Why We Recommend 30-Year Architectural Roofing Shingles

August 25, 2015

Just like with a good haircut, a good roof complements your house and helps its look really come out and shine while still serving its purpose and being efficient in doing so. There is certainly plenty of debate about the right kind of roof for each home, but in general, there are some things which are always better than others, and there are some things which are better depending on your situation and the outcomes you are looking for in your roofing installation; often, this depends largely on your price point as well as how much time you are intending to spend living in that house and making it your home. Yet, overall, architectural shingles tend to be what best complements most homes today – and given the amount of money and time invested into good architectural shingles, it’s wise to at least go with 30-year shingles.

Different Technologies for Your Roof

A number of different shingles still exist, but advances in technology and process have led to a type of shingle that is highly distinctive and quite striking when seeing from both afar and up close. When these advancements were collected together into a single type of shingle, it was given the name “architectural roofing shingles,” otherwise known as laminated shingles or dimensional shingles. Within the roofing industry, these are widely considered to be some of the most high-quality roofing materials available.

The typical composition of architectural roofing shingles is a heavy fiberglass mat base, along with ceramic-coated mineral granules all of that are themselves embedded in the water-resistant asphalt. Do keep in mind that this is not the only kind of form and composition that we see for architectural roofing shingles; synthetic slate roofing shingles are also available.

Time and Roof Shingles

The question remains, just what sort of shingles should you be getting: 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50-year shingles? You’ll find that price often doesn’t fluctuate depending on the years you give your shingles, but generally speaking, 30 years is a great average to aim for. 10 to 20-year shingles will need replacing too often, and it is generally a waste: they are going to be perfectly fine otherwise at that point, but due to the timing on the shingles, for safety reasons they will need to be replaced.

At 40 and 50 years, you may find that your tastes have changed – or even that you want to leave the house at that point. 30-year shingles hit right between convenience and efficiency, and for that reason, we often recommend that our architectural shingles be 30-year shingles. Trust us – your home will look beautiful, and it will look beautiful for all 30 years!