Wet Shingle Bundles Stick Together, So Name Dry Storage in the Spec

A bundle of asphalt shingles that arrives wet is a small problem on the truck and a larger one on the roof. Shingles are packed tightly, and when water gets between the layers the bundle can stay damp for days after the rain stops. The shingles can stick together, the surface can take on stains, and the wrapper can hide the condition until the crew starts to open the stack. A spec that names the product, the bundle count and the wind rating says nothing about any of that. This page covers what to check when the shingles reach the property, and what the order should say about keeping them dry until they are on the roof.

Why wet shingles are a spec question

Most homeowners think of the spec as the paperwork that names the material. The spec also controls how the material is handled between the supplier and the nail gun, and that handling is where a good product can be damaged. A shingle is a mat coated with asphalt, with mineral granules pressed into the top surface. Water alone does not destroy that coating, but heat and pressure in a damp stack can. A bundle that sits on a driveway in July can warm up inside its wrapper, and the shingles can soften enough to bond to the ones beside them.

Both common mat types can take on moisture, and a stack that stays wet long enough can stain the surface or grow mildew under the wrapper. A stained wrapper is not proof of a failed shingle, but it is a reason to look closer before the crew cuts the wrapper and starts the first course. If one shingle is glued to its neighbor, it can tear when someone pries it apart. That tear ends up on the roof, where nobody sees it until a storm lifts the edge.

What St. Louis weather does to a delivery

St. Louis deliveries face conditions that a roofer working in a drier climate may not plan for. Spring storms often arrive behind a cold front with an hour of heavy rain, and a truck can be unloaded on a driveway while the sky looks clear. Summer heat raises the temperature inside a closed bundle quickly, especially on a dark asphalt drive. In winter, a damp stack that freezes can crack the wrapper and let snow sit on the top bundles. None of these conditions is unusual here, so the real question is not whether the weather will test the delivery but whether anyone planned for it.

Storage matters after unloading too. A pallet left on grass can wick moisture up from the ground, and a stack set against a wall can collect runoff from the roof above it. If the shingles sit for a week while the crew waits for a dry day, the bottom bundles may be in worse shape than the top ones. The order should say where the pallets will be placed and what covers them while they wait.

What to check when the truck arrives

Check the bundles before the driver leaves, and do it with the homeowner or a representative present. Look at the wrappers for water marks, dark patches or swelling. Lift the top bundle and feel the underside of the pallet. A damp bundle usually feels cool and heavier than a dry one. If two bundles are stuck together, do not pull them apart by force, because that is how the tears start. Note the condition on the delivery ticket, take photos from several sides of the pallet, and compare the bundle count against the order while the truck is still there.

Record the lot number and date code on each wrapper as well. A damaged bundle is hard to resolve if nobody can say which lot it came from. Write the lot number on the delivery ticket next to the damage note, so the supplier can match it if a return or replacement is needed. A photo of the wrapper label taken on the day of delivery is worth more than a memory of it three weeks later.

Look again the next morning, before the crew starts. A bundle that felt fine at the curb can still be damp in the middle after a night of rain or dew. Lift the covering, check the pallet from underneath where it sits off the ground, and confirm the cover is still tight. If the covering was blown off in the night, the shingles under it are the first thing to inspect before any work begins that day.

What the spec should say about storage

A spec that protects the shingles before they reach the roof names four things. The first is the location of the pallets on the property, measured from the house and kept off the grass and away from any place where water runs. The second is the covering, which should be a breathable tarp or cover that keeps rain off without trapping moisture against the bundles. The third is the rule for damp bundles, which should say that a damp or stuck bundle is not installed and is either replaced or held back for inspection. The fourth is the time limit between delivery and install, so the shingles do not sit exposed for weeks while the schedule slips.

The third item matters most. A crew that starts laying shingles from a wet pallet is making a decision about the roof, and the homeowner should know that the decision was made. A spec line that says the roofer will not install visibly wet or stuck shingles gives the homeowner a fact to check on the day, instead of an assurance to take on trust.

Questions to put to each roofer

• Where will the pallets sit on my property, and how far are they from the house and the edge of the driveway?
• What cover goes over the pallets, and who puts it back on after the crew takes shingles off the stack?
• If a bundle arrives wet or stuck, what happens to it before any shingle goes on the roof?
• How many days can the shingles sit on site before the install, and what happens if the schedule moves?
• Who inspects the bundles on the truck, and will I get a copy of the delivery ticket with the condition written on it?

Write the answers into the proposal rather than leaving them for a phone call. A roofer who can answer these questions in a sentence has likely handled a wet delivery before. A roofer who needs time to think about them has probably not put the storage plan on paper, and that is a reason to ask for it in writing before the order is placed.

If you have a delivery date in mind and want to put these questions to Keys Roofing directly, call the office at (314) 220-2333.