Quality Shingles

This of course is a roofing blog, and we've talked a good bit about roofing materials, shingles/tin roofing, flashing, gutters, etc! We've talked about hiring the right contractor, but we haven't talked about how to tell the quality of a shingle! Most of the time, a customer will choose the type of roofing they want, and then trust the contractor to put the right, high quality product on their roof. As wonderful as that sounds, unfortunately you can't trust people these days like you could 20 years ago, so I want you to know what to look for when you're talking with your roofer. Today, we are going to focus on shingles since they are the most common choice of roofing material.
For starters, asphalt shingles are basically composed of the backing material (cellulose material or fiberglass), the asphalt mixture, and mineral granules. There are 3 grades of shingles you can choose from, mostly referred to as "good," "better," and "best". The "good" catergory basically consists of the basic, 3-tab asphalt shingles. These are your cheaper, shorter warrantied shingles. They're not bad quality, they just won't last you as long as the others. In your "better" and "best" category you're going to have your architectural/dimensional shingles. These shingles have better curb appeal, they're thicker than the 3-tab shingles, more durable, will last longer, have a more visual texture, and most importantly, are warrantied longer than the 3-tab shingles. There's really no comparison between the 2, 3-tab and architectural shingles, but it just depends what's in your budget. The main differences between your basic shingles and your premium shingle is the warranty, cost, and durability. As with most things, you get what you pay for.


It's probably not hard for you to tell which shingles are which in the pictures above, just JUST IN CASE, the top picture is the 3-tab shingle, and the bottom is the architectural shingle.
Standards and specifications have been set for all shingles. Before your new shingles go on your roof, it would be wise of you to make sure the shingles that your roofer bought meet the specified quality guidelines. The guidelines were put in place to govern things that could result from harsh weather conditions (tear resistant, wind resistant, ice resistant, etc.). You can find this information online or just give me a call so we can talk about it.
The last thing I want you to consider before choosing your shingle is how long you will be in your home. If you plan on moving in a few years, you may not want to choose as expensive of a shingle as you would if you are just building your home or plan on staying in it for many years to come. Talk to your roofer about your different options as he should help you see what will suit your needs best!

www.sawyerroofing.com