It may be, if shingles are cracked, torn, missing or lifting, if the mat shows through, or if the roof leaks. Those roofs need repair or replacement, not a treatment. A roof that is dry and faded but still whole is the kind rejuvenation is meant for.
The maker’s own list
SoyLei, the company that makes the product we use, prints a “When Not To Apply” list in its application brochure. In SoyLei’s words:
- “Do not apply to roofs with hail or impact damage”
- “Not suitable for torn, missing, lifted, or cracked shingles”
- “Will not fix severe aggregate loss or exposed fiberglass mat”
- “Not intended for roofs with active leaks, soft decking, or structural issues”
- “Does not repair flashing failures or installation defects”
We go by that list. If your roof hits any of these, we’ll tell you, and we won’t spray it.
Signs you can see from the ground
Stay off the roof, especially in summer. From the yard, look for curled edges, gaps where a tab blew off, and dark bare patches where the granules are gone. Check the gutters and downspouts for heavy grit. Inside, look for water stains on the ceiling.
Heat makes all of this more likely. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory researchers wrote that as asphalt oxidizes it “becomes harder and embrittled.”
Some roofs fall in between. A few lifted shingles after a monsoon storm can sometimes be repaired by a roofer first, and the roof may still be a fit after that. Our monsoon roof check covers what to look for after a storm.
Getting a straight answer
Our is my roof a candidate page goes through the checks in more detail. The quickest way to know for sure is a free roof evaluation, where the answer can be “not this roof.”