Tips for Choosing Your Roof’s Shingles

Selecting the right roofing shingles for your home requires a lot of attention and research – you first of all need to define your priorities, the requirements that your new roof must meet and then you need to find the products that meet your expectations. Modern roofing shingles come in many types, impact-resistance levels, colors and textures and the abundance of choices can make the task of picking one even more challenging, so here are a few aspects and factors to consider while evaluating roofing shingles.

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Climate Conditions

A roofing contractor Lincoln NE expert tells us that the weather that your shingles will have to endure should be one of the most important aspects to have in mind when choosing your shingles. Asphalt shingles, also known as 3-tab shingles, are the industry standard, the most common choice of homeowners across the country, preferred for their affordability, their durability (most standard asphalt shingles are warranted for 20-40 years) and for their resistance to water and UV radiations. If you are looking for stronger, more durable shingles, check out laminate shingles, also known as architectural shingles – these varieties are thicker, made from more layers and are therefore more resistant to water penetration, changing temperatures and winds.

If you live in an area that gets lost of hail storms, it might be a good idea to consider special, impact-resistant shingles. Also known as Class 4 shingles, these special products are extensively tested for impact-resistance and they offer enhanced protection not only from hail, but from strong winds as well.

If your building is located in a fire-prone area, it is a good idea to pick a product with Class A fire resistance rating – the rating that indicates the highest level of fire-protection offered by shingles available today.

Costs

Shingles are the most affordable roofing solutions today, but the different solutions available within the category show wide variations. Standard asphalt shingles are the cheapest, followed by laminate shingles that are higher priced, but more durable and more attractive as well.

The costs of your new shingle roof will be determined not only by the size of the roof, but also by the features that you need with your shingles. Higher levels of resistance to fire and hail come for a price, but investing a little bit more into your home’s safety is surely worthwhile.

Aesthetic Appeal

Standard shingles come in a wide array of colors, but their surface looks very much the same. Laminate shingles offer more variety, they are available in textured or patterned varieties, even in varieties that resemble wood, so you will surely find lots of options that match your tastes. When you pick the color of your shingles, pay attention not only to the overall color scheme and style of your building – try to pick a color that works well with the styles and colors of the buildings surrounding your property. If your neighborhood has a HOA covenant, make sure that you consult the document first – if your new shingles do not comply with the regulations, you might be required to replace the roof again and you surely don’t want that.