Advantages/Disadvantages of Asphalt Shingles

ADVANTAGES
Asphalt shingles are the most popular choice of roof shingles when it comes to home roofing. This is because they have numerous advantages when compared to other roofing options. These advantages include maintenance, installation, and of course cost.

Maintenance
One of the advantages when it comes to asphalt shingles is maintenance. Maintenance is an important factor for a homeowner to consider when choosing which roofing material might be best for their home. With little to no maintenance asphalt shingles can continue to look goods for many years. Also, asphalt shingles can be easily repaired or replaced with ease if they happen to become damaged.

Installation
Installation is another advantage of asphalt shingles. It has been said that asphalt shingles are the easiest type of roofing material to install. Usually, handy homeowners can install an asphalt roof themselves, but it is recommended that you contact a roofing specialist before and after the installation to ensure that the work is done correctly.

Cost
When homeowners are looking at roofing materials one of the biggest factors that comes into play is cost. A huge advantage when it comes to asphalt shingles is their cost. Asphalt shingles are usually manufactured in high quantities, and are generally the cheapest to produce. As previously stated above asphalt shingle roofs can easily be installed by a handy homeowner, or you can have it done by an expert relatively cheaply. Usually, installation of an asphalt roof will run the homeowner less then or up to $1 a square foot.

DISADVANTAGES
When choosing roofing material for their home homeowners usually choose asphalt shingles for their roofs, but while there are many advantages to an asphalt roof there many disadvantages as well. Some disadvantages include, but are not limited to, heat, wind, and durability.

Heat
Asphalt roof shingles not only transfer heat from the roof to your home they can also easily be damaged due to excessive heat. In areas with extreme heat asphalt shingles tend to curl up at the edges folding into the middle of the shingle. When this happens it is important that you replace any damaged shingles.

Wind
Roofs with asphalt shingles are especially susceptible to damage due to high winds. Extreme wind gusts can damage, rip, and tear the asphalt shingles from your roof with ease. Fallen and blowing debris is something else that homeowners have to contend with when mentioning high winds. It is recommended that homeowners should trim any branches that overhang their roofs to prevent any further or future damages.

Durability
Asphalt shingles usually last around 20 plus years, after that you will usually have to replace the existing shingles with new ones. Homeowners can easily find other roofing alternatives that can easily last up to 40 to 50 years such as metal roofing.