The roof to your home is the most vital part to your home. It is the main source of protection for you and your family. Not to mention all of the things within your home are protected, so you want to be sure to go about your roofing needs with all the knowledge. There are many different types of roofing materials, however, asphalt shingles are among the cheapest route to go for roofing material. You have other options such as metal, clay, cement, and wood. The job of the roof material is to protect your home from water and wind damage depending on where you live. In Seattle, you have a lot of rain so that is a thought to keep in mind. In this article we will discuss the different types of asphalt roofing material and how they work.
Asphalt Shingle Types
Three-Tab Organic Shingle
This type of shingle is among the most popular used for roofing. The warranty is anywhere from 20-30 years. King County Seattle sees a lot of rain fall so be sure to keep a check on your current roof and if you see any issues that could be looming that you have not been able to notice from being inside. The make up of these shingles is a thin fiber sheet made form paper and/or wood composite. This sheet is then immersed in a soft asphalt cement and then run through a roller presses to form the shingle. Then, it is coated with a heavier asphalt and rolled again.
Three-Tab Fiberglass Shingle
This style looks similar to the standard asphalt shingle you are used to seeing on roofs. This style has fiberglass matt as opposed to the paper as its foundation. This option does not take as much asphalt when you do the pressing and rolling process, therefore making it lighter and easier for install, with an added bonus of protection against it tearing off. However with that being said. this trait makes them susceptible to high winds where the tabs may rip off. The lack of asphalt also may make them more brittle over time.
Architectural Shingles
These are two layers of shingles. Which means they are much heavier than the other types of shingles, but this means they are less likely to be damaged by the wind and other elements. These have been tested, and can withstand up to 90 mph winds. other shingles can normally only sustain 60 mph winds. These shingles gives a classic three-dimensional, wood shingle look to the home which increases curb appeal and the resale of your home. The more expensive ones can even imitate slate. Unlike three-tabbed shingles, architectural ones can go on quicker because there is not a 3 foot base to line up.
Installation Process
Installation of Asphalt shingles is a process that includes, cleaning, drip edge, ice and water shield, felt, flashing, and the actual installing of the shingles. Cleaning is needed because you want to have a clean clear surface flat roof sheathing or deck. What this means is, you do not want a warped sheathing and make sure it is not showing signs of dry rot, make sure also that are the nails are out so they do not push through your shingle. Drip Edge, This is a metal or vinyl strip that goes on all the roof edges. It extends the roofline over the fascia allowing water to fall free of the building. In Seattle, Ice shields are not that vital but could come in handy to have anyway. Felt is often referred to as tar paper that will overlap the ice/water shields, this prevents water from getting into your shingles. Flashing, metal flashing should be installed in all valleys. The chimney and dormer flashing can be installed when the shingles reach that point.