Asphalt Roofing – Roofing Materials

Reasons to Choose Asphalt Roofing Shingles
by Roof101 – Constituting about 80% of roofs in America, asphalt roofing shingles are the most popular type of residential roofing material. Asphalt roof shingles are highly economical, starting at about .80 per square foot, and can be purchased in a wide range of sizes and colors.. Because they are easily cut and fastened, asphalt roof shingles are compatible with all kinds of roofing accessories and suitable to all kinds of roofing slopes. Asphalt roof shingles are also widely available, making them easily repaired. Roof 101 contractors provide all kinds of asphalt roof shingle related services, including installation, repair, cleaning, and maintenance, for well affordable prices.

Asphalt Roofing Shingles Materials and Qualities
Asphalt roofing is available in two types; glass fiber and organic shingles. Fiberglass asphalt roofing shingles contain a fiberglass reinforcing mat covered with adhesive asphalt and ceramic granules. Their best quality is fire-rating and installation simplicity. However, organic asphalt roof shingles are considered the best asphalt roof shingles, as they contain 40% more asphalt than fiberglass asphalt roof shingles, which make them heavier and therefore more durable and blow-off resistant. Organic asphalt roof shingles consist of a paper-based material saturated with ceramic granules and coated with asphalt. The ceramic granules provide UV ray reflection, while the asphalt coating provides waterproofing qualities.

The Life-Span of an Asphalt Shingle Roof
The life span of an asphalt shingle roof strongly depends upon the environment. Asphalt roofing in cooler climates lasts longer than those in warmer climates, so fiberglass asphalt roof shingles are used more in the South, while organic asphalt roof shingles are used in the North. Attic ventilation increases the life span, yet an asphalt shingle roof will generally survive 20-45 years.

by Roof101

Asphalt Roofing – Roofing Materials

Reasons to Choose Asphalt Roofing Shingles
by Roof101 – Constituting about 80% of roofs in America, asphalt roofing shingles are the most popular type of residential roofing material. Asphalt roof shingles are highly economical, starting at about .80 per square foot, and can be purchased in a wide range of sizes and colors.. Because they are easily cut and fastened, asphalt roof shingles are compatible with all kinds of roofing accessories and suitable to all kinds of roofing slopes. Asphalt roof shingles are also widely available, making them easily repaired. Roof 101 contractors provide all kinds of asphalt roof shingle related services, including installation, repair, cleaning, and maintenance, for well affordable prices.

Asphalt Roofing Shingles Materials and Qualities
Asphalt roofing is available in two types; glass fiber and organic shingles. Fiberglass asphalt roofing shingles contain a fiberglass reinforcing mat covered with adhesive asphalt and ceramic granules. Their best quality is fire-rating and installation simplicity. However, organic asphalt roof shingles are considered the best asphalt roof shingles, as they contain 40% more asphalt than fiberglass asphalt roof shingles, which make them heavier and therefore more durable and blow-off resistant. Organic asphalt roof shingles consist of a paper-based material saturated with ceramic granules and coated with asphalt. The ceramic granules provide UV ray reflection, while the asphalt coating provides waterproofing qualities.

The Life-Span of an Asphalt Shingle Roof
The life span of an asphalt shingle roof strongly depends upon the environment. Asphalt roofing in cooler climates lasts longer than those in warmer climates, so fiberglass asphalt roof shingles are used more in the South, while organic asphalt roof shingles are used in the North. Attic ventilation increases the life span, yet an asphalt shingle roof will generally survive 20-45 years.

by Roof101

When people in the greater Los Angeles  area think of going green, they typically   think of changing their lifestyle toward becoming more environmentally  responsible. When it comes to the  phrase “green roofs” though, people typically  think of any kind of roof that is environmentally  friendly.  But the fact is that green roofs are a certain type  of eco roof that incorporates plants and other organic  things.  The terms may be a bit misleading, but the goals are  the same: to change the current mindset in the construction  field to become more conscience of mankinds effect  on the planet.

The push to forge  new eco roofing materials has yielded some terrific   new products for all types of desired looks.  For those that desire the wealthy look  of legendary castles and cathedrals, there are various  kinds  of eco slate roofing materials. Eco slate roofing materials look  just like a typical slate roof, except they use less slate  and they give the building owner excellent savings on  their utility costs.

Eco metal roofing materials are similar  to other forms of metal roofs, with some  exceptions;  eco metal uses recycled materials, and they are coated with special  treatments that reflect the heat from the hot Southern California sun  away from the inside of the  edifice.  These cool roof coatings can help to save into 50% on the  average  utility expenses associated with keeping a structure  air conditioned.

Then there are eco wood shake roofing  materials that are created with recycled   wood and plastic, but when finished look a lot like  classic  wood shingles. The great thing about eco wood shake roofing  materials is that they do not have to be altered for fire  protection. These wood shakes are made with a class  A fire rating and a class 4 impact rating, which is the highest  rating any type of roofing material can get.

As far as green roofs go, this  kind  of roof design is found to really take  off  in this current push to find the ability to  live in harmony with nature. If every commercial building  in Southern California got green roofs, not only would it  cut energy usage, it would also start to improve the air quality  for the whole state.

Because green roofs convert the  regularly  black rooftops of commercial buildings into lush gardens, these  places  can then be used for simple rooftop park space or used for other  things.  Some savvy commercial building owners have taken their green   roofs and leased out to bio-tech firms or even nurseries,  which adds to the total revenue for the commercial  building  as a whole.

The best part about   all of these environmentally responsible   roofs is that they qualify for excellent  tax  credits. The federal government and the state of California have  been handing out tax incentives to building owners  that go green. There are even some neighborhoods  in the greater Los Angeles area that also offer some incentives   to commercial building owners that add energy saving  designs  into their buildings.

When people in the greater Los Angeles  area think of going green, they typically   think of changing their lifestyle toward becoming more environmentally  responsible. When it comes to the  phrase “green roofs” though, people typically  think of any kind of roof that is environmentally  friendly.  But the fact is that green roofs are a certain type  of eco roof that incorporates plants and other organic  things.  The terms may be a bit misleading, but the goals are  the same: to change the current mindset in the construction  field to become more conscience of mankinds effect  on the planet.

The push to forge  new eco roofing materials has yielded some terrific   new products for all types of desired looks.  For those that desire the wealthy look  of legendary castles and cathedrals, there are various  kinds  of eco slate roofing materials. Eco slate roofing materials look  just like a typical slate roof, except they use less slate  and they give the building owner excellent savings on  their utility costs.

Eco metal roofing materials are similar  to other forms of metal roofs, with some  exceptions;  eco metal uses recycled materials, and they are coated with special  treatments that reflect the heat from the hot Southern California sun  away from the inside of the  edifice.  These cool roof coatings can help to save into 50% on the  average  utility expenses associated with keeping a structure  air conditioned.

Then there are eco wood shake roofing  materials that are created with recycled   wood and plastic, but when finished look a lot like  classic  wood shingles. The great thing about eco wood shake roofing  materials is that they do not have to be altered for fire  protection. These wood shakes are made with a class  A fire rating and a class 4 impact rating, which is the highest  rating any type of roofing material can get.

As far as green roofs go, this  kind  of roof design is found to really take  off  in this current push to find the ability to  live in harmony with nature. If every commercial building  in Southern California got green roofs, not only would it  cut energy usage, it would also start to improve the air quality  for the whole state.

Because green roofs convert the  regularly  black rooftops of commercial buildings into lush gardens, these  places  can then be used for simple rooftop park space or used for other  things.  Some savvy commercial building owners have taken their green   roofs and leased out to bio-tech firms or even nurseries,  which adds to the total revenue for the commercial  building  as a whole.

The best part about   all of these environmentally responsible   roofs is that they qualify for excellent  tax  credits. The federal government and the state of California have  been handing out tax incentives to building owners  that go green. There are even some neighborhoods  in the greater Los Angeles area that also offer some incentives   to commercial building owners that add energy saving  designs  into their buildings.

People often think of dream homes as those neat, crisp-looking houses with brick walls and triangular roofs. Such is a classic picture of what people imagine homes should be like. And this effect can be achieved with a home roofed with asphalt roofing shingles.

Asphalt shingles have become quite so popular when it comes to roofing options for homes. Their versatility and economic value have proven to be so attractive that they now cover as much as 80 percent of the market. Asphalt shingles are quite inexpensive and easy to install. They come in a great array of quality and style and are compatible with a wide range of roof pitches. They can be installed with different roof features, from roof edges to chimneys and wall terminations to vent flashings. Most of all, they are highly attractive and can really give a house that homey effect.

There are basically two types of asphalt shingles available in the market: the organic-mat shingles and the fiberglass shingles. Both of these are of course made of asphalt, but the difference lies on the reinforcing mat – the fiberglass variety of uses fiberglass while the organic variety uses a wood-derived mat made of cellulose fiber.

The organic type of mat requires two coatings of asphalt – a soft asphalt for saturation and then harder asphalt for protection. Meanwhile, the fiberglass type only needs one hard asphalt coating. People choose fiberglass for its light weight, thinness, ease of transporting and high fire rating.

There are those who still prefer the organic type because they are more durable and they are more flexible especially during cold weather. As such, fiberglass shingles are more popular in the central and southern parts of the country while organic shingles predominate the market in the northern parts as well as in Canada.

Buying Considerations

One of the major considerations when buying asphalt shingles is its service life. Warranties for asphalt shingles usually come as longs as 20 to 45 years. However, it is important to choose a particular brand not only for its warranty period as they do not really reflect the actual lifespan of shingles. There have been reports of asphalt shingles failing far earlier than the expiry date of their warranties, and a lot of homeowners have complained that the payouts did not really cover the replacement or repair costs as they should.

But this does not mean that one should completely shun asphalt shingles as a roofing choice with the right mindset in buying, you can still get quality shingles that last long.

When buying asphalt shingles what you need to look at is how much a particular brand meets industry standards, instead of the warranties. For fiberglass shingles, you should make sure that the product meets the standard known as ASTM D-3462, which means that the shingles can withstand tests such as nail withdrawal and tear-strength. In the past decade only a few products have passed this standards and you need to make sure that the one you buy are up to this standard. Shingles are inspected by Underwriters Laboratory and those who pass come with the UL logo and a certification.

Organic mat shingles, on the other hand, should meet the standard called ASTM D-225. Organic shingles usually have greater nail-pull and tear strength resistance compared to asphalt shingles and thus their standards are also higher. A good lose rule of thumb is that heavier organic shingles are sturdier than lighter ones. This may not always be true for fiberglass shingles, though.

As expected, shingles that fulfill the industry standards are more expensive than shingles of low quality. But aside from the quality of the shingles themselves, there is also the factor of installation when the roofing cost is being considered. You may opt to use cheaper nails, but it may be rather wasteful to install good quality shingles using low-grade nails.

Different Looks

What people usually consider when they want asphalt shingles is their appearance. Shingles comes in different styles and colors that can really bring out the beauty of a home. With the right kind of asphalt shingle you can achieve different looks for your dream home.

Asphalt roofing shingles are the roofing materials of choice for many homes and even commercial buildings. With its superb form and function there is no wonder why this has become quite popular when building dream houses.

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