Weather effects on your Calgary Roof installation can largely be predicted by which direction each panel is facing.  Sun and hail work together to shorten the functional life of your shingle.  Hail comes mostly from the west and often from the north as well.  Read about how different weather forces can deteriorate your shingle on this blog.  The direction each panel of the roof faces largely determines the kind of wear-and-tear it will experience.

 
 
In order of most wear to least wear, here is a description of what each panel is likely to be like when facing in the general cardinal directions:
South facing panels – South facing panels are by far the most likely to express wear and tear.  Calgary is famously a very sunny city, receiving almost 2400 hours of direct sunlight per year.  The south facing panels on any roof installation absorb the most solar radiation, and we see this expressed in the picture above.  The south facing panel on the right has lost a lot more gravel than the west facing panel on the bottom left.  This roof need replacement.
West facing panels – West facing panels are second most likely to show wear and tear.  These panels get sun for most of the day, and have been hot all day.  Hail also usually blows in from the west, and these panels absorb the most amount of energy from impacts.  These two factors make the west facing panels one of the more worn out sides.
East facing panels – East facing panels are in the sun for a lot of the day, but have the benefit of being cold from the night time.  Hail virtually never comes from the east, so panels facing in this general direction show the second least amount of wear and tear.
 North facing panels – This part of the roof installation receives the least amount of light and the sun is always shining on the roof at an angle, so north facing panels are least subject to deterioration caused by the UV rays in sunlight.  These panels absorb the second most energy from the typical hail storm, which means the gravel on these areas is likely to be loosened.  It is normal that we see less wear and tear on the north facing panel than on other panels.  Even though north facing panels receive the 2nd most energy from hail impacts, there is less UV light falling directly onto the panel, so less deterioration of the asphalt occurs.
Ledges – Ledges are often sheltered by the actual building, but in some cases the location can actually receive more solar energy per square foot than any other part of the roof.  We’ll talk about this in our ‘blog next week!
There are lots of other conditions that affect the roof installation and the quality or integrity of the products during the functional lifetime of your roof.  One thing is for sure: the weather isn’t going to let up.  Calgary gets a bit windier and sees a few more storms with each passing year, that’s why it’s important to stay on top of your roofing all year round!