shingles

[mdickmann]

Hi all,
I need to have a contractor put a new roof on my house.  There seem to be at least 2 types of shingles to choose from, GAF and Owens corning.  I am not familiar with shingles and don't know what to choose.  Any suggestions?  Are some better than others?

Thanks,
Mark

[Wild Turkey]

How long are they guaranteed? We just had our roof redone and found there wasn't a lot of difference in the price for a big difference in the guarantee.

Get two or three bids and ask each installer which shingle they suggest and why -- hopefully they will have been in business long enough to have some experience in how long which ones last.

[K. L. McReynolds]

Study how shingles are made. You will find several types and reasons for each type.

In my area, 30 year asphalt shingles are the norm for that type.

Of those two companies, I doubt you will find a clear 'Best'.

The installer is as, if not more, important as the shingle manufacturer. There is often more than just slapping shingles on the roof.

[Rick F]

I'm in the supply business .. I can tell you that the #1 thing is how well is your roof ventilated. Soffits and vents. The best shingle will fail early if ventilated wrong . The worst one will hang on if the conditions are right.

OC and GAF are both well made product.

[Rick in Ontario]

The "warranty" is not worth the paper it is written on. The installer will blame the manufacturer and the manufacturer will blame the installer, neither will pay a dime.

I have traveled throughout the world and have noticed that North America is pretty much the only place where asphalt shingles are common.

I do agree that ventilation is the #1 key to a roof surviving but my next roof will be steel.

[fredhargis]

Search for "Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association" and you will find a long list of companies that make them, OC and GAF are big names, as is Certain Teed.  I agree with the advice above, it's not necessarily the shingle, but the installation and the house itself (the ventilation thing) that matters. I also agree you will play hell getting anything out of the warranty.

[meackerman]

my contractor FIL says that the warranty is just an indicator of the longevity of the shingles..i.e. you compare one company's 30 shingle to another's 30 year shingle...not necessarily how long the shingle actually lasts.  

You'll rarely if ever be able to collect on the warranty if something goes wrong.

[Rick in Ontario]

Yup, and my roofer told me you MIGHT get 15 years out of "30 year" shingles but more likely 10 to 12 years.

Like I said, my next roof will be steel.

[meackerman]

I dunno, I have a ~35 year old barn that I finally replaced the shingles last year.  basic 3 tab shingles.  probably should have been replaced a few years ago but that's still 30 years.

[clovishound]

The 3 tab shingles on my roof are getting to the point where they should probably be replaced in the near future. My BIL and I installed them in 1990. I believe they were 25 year shingles. Might have been 20.

Everyone seems to be using the architectural shingles these days. Thicker, look better, last longer, more expensive. Probably still a cost savings as the longevity likely more than compensates for increased initial costs. I will be using them when I replace the roof. Should be the last roof I have to put on house.