Considering Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt is a common material for roofing shingles to be made from. Asphalt is a fairly inexpensive, petroleum and fiberglass based material, often times appearing to have many small rock-like colored chips built into the shingle surface. The aforementioned chips help in dimensioning the shingle, and also provide color and UV protection. The wide variety of colors available in asphalt make this item a popular draw for roofers.

The Pro's:

As mentioned, asphalt shingles are an affordable roofing solution and are easy to source. There are many manufacturers who each provide many colors and levels of quality, which means there's no limit in the options available to a roofing contractor when picking the right shingle for the job. Asphalt shingles are also fairly sturdy, often times able to support the weight of someone walking on them. They are also flexible in terms of job duty, working fine from mobile homes all the way up to high-end commercial applications.

The Con's:

Asphalt shingles deteriorate as the rock-like chips begin to slowly flake off and do not have a lifespan equal to some of the newer synthetic roofing materials. Additionally, asphalt shingles do possess a high tolerance to strong, gusty winds, often times blowing of in small areas during heavy weather. They are also easily marred by pressure during high temperature weather conditions and don't resist molds, mosses, and mildews very well. Finally, due to their petroleum basis, asphalt shingles aren't renowned as being among the most environment-friendly roofing solutions.

Although asphalt shingles do have a few downsides, they serve their purpose quite adequately for most roofing circumstances and offer great flexibility to the customer. As such, don't be scared to consider using them when undertaking your next roofing project.