Selecting the Correct Roofing Shingles - Long Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, New York (NY)
Selecting the Right
Asphalt Roofing Shingles for your Home
The Difference between Fiberglass and Organic Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt Shingles are one of the most common choices for roofing
materials. As a matter of fact, at least 75% of the homes in the
United States use asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles come in various
styles and costs and have warranty packages from 20-40 years.
There are two types of asphalt shingle construction: Fiberglass mat
based shingles and Organic mat based shingles.
Fiberglass based shingles are thinner and lighter, as their backing
is made out of a fiberglass mat.
Note: A bundle of asphalt shingles can weigh between 70 and 140 lbs
and there are typically 3 bundles of shingles per square (100 sqft
per square of shingles). Consequently fiberglass mat based shingles
are easier to lift making a roofer’s job easier when carrying
shingles up a ladder. Fiberglass mat shingles are also more fire
retardant and typically have slightly longer warranties than organic
based shingles.
Organic based shingles are heavier and considered more rugged as
their mat backing is made out of felt paper and asphalt. They are
heavier due to the fact that there is literally more asphalt used in
them than a Fiberglass mat shingle.
Organic mat based shingles are also considered more flexible than
fiberglass shingles, however they are known to be more water
absorbent and can warp over time. As a result of these differences
Fiberglass mat shingles are used much more prevalently in the
southern and central part of the United States, and Organic mat
based shingles are used more in the northern part.
Fiberglass Asphalt based shingles used on your home should be
compliant with ASTM D-3462 standards, and Organic based shingles
used on your home should be compliant with ASTM D-225. More and more
municipalities are requiring shingles to meet these standards, so
you should check with your local building inspector and read the
label on the shingles prior to purchasing them.
Fiberglass and Organic mat based shingles are comparably priced.
They can range anywhere from $25 to $80 per square.
3-Tab shingles have been around for a long time and are still the
most common shingle installed, however more and more homeowners are
moving towards architectural shingles. Architectural shingles are a
little more expensive but are actually easier to install, as less
care is needed in ensuring straight lines. Architectural Shingles
typically also have longer warranty periods.
3-Tab shingles typically require greater skill and longer
installation times as the roofing contractor needs to ensure that
wavy shingle lines are not created when installing the shingles.
Architectural shingles, on the other hand, are a little easier to
install as the lines and shadows are designed to be more complex. As
a result, imperfections in the installation process of architectural
shingles can be more difficult to see.
Architectural shingles typically cost most than 3-Tab shingles,
however their cost may be somewhat mitigated by a lower installation
cost.
Whatever shingles you decide to use, make sure you read the shingle
packaging labels and check with your local building inspector first.
Your home’s roof is one of the most import aspects of your home. An
improperly installed shingle job or the installation of the wrong
shingles can lead to expensive water damage and high repair costs.
We have over 30 years of roofing repair experience.
We can fix any of your roofing issues. Contact New
Roof Long Island Today!
We are partnered with the major roofing material companies and
will beat any roofing contractor quotes.
Get your price then call us for a free roofing estimate. We travel
across Nassau County, Suffolk County and Queens New York installing
new roofs and fixing old leaky roofs.
If you are looking to fix leaks in your current roof or if you want
a brand new roof, look no further. We will fix your current roof or
do a roof rip and install a new roof usually in 1 day with very
minimal mess! (commercial roofing may be longer)