The biggest part of replacing your roof is choosing your new shingle. It is important to know the different advantages of each available shingle, and their accessories. A great sales consultant or contractor should be able to walk you through it, step by step. Although there are many different types of roofs, ranging from architectural asphalt fiberglass shingles, to cedar shingles, to clay tiles, or even steel shingles. The most common are architectural fiberglass 50yr shingles and steel shingles.
ASPHALT SINGLES
Approximately 80% of homes have asphalt shingles as they are easy to install, last quite a long time and are very affordable. These shingles are relatively new as they surfaced on the market within the last 10 years and were designed to completely replace the old organic 25-year asphalt shingles that typically lasted between 8 to 12 years. These new and improved 50-year shingles come in many different colours and typically last 20 to 30 years depending on the manufacturer, installation and weather conditions in your area. Keep in mind that the terms 25-year and 50-year shingles are the manufacturers’ buzz words and this doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how long you should wait to replace them. There are many warranty claims and class action suits regarding the old asphalt organic shingle and which have prompted the design of the 50-year architectural asphalt fiberglass shingle.
STEEL ROOF
If you’re looking for a shingle that is beautiful, lightweight yet very durable, and still affordable, we recommend considering a steel roof. A steel roof is incredibly long lasting and can protect your roof for 50+ years. The manufacturers are so confident in its design that they typically warranty their steel roofs for 40+ years. In some cases, the manufacturer will even completely replace your roof in the event of a breach. Utilizing steel is often half the weight of an asphalt shingle and can out last it 2-3x longer. Considering the benefits of utilizing a steel shingle, at roughly twice the cost, why wouldn’t you install steel? We can’t even think of a single disadvantage other than the colour which may start to fade after 40 years…. But you would have replaced your architectural shingles at least once by that time! In some cases, a metal shingle can last longer than 3 asphalt shingle installations. This is not to say that asphalt shingles are not a good investment, but rather just further compliments the incredible performance of a steel roof.
Of course, there are other types of roofs you can have installed but most of them are much heavier, more difficult to install, time consuming and much more expensive for no improvement in quality or durability. Some of these other options may not be available in your region and some are also mainly for esthetics.
Your roof, your color!
When it comes down to colour or look of a shingle, there are many different colours provided by many different manufacturers and some even provide premium colours as well.
Another thing to consider in these tight economic times is where the shingle is manufactured as well as where the supplier is located. A cheaper shingle from out of town may not be the best bet for such a huge investment and the old saying rings true “you can’t afford to shop cheap”. When it comes to your home, it is sage advice to skip the cheapest product and/or service on the market. This doesn’t mean go ahead and purchase the most expensive product available as that doesn’t guarantee top quality either. Check or ask about your contractor about their suppliers’ and manufacturers’ track record with the products you’re considering. Chances are that you can purchase and install top quality shingles manufactured and supplied locally at very competitive market prices. Why not help support your own local economy when making one of your biggest investments.
