Help with leaky roof..

[Amontilado]

When I was removing the shingles to repair my roof, they did not seem to seal as well as they should. This is for a house sitting out in a field under the hot Southern sun for several years.

Steve

The plastic (sometimes paper) strips help keep the shingles from glueing themselves together while in the package; once placed on the roof, sunlight heats the shingle and the sealant is activated. I am not an engineer and don't worry myself as to the "why", but the sealant penetrates the tape, making removal unneccessary.

Different manufactures us different methods, and different types and locations for their sealant. Hard to answer your question exactly without actually seeing the shingle you are describing, just trust us, don't waste your effort removing it. Won't hurt anything if you remove it, however those little strips blowing everywhere tend to litter the neighborhood, not good PR for the shingle manufacturer or the roofer.

 

[davitk]

there are different types of sealants, some are better than others. Sometimes the sealant becomes contaminated before the sun activates it, dust can blow under the shingles (this happens in Wisconsin occasionally in the winter, especially in a subdivision with lots of construction traffic).

Some sealants seal so well that the shingles cannot be separated without tearing. Just depends.....