The Case For Architectural Shingles
Are you looking to enhance the beauty of your home, keep your family safe from the elements, and protect your most valuable investment? If so, architectural shingles are probably for you. They’ve seemed to grow in popularity over the past several years, and for good reason – they have so many great benefits.
Durability
Architectural shingles are better than traditional shingles because they have a larger exposure area, are heavier, but they still do not need additional support added to the roof. Simply put, architectural shingles last quite a bit longer than most traditional asphalt shingles. You should research the specific architectural shingle you are considering, but as a rule of thumb, architectural shingles can last 40 years or longer, and can even have life-time warranties.
Increase the Value of Your Home
One of the main reason why many home owners and contractors prefer architectural shingles is largely due to the value they can add to your home, in terms of aesthetic beauty and character. Traditional shingles can look very flat, and are not at all colorful. However, architectural shingles can definitely add dimension to how your home looks, as they come in an assortment of color scheme options. Additionally, many people have been using architectural shingles for their increasingly popular, pitched roofs.
Too Costly?
Despite all of their pros, architectural shingles aren’t perfect. There is certainly a drawback to them – which is that they are significantly more expensive (20-40 percent more) than traditional shingles. To the contrary, many people feel that architectural shingles are worth the expensive up front cost, because they will last a long time, and won’t need to be replaced. This is why many people consider them to be somewhat of a sustainable, green roofing material.
Algae Damage?
Another not so positive thing about architectural shingles is that they tend to collect mildew and algae, if wet leaves are left on the roof. If you’re living in a dry climate, then you don’t have to worry about this, but if you see this as a potential problem, simply make sure to clean your roof using a hose with a spray nozzle, regularly. In Chicago, Algae isn’t usually a problem.
In summary, architectural shingles have become a premier aesthetically pleasing, sustainable roofing material. The positive factors of architectural shingles definitely outweigh the negatives, and they are highly recommended to compliment almost any home.
If you have some questions about architectural shingles, or you’re thinking about a roof replacement, don’t hesitate to contact Champion Roofing your roofing company for Chicago, and surrounding areas!
