Shingles Roof Guide – How to Pick Out The Right Shingles For Your Home
Your roof protects you, your family and everything you own. A quality roof acts as the protective barrier for your property keeps a home properly insulated and increases the overall value of the house. If you are considering investing in a new roof, you need to know about all the available options so you can pick the most convenient one for your home.
First and foremost a roof is not just shingles or tiles, it is a complete system combining the roof, underlayment and ventilation. For the purpose of this article we will focus on shingles only.
Asphalt shingles
Asphalt shingles are very popular and at the entry level the most affordable as well. Some of the most important facts about this type of shingles are:
· They come in different sizes, styles, and colors.
· Some of them meet the Energy Star standards hence can save you on energy bills
Styles and color options for asphalt shingles
Asphalt shingle roofing can only be used on steep slope roofs, (there are different products available for low slope roofs), and their only drawback is that they don’t fare well in extreme weather areas. However, with an expert roofing company in Michigan, your roofing system will do you justice.
Fiberglass Shingles
Fiberglass shingles are usually made from fiberglass base then layered with waterproof coating of asphalt. It is made through overlapping wet fiberglass then binding it with urea-formaldehyde adhesive. The mat is then coated with a mixture of asphalt and mineral fillers in order to make it waterproof. Some include SBS (styrene Butadiene Styrene) or rubber to improve virtually all aspects of the shingle roof. Finally they are coated with granules that come in an array of colors. The primary reason for granules is to protect the asphalt from the sun, today however, with computer applied granules it creates a wide variety of color options. Fiberglass shingles roofing features include:
· Durability.
· Resistance to UV rays.
· Lightweight.
· Fire resistant.
· Wind resistant.
Organic Shingles
Initially, organic shingles were made from wood chips, rags, papers and recycled cardboard. For this reason, these shingles are a lot more prone to saturation and moisture, which could lead to many more problems. The shingles could degrade or break even before their 20-year life expectancy. These should be completely avoided.
Metal Shingles
As the price of asphalt shingles continues to rise metal shingles are becoming more and more an affordable and stylish option. These are usually made form stamped galvanized or aluminum metal. They come in various styles and shapes. The can simulate shingles, wood shakes, tile and slate.
· Extremely visually attractive.
· Extremely durable with up to 50 years life expectancy.
· Adds tremendous resale value to the home.
Tile Shingles
Tile shingles are all about style and they can be made in various shapes and colors to keep them looking great. They fit great on properties that have Mediterranean or colonial Spanish style and they are some of the best shingles in the market. Additional features include:
· Extremely visually attractive.
· Extremely durable with up to 80 years life expectancy.
· Quite expensive.
In addition to being quite pricey, tile shingles are very heavy and they need a firm structure. If you are replacing a roof from asphalt shingles and decide to do tile shingles, you will need to have an expert roofing contractor thoroughly inspect your house and determine if it can hold the weight. Some of the disadvantages of tile shingles include:
· Small cracks.
· Holes.
· Broken tiles.
· Cracked tiles.
Wood Shingles
Wood shingles are also a very good roofing choice and some of the most expensive in the market as well. Some of the wood shingle features include:
· Durability.
· Energy efficiency.
· Available in redwood and cedar.
· Environmentally friendly.
· Could last up to 50 years.
The biggest drawback in this type of shingle roofing is that it is more susceptible to fire than other types. Wood shingles also have significant maintenance costs to protect the roof against mold and termites and they could crack, break or warp.
Slate Shingles
Slate shingles are some of the most durable roofing option lasting up to 100 years. This type of roofing also has very good damage and water resistance properties and comes in different color options including red, green, black and grey. They are also:
· Very expensive compared to other types, even to repair.
· Very heavy and only applied to strong structures.
· Need to be installed by professional roofers.
Conclusion
Regardless of the type of roofing you choose, the installation needs to be done by a reputable roofing company in Michigan. This will ensure that the roofing is installed properly and you will be sure that it will last as long as promised. The most important day in the life of your roof is the day it is installed.