What is it in asphalt shingles that makes them so strong and reliable?
For many years, asphalt shingles have been a tried and true choice of homeowners everywhere. Odds are, if you go for a stroll around your neighborhood, you’ll probably find that most homes have asphalt shingle roofing. Asphalt shingles look great with most architectural styles and are also durable, dependable, and low-maintenance. Keep reading to see why asphalt shingles have long been one of the most popular roof style choices for American homeowners.
Anatomy of Asphalt Shingles
To fully understand how asphalt shingles protect your home so well, let’s break down the different layers of asphalt shingles and find out the purpose of each:
A base mat: The bottom layer of the shingles is made of either fiberglass or felt paper. The fiberglass option has been the most popular since its birth in the 80s; it’s cheaper and more lightweight, but also stronger and more fire-resistant at the same time.
A layer of waterproof asphalt: The asphalt in roofing shingles is very similar to the asphalt in the roads. Asphalt shingles however are processed to produce an even tougher type of material than the asphalt found on the ground. Roofing asphalt undergoes oxidation before it is installed on the roof of your home. This oxidation process involves the blowing of air through heated asphalt granules; too much oxidation results in brittle asphalt and too little oxidation may cause the asphalt to be too soft. The asphalt in asphalt shingles is mixed with a type of fine mineral powder. This mineral powder enhances the asphalt’s weather-resistant and fire-protective properties.
A layer of ceramic granules: The top layer of an asphalt shingle is made up of protective ceramic granules. Granules, sometimes called ‘grit,’ are a ground-up type of rock that is crushed to a certain size specifically to fit shingles and protect your home. These granules give the shingles the texture and appearance you feel and see when holding asphalt shingles up close. For some climates, the ceramic granules are processed to be extra reflective of the sun’s rays and deflect heat energy from the home.
What Makes Asphalt Shingles so Strong?
Over the years asphalt shingles have proven to be a popular, dependable choice for long-lasting protection of your home. Here are a few reasons why:
Low maintenance: once properly installed, asphalt shingles require little upkeep. If damaged, asphalt shingles are easily repaired.
Adaptability: Asphalt shingles are strong, but they are also flexible and can be installed to protect a wide variety of roof styles. In addition, asphalt shingles fit well with most architectural styles– whether your home is traditional or very modern, you can’t go wrong with asphalt shingle roofing!
Durability: Asphalt shingles can provide long-lasting protection for your home through wind, rain, snow, ice, sunshine, and summer heat. They can endure for 20 years, and sometimes even longer depending on your home and the climate in which you live.
Owens Corning Shingle Warranty
As with any type of roofing installation or repair project, it’s important to read the fine print. Ensuring that the roofing materials and the contracting company are covered by warranty can make all the difference down the line by saving you lots of stress, time, and money should anything go wrong with your roof repair or installation.
To give our customers complete peace of mind, CoMitted 365 offers a 25-workmanship warranty and a 50-year manufacturer’s warranty on Owens Corning asphalt shingles.