Asphalt Shingle Roofing

Asphalt shingles are among the most popular types of residential roofing materials in Naperville, Illinois for a variety of reasons. For one, they are relatively inexpensive. What determines the cost of roof shingles includes the geographical location, slope of the roof, height of the building, ease of access to the premises, complexity of the project, particular type of shingle (such as, architectural, 3-tab, or designer, and many other factors.

Asphalt roofing shingles come in a variety of colors and styles, are highly durable, stand up to the different natural elements of weather, and can be easily maintained and repaired. We can help you choose the right type of asphalt shingle to install for your home or business, and we have plenty of options available.

What is an Asphalt Shingle?

A shot of asphalt shingles.

Glass fiber shingles have a glass fiber reinforcing mat manufactured to the shape of the shingle. This mat is then coated with asphalt, which contains mineral fillers. The glass fiber mat is not waterproof by itself; its main purpose is for reinforcement. What makes the glass fiber shingle waterproof is the asphalt.

However, the asphalt itself will not stick to the mat. For this reason, fillers are used. The fillers in the asphalt cling to the glass fibers in the mat. The asphalt then encapsulates the glass fibers, filling all of the little holes and voids in the mat, rendering it waterproof. After this cools a bit, an adhesive asphalt is used to cover the mat and the ceramic granules are then embedded.

Asphalt shingles come in two basic types: glass fiber (a.k.a. fiberglass) and organic. Organic shingles consist of an organic felt material, which is generally paper saturated with asphalt to make it waterproof. A top coating of adhesive asphalt is then applied, and the ceramic granules are then embedded. Organic shingles, however, have not lived up to their name and have become obsolete in the market. Organics became popular in the late 80s and early 90s, but their popularity is diminishing due to their poor performance in withstanding a range of natural elements. Many customers have seen their organic shingles fail prematurely (typically within 5 to 12 years after installation) with signs of cracking and brittleness.

For this reason, Adept Construction does not promote the use of organic shingles and instead recommends going with fiberglass shingles.

Architectural Shingle Roofing vs. 3-Tab Asphalt Shingles

A close up of asphalt shingles.

Architectural shingles are considered high-end asphalt shingles due to their quality and distinctive textured look. Architectural shingles are also known as three-dimensional shingles or laminate shingles. Architectural shingles were introduced to the home construction market in the 1970s in the ongoing effort to produce an asphalt shingle product with the higher-end quality look of slate or cedar wood shake shingles, without the negatives of breakage, insect damage, or excess weight.

How Asphalt Shingle Roofing Stands Out

Architectural asphalt shingles have a unique visual appearance. Instead of a running row pattern that is observed with three-tab shingles, architectural shingles have a cedar-shake-texture appearance that gives a more dramatic look to a home. Architectural shingles are also excellent for hiding roof imperfections due to their textured look. Many home builders today prefer to use them due to this benefit alone. In addition, from some builders’ perspectives, architectural shingles are easier to install than three-tab roof shingles.

Over time, three-tab asphalt shingles have set the stage for specialty architectural composition shingles. The latter are easier to lay, thus saving on installation time, effort, and cost. Although three-tab asphalt shingles are somewhat cheaper than the architectural composite ones, the latter are vastly growing in popularity for residential roofing and pushing the former out of the market.
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Since they are still in use, three-tab asphalt shingles are offered in a variety of colors to satisfy practically any style preference. They are also economical, whether for repairing individual asphalt shingles or for a complete re-roofing job. Although which roof shingles to choose depends on style preferences, budget, product availability, and time, to name a few factors, not as many homeowners choose three-tab asphalt shingles as they choose other types of shingles. The three-tab ones are generally not quite as attractive, and they do not last for very long, which in some cases can impact the home’s resale value.

Get Reliable Architectural Shingle Installation Today

At Adept Construction, you’ll find plenty of roofing options to give your home or business the look you want. Our roofing contractors are ready to serve you with some of the best roofing materials and services available anywhere in the Naperville area. You’ll see a difference with our architectural shingle installations for a complete roof that gives your building an attractive look and improved weather resistance. With every roofing system job we complete, we work hard to make sure that our customers get the results that meet their expectations.

Whatever your needs, Adept Construction can help you choose the perfect asphalt shingle roofing style, or we can help you to better understand any other roof types. Our roofing contractors are dedicated to helping you find exactly what you need. Get in touch with us today!