The quick answer: “Yes, you should upgrade to hail resistant shingles.” The reason that we recommend upgrading to impact resistant shingles (IR shingles) when you replace your roof is two-fold.
#1 – When you curb hail damage, you curb damage to your home.
Simply put, IR shingles minimize the effect of hail.
How can hail damage your home? Initially, hailstones damage asphalt roof shingles by knocking off their granular covering. When granular coverings come loose, the asphalt under the shingles becomes exposed to the elements. Sunlight deteriorates the asphalt layer. Eventually rain and humidity will leak through the roofing system and cause interior damage that will also require repair.
In the Houston area, impact-resistant roofing will get you greater peace of mind the next time a storm hits.
#2 – Impact resistant shingles can lower your homeowners insurance premium.
When you have IR shingles, most insurance companies will give you a discount on your homeowners insurance premium because the roof is more resistant to hail damage.
Available discounts for using impact-resistant shingles on your roof range between 15% and 30%. Depending on the discount your insurance company offers, it might take as little as 3 to 4 years for your savings on insurance premiums to exceed your investment in the upgrade to IR shingles. Check with your insurance company to see what your discount might be.
What are impact-resistant shingles?
IR shingles are roofing shingles manufactured to withstand or resist the impact of objects, such as hail, better than non-IR shingles. Small hailstones won’t damage IR shingles. Impact resistant doesn’t mean impact proof, but IR shingles are designed to extend the life of your roof. While the average life expectancy of a roof with regular 3-tab shingles is about 20 years, a roof with IR shingles such as Owens Corning’s TruDefinition Duration, should last closer to 30 years.
How do impact-resistant shingles work?
IR shingles have reinforced asphalt to make them stronger. Polymer meshing in the asphalt itself or woven fiber in the mat area underneath the exposed part of a shingle helps to dissipate the impact of a hailstone so that it doesn’t crack the mat.
Not all IR shingles are the same. IR shingles are rated as Class 1 to Class 4, depending on the size of impact it is designed to resist, with Class 4 being the greatest impact-resistant shingle and capable of resisting hailstones of up to 2 inches.
SBS shingles are much more impact resistant than a standard asphalt shingle with a reinforced mat because it helps prevent the surface damage that occurs during a hailstorm. SBS-modified shingles are a relatively new technology. SBS stands for styrene butadiene styrene. The asphalt in SBS-modified shingles is modified in such a way that the asphalt forms its own polymer mesh network that essentially “rubberizes” the material.
What are some good options for impact-resistant shingles?
When shopping for impact resistant (IR) shingles, make sure the product carries the UL 2218 certification (“Impact Resistance of Prepared Roof Covering Materials” by Underwriters Laboratory).
A popular Class 4 IR shingle with woven fiber mat is Owens’ Corning TruDefinition Duration Storm shingle. Another good option is an SBS shingle like Owens Corning’s Duration Flex.
How much does an impact-resistant roof cost?
The size of your roof, number and degree of slopes as well as other factors affect the cost of your roof replacement. To request a free, no-obligation quote, give us a call at 281-204-2248 or request a quote below.