Which Shingles Material is the Best for Your Home?

Any time you’re doing improvements to your house, you want to make sure that you are using the best materials possible. After all, this is your home, and it’s going to keep your family warm, dry, and safe for years to come. So when you’re shopping for shingles and roofing materials, you want to make sure that you know which ones are going to do the job for the next couple of decades, and which are going to leave you scrambling in just a few years.  So, here are some tips to help you know what’s important when you're looking for effective roofing material.

You Get What You Pay For

Just like anything else in life, when it comes to buying materials used for roofing, you get what you pay for.  If you want to extend the lifespan of your asphalt shingle roof, you’re going to need to buy high-quality materials.

While there are cheaper options out there, these are usually made overseas and do not meet the standards that US companies use. That means that you won’t get the same durability out of them.  They are able to manufacture them so cheaply by cutting the quality of the asphalt - which, when you’re buying something called an asphalt shingle, isn’t a good thing!  These budget shingles are dry and brittle. You may think you’re saving money, but over the course of a few years, you’ll actually pay a lot more, since you’ll most likely be fighting leaks and constantly needing repairs. 

You Don’t Have to Break the Bank

Just because you don’t want to roof your home with the cheapest foreign shingles doesn’t mean that you have to completely blow your budget on your new roof surface. Yes, you want the best for your house. And the shingle roof materials that cost the most are really nice. But the reality is that they also have qualities that you likely don’t need in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. That’s good news because we can help you pick the shingles that will provide exactly what you need, so you don’t have to waste money.

To improve your roof’s lifespan, you should have shingle roofing sheets that give you the strength and durability your home requires for our Texas weather. While there are affordable metal roofing materials, we recommend sticking with asphalt shingles, since they have such a long lifespan when installed right. 

What You’re Looking For

So what is it that separates a good quality shingle from a cheap knockoff? Really, it comes down to two things - asphalt and sealant. These are what is going to make the difference between your home having a roof that lasts for decades or a house that is always facing leaks and problems. 

Asphalt

Asphalt is the key ingredient in a roof shingle.  It’s what gives asphalt shingles their strength and durability. But when the shingle is cheap, it means the manufacturer has skimped on the quality of asphalt. This can lead to lots of problems.

First and foremost, poor asphalt will be brittle and easily broken. That’s bad news when you have a hail season as we do in Dallas-Fort Worth. There’s nothing worse after a big storm than finding roof damage that could have been avoided if the right materials had been used.  

Low-quality asphalt can also lead to granule loss. The top layer of a shingle is made of granules of broken stone or ceramics.  This creates a protective barrier that prolongs the life of the roof.  But when cheap asphalt is used, this layer can begin to separate, making your roof look bad and removing the protection that the granules are designed to provide.

Asphalt is the most important part of roofing shingles, but it’s also the easiest place to cut corners for companies trying to sell cheap products.  That’s why you should make sure you stay with the name brands.  We always recommend 4 major brands that will give you the best quality at the best prices - GAF, Owens Corning, Atlas, and CertainTeed. If you go with one of these brands, you’ll know that your roof will last for a long time. 

Sealant

When you’re doing a roof analysis, one of the first things you’ll notice is the quality of the sealant. Every shingle has a line of sealant on the back of it. This allows it to seal tightly to the shingle underneath it.  When a roof is fully installed, every shingle is connected to every other shingle through this network of sealant.  The stronger and better quality this sealant is, the stronger your roof will be.

This is particularly important when you live somewhere like Dallas-Fort Worth, where high winds are a big concern. If you use a shingle with weak sealant, you’re going to lose shingles during storms and compromise the integrity of your whole roof.  

It can be hard to know which shingles are both high quality enough to protect your home and don’t cost extra for qualities you don’t need for your home. Parish Roofing Solutions is always happy to talk to you and help you find the right shingle for you.  That’s why we offer a FREE consultation - just drop us a line and let us help you pick the right roof for your home!