What’s the Deal with Shingle Sediment?

When you clean your gutters, have you noticed a build-up of sediment in them? What is that anyway? Well, that is a sand-like granule that comes from your shingle roof. This gritty substance separates from the asphalt shingles and washes off into the gutters.

It is normal for some granules to start coming off the shingles over time. You’ll notice them more
when you have a new roof and then later as the roofing gets older. In fact, any experienced roofer will tell you that the trash in their gutters is about half sediment.

Look at shingle granules like sand dunes on the beach. Those sand dunes are like a buffer between the ocean and land; they slow the water down. This allows the grass and vegetation to grow which can keep small things from blowing up or climbing over the dunes. A natural barrier, if you will.

Now, picture your gutters with small sand dunes inside them, i.e., the sediment. The sediment is the barrier like the sand dunes and slows down the water running from the high point of the gutter to the downspout.

This lets the leaves and any small debris stay behind, and the granules begin to build-up, becoming a natural and fertile breeding ground for plants. So, if you go out and look up at your gutters and see plants or small trees coming up from them, the seeds have taken root in the granules (that sediment) and have sprouted.

One way to avoid this from happening is cleaning your gutters on a regular basis. Another way is to have micro mesh/screen gutter guards installed on your existing gutters. The micro mesh/screen gutter guards will keep shingle granules out of your gutters and keep that plant life out too.