Roofing and Building Center

Advantages of Asphalt Roofing Shingles

Posted on December 8, 2009 by Samuel Cheeseman

Types of Shingles

When considering a new or replacement roof you will want to look into the possibility of installing some of the very popular roofing shingles now available. They are available in a huge variety of styles and colours allowing them to look great on almost any home in any location. Roofing shingles are produced from many materials including slate, wood, cement, metal, ceramics and asphalt. Even solar roof shingles are now available. In many areas the asphalt roofing shingles are the most popular roofing material used for residential properties. The higher quality asphalt shingles are durable, long lasting and fairly cost effective when compared to alternative roofing materials. This means that repair and maintenance costs are typically low if you have a good quality asphalt shingle roof which has been properly installed. There are however some cheaper roofing shingles that will not last nearly as long so will likely be the cause of considerable maintenance expenses. The materials are easy to obtain though and many companies do offer reasonably priced high quality products.

There are varieties of roofing shingle available to suit most climates including those which experience very cold and also very hot tropical weather. High quality products will often be resistant to both melting and cracking in extreme temperatures. High winds should not be a problem for good quality asphalt roof shingles as long as the installation was completed to a good standard. Many shingles are now also resistant to the growth of algae which makes them particularly desirable in areas which experience frequent and heavy rainfall. Some of the latest asphalt products will compare to the metal roofing shingles in areas such as durability if the very highest quality materials are used.

The Asphalt Varieties

Although there is a wide range of options now available the asphalt roof shingles are generally going to be of either the Organic or the Fibreglass varieties. The organic types are usually felt which has then been saturated with asphalt. They are the older variety and have been somewhat replaced by the more modern fibreglass roofing shingles. The organic options contain more asphalt than the fibreglass shingles which makes them heavier and very unlikely to blow off of a roof in a storm. This does mean that they are less environmentally friendly though because of the extra asphalt used. Because the organic shingles are felt based they are also not as fire resistant as the more modern options. Fire resistance ratings are an important consideration and are classed as either ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ with ‘A’ being the most resistant. Organic shingles are typically rated ‘B’ whereas the fibreglass materials will have an ‘A’ rating. These weaknesses of the organic options are some of the reasons that fibreglass shingles are receiving an ever increasing share of the market for residential roofing materials.

The modern types of fibreglass roof shingle tend to perform better than their organic counterparts in most areas. They are both lighter and often more resilient than the organic kinds and as we know come with class ‘A’ fire resistance ratings. When you have decided to shingle a roof using the fibreglass materials you will need to look at whether you wish to purchase the Three-tab or Architectural option. These options cover how the shingles will fit together on your roof. The three-tab variety will be cheaper but do not fit with each other as well as the architectural shingles, they are also more difficult to install in most cases. Architectural asphalt roof shingles are the obvious choice if you can afford them. They are heavier, will have a longer lifespan, faster installation times and a better fit ensuring that your roof will be of an overall higher standard when the work is complete. These shingles will often come with a longer warranty than organic ones will and this can be up to 50 years. You should however be aware that these warranties will often only cover defects in the products themselves and not any kind of damage which is not the fault of the manufacturer such as incorrect installation. You will also need to think about insulating roof shingles. Standard attic floor insulation techniques can be used to install rolls, sheets or boards. Insulating roof paint is also available which can be applied to shingles. This will form a protective seal over the surface of your roof.

Making a Choice

If you are going to be installing a new roof in the near future then fibreglass architectural roof shingles will often be a great choice. There are of course other good quality options that you will want to consider for many types of properties such as the metal roof shingles. Your final choice will depend on your budget and the area you live in along with your personal thoughts about how each option looks visually. You should also think about the installation itself. Are you going to attempt to complete the work yourself? Asphalt shingles in particular can be installed relatively easily especially by someone with some roofing or construction experience. There is also a large range of information currently available which explains how to install roof shingles yourself.

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4. Using Plastic Roofing Sheets
5. The Many Strengths of Metal Roofs