Composite Shingle Roofing
Great Energy Efficiency And Affordable Roofing Design To Outlast Others
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Versatility And Aesthetics In One
As effective as can be, Composite Shingle Roofs are designed with a variety of color choices to fit your décor. The durability or composite shingle roofs have also been proven over the years as the choice of most homeowners.
What Is Composite Shingle Roofing?
Composite shingle roofing is made of a mixture of several commonly used building materials such as fiberglass, recycled paper products and asphalt. Composite shingles are fire resistant and serve as an effective moisture barrier.
If damaged, composite shingles can be replaced on an individual basis, making them a practical, cost effective solution for many applications. Composite roofing does not crack, split, peel or warp and comes in many shapes and sizes which also makes it a versatile choice.
A Proven Track Record
McCormack installs hundreds of residential composite shingle roof systems each year. This roofing type is popular with homeowners in Southern California, primarily because of its affordability and ease of installation.
Composite Shingles Are Energy Efficient
When the sun’s rays blaze down on your home, your roof absorbs light and heat transfers into your house, which impacts the amount of energy you use for air conditioning. Modern composite shingles are highly reflective and help reduce the amount of heat transferred into your home to help your home stay cooler during the hot summer months. Further, today’s composite shingles do not have to be light in color to be reflective, since they use special reflective particles as a shield against the sun’s rays. Finally, many composite shingles can be used to comply with 2016 Title 24, Part 6, Cool Roof Requirements of the California Code of Regulations.
How Does Composite Roofing Compare To Standard Asphalt Shingle Roofing?
Although they share many qualities, composite roofing unlike traditional asphalt roofing normally carries a longer warranty and can be manufactured to mimic the look of most if not all other roofing materials. Composite shingles are also lighter in weight than asphalt shingles and thus put less load upon the structures on which they are installed.
Long Lasting Benefits
It is the blend of roofing materials that makes composite shingles such as high-quality product. Composite shingles are most recognized for their durability. While other roofing shingles last an average of 15-20 years, most composite roofing is warrantied from 30-50 years. Some composite shingles are even guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Frequently Asked Questions About Composite Shingle Roofing Systems
Twenty or so years ago, 3-tab shingles were used almost exclusively to cover residential roofs. Today’s 3-tab shingle has not changed much, in terms of basic construction and size. A 1-ft. tall X 3-ft. wide shingle slab is cut with slots at one end to create three tabs, each about 5-in. tall X 12-in. wide. What results is the well-known and widely used “3-tab shingle.” The shingles are overlapped and nailed in place during installation. After a roof is finished the tabs are the only visible part of each shingle. Those unfamiliar with roofing often assume each tab is an individual shingle.
Laminated shingles are actually an enhanced, stronger version of a standard 3-tab shingle. Unlike a 3-tab shingle, a laminated shingle has an extra layer under its lower half. This gives the tabs on a laminated shingle a thickness that is twice as deep as it would be otherwise.
The primary goal of a laminated shingle is to provide a more natural and deeper look than that offered by a conventional 3-tab shingle. That is why laminated shingles are sometimes called architectural shingles.
A laminated shingle creates depth by featuring tabs of varying widths that are separated by large, randomly spaced gaps. The large spaces between the cut tabs highlights the thickness of the tabs, creating a wonderful, visually appealing effect of depth. Some laminated shingles employ different shades, tones and even contrasting colors to create an even more distinctive, yet natural appearance.
By virtue of their heavier construction, laminated shingles are able to last longer than 3-tab shingles. With more protective asphalt, granules and fiberglass per square foot, laminated shingles can resist sun, heat, impact and water damage more effectively and for a longer time than 3-tab shingles can.
Replacing a composite shingle roof on an average, single-family home will only require approximately one week, including tear-off. This is as long as there are no serious weather incidents or areas that need major repairs.
Not necessarily. Some composite shingles in darker colors include highly reflective granules that can still cool your home. In general, lighter colors are cooler and more reflective than darker shingles, but a shingle’s color is not the sole determining factor of its energy efficiency.
Yes, you can lay new roof shingles over old ones. You can't do it with wood or slate, for example, and you should never mix materials, such as laying asphalt shingles over cedar shake. However, you can lay composite shingles over asphalt shingles. To do this, the old roofing material simply has to be in good enough condition for the new material to be applied evenly. The standard practice is to limit to total applications without tear-off to two layers. After that, you should tear off old shingles before installing a new layer.
