Asphalt Shingles – Felt Roofing Underlayment

To Felt or not to Felt, That is the Question!

One of the most common mistakes being made today in the installation of asphalt shingles on new or reroofing work is the practice of not using felt underlayment. Many, many thousands of new homes do not have felt beneath the shingles. This is a HUGE mistake!

Many asphalt shingles that are installed on residential roofs carry a Class A fire rating. This rating is given to the shingles by independent laboratories. The ratings are granted only when the shingles are installed as they were tested in laboratory conditions. The shingles are tested with felt in place under the shingles. As such, if felt is deleted on your job, the shingles have no fire rating. This may not seem to you to be a big deal, however, it may be a very big deal to your insurance company. It may be in your policy that they won't pay a claim if the shingles are not installed or maintained according to manufacturer's specifications, etc. I surely would check into this if I were you.

Remember, shingles rely on gravity to keep water from entering your house. It is very possible for wind driven rain to get underneath your shingles or to enter along valleys (especially when the valley shingles have been improperly trimmed!) Without felt, you have no hope of stopping a leak. With felt, there is a possibility that the water will travel down the felt and not enter your house.

Felt also helps to bridge irregularities in roof decking. It can make your shingle job look better.

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