Roof shingles take a period of time to fully settle, seal, and flatten after installation, and this process depends heavily on temperature and sun exposure. The thermally activated sealant strip on the back of asphalt shingles requires heat from direct sunlight to soften and bond to the shingle below. In warm summer conditions with temperatures above 60 to 70 degrees and direct sun, shingles typically seal within a few days to two weeks, and any minor waviness or slight lifting from packaging will flatten out within 2 to 4 weeks as they warm and conform to the deck. In cooler spring or fall weather between 40 and 60 degrees, sealing can take 1 to 3 months, and shingles may appear slightly wavy until they experience several warm days. If shingles are installed in winter below 40 degrees, they may not seal at all until the following spring when temperatures rise, and roofing contractors should hand-seal them with roofing cement to prevent wind blow-off in the interim. The visual settling, where the roof goes from looking slightly textured or wavy to uniformly flat, usually occurs within 1 to 2 months in summer. Full thermal settling where shingles fully conform and granule texture evens out can take one full summer season. If shingles still look wavy after 3 to 6 months of warm weather, it may indicate deck unevenness or installation issues rather than normal settling.
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