, and remove pools of water and start drying the area to prevent more damage and mold growth8. Take a photo before you clean up.
If the installer can't come today, keep catching and drying the water, then look again from the ground and inside after the next rain. Tell the installer in writing that water is getting in, and ask when they can cover the roof and how the damage inside will be fixed.
Want to trace where water gets into a new roof and what to put in your notice? Who fixes a leaking new roof.
When does a second opinion make sense?
When you have given the installer a written notice and the answers are vague, late or missing. The installer is the one being questioned, so a thorough inspection by someone else carries more weight with you. Whoever comes, ask for a photo of every problem they list, so the list matches what is on your roof.
Quick questions
What is the 25% rule for roofing? It is a building-code rule: in Florida, repair, replacement or recovery is limited to 25 percent of a roof or roof section in any 12-month period9. Elsewhere, ask your local building department how it applies, and ask your roofer to explain it in writing.
Does a 30-year shingle really last 30 years? A warranty term is not a lifespan, since most new roofs are designed to provide useful service for about 20 years5. Ask what your warranty covers and for how long.
Does insurance cover a sagging roof? A standard policy will not pay for damage from routine wear and tear10, and what yours covers depends on its wording. Read your own policy, or ask your agent a plain question about it. A problem with new work is a question for the installer first.
Are granules in the gutters a problem on a new roof? Granule loss along the edge of shingles is listed as normal natural weathering11. Photograph what you see and ask the installer what to expect.
Sources
1. Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), Wind Uplift of Asphalt Shingles
2. Georgia Consumer Protection, Contractor did poor job
3. Sumter County, Florida, Emergency Management, Protecting Your Roof
5. National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Resources
6. National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), Selecting a Contractor
7. California Contractors State License Board, Complaint Process Against Licensed Contractors
8. Texas Department of Insurance, When are water damage and mold covered by insurance?
9. Florida Building Commission, DS 2021-007 Staff Analysis
10. Insurance Information Institute, What is covered by standard homeowners insurance?
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