What are Architectural Shingles?

What are Architectural Shingles? With seemingly endless roofing materials to choose from for your Collierville, TN home, deciding which roofing is the best for your home can be difficult. In choosing a roofing material, it’s critical that you investigate several factors like cost, durability, composition, and warranty to ensure that it will be a worthwhile investment. 

You may feel as though you’ve researched every option available, but have you investigated dimensional shingle roofing, also known as architectural shingle roofing?

In this guide, we will discuss everything about architectural shingle roofing, including its pros and cons, and how it can help you meet your roofing goal. 

What Are Architectural Shingles and How They Are Made?

In selecting a roofing material, it’s critical to choose one that has the durability to withstand the harshest weather elements like rain, snow, hail, wind, heat, and cold, enhancing its service life. Owing to its high quality, long lifespan, and versatility, architectural shingles roofing is quickly growing in popularity. 

Often referred to as dimensional or laminate shingles, architectural shingles are made of two shingle strips laminated together, giving them a multi-dimensional look that can mimic the appearance of many other roofing materials. Architectural shingles offer greater versatility in size and shape. They can boast a more luxurious look since they can replicate high-end roofing types like slate or cedar shakes.

Unlike natural material shingles, architectural shingles are composed of a durable fiberglass base, ceramic coating of mineral granules, and water-resistant asphalt finish, placing them among the highest-quality roofing material on the market. 

To help you discover why countless homeowners choose architectural shingles roofing, here’s a breakdown of its pros and cons. 

Pros of Architectural Shingles

Endless Style Options

While the main purpose of a roof is to provide protection, it can also add a personal touch and enhance the beauty and integrity of your property. Architectural shingles are manufactured in a variety of colors, patterns, designs, shapes, and textures, granting homeowners a great deal of flexibility when it comes to roofing appearance. The versatility of these shingles makes them comparable to the look of high-end, luxurious roofing at a much more affordable price.

Durability

Traditional asphalt shingle roofing has a relatively short lifespan compared to architectural shingles, which can last for decades if maintained properly. Architectural shingles have a great reputation for enduring winds up to 120 miles per hour, and other extreme weather conditions that’s why most of them come with warranties of up to 50 years- a lot longer than 3-tab shingle roofing that only has an average warranty of 20-25 years. 

Energy Efficiency

Architectural roofing helps increase your home’s energy efficiency by offering a greater source of insulation and better light deflection keeping them cooler, much more so than standard asphalt shingle roofing. Since it can make your heating or cooling systems function more efficiently, you can save money by not relying too much on your air conditioning during the summer, and by not relying too much on your heater during the winter. 

Long-Term Value

Although the initial cost of an architectural shingle is approximately more expensive than3-tab asphalt shingle roofing, it is more durable, long-lasting, and can even increase the value of your home if you’re planning to sell soon offsetting the cost difference over time.

Cons of Architectural Shingles

Severe Weather Damage

Even the strongest architectural roofing can suffer damage under extreme conditions. While a typical thunderstorm or gusts of wind won’t stress your architectural shingles, certain weather events like hailstorms are far more detrimental to your roof.  

If you live in an area with frequent hailstorms, consult the opinion of a professional roofer to see if they’d recommend an architectural roof for your home.

Installation Timing

This is true for many roofing materials, but it goes for architectural shingles as well—weather plays a critical role in the installation process.

Rain makes the roof slippery, which can cause dangerous conditions for the roofer. Aside from that, heavy rain or wind can impact the quality of your new roof installation negatively, so it’s important to time your roof replacement for certain times of the year when the weather is most reliable.

Ready to Switch to Architectural Shingles?

Finding the right roofing material for your property doesn’t have to be difficult when you know the roofing material that suits your needs. If you’re in the market for a dependable, long-lasting, but don’t want to break the bank, look no further than architectural shingles. 

If you’re re-roofing or want to install architectural Shingles, call us today to request a quote and schedule a free, in-home consultation. We’re committed to offering the best architectural roofing products available to give you the roof that can last for the years to come.  

If you have questions about commercial roofing or residential roofing in Collierville, or Memphis, TN call Republic Roofing today at 901-437-5278