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Impact-resistant roofing does sound like a great money-saver and convenient roofing to have in South Windsor CT. Hailstorms are the great equalizer; harsh hailstone impacts will create massive damages against any residential roofing material. With impact-resistant roofing, you won't even need to worry about denting and possible long-term roofing material issues.
On the other hand, impact resistant roofing is more expensive than the usual roofing material. It can be as expensive as an entire metal roofing system or more. Then again, its returns are quite appealing and compelling, which makes it an important material to consider.
We know that roofing shingles weren't exactly the first thing you thought about when it comes to impact-resistant shingles. However, class 4 roofing shingles can repel and withstand several hailstorms before it sustains any form of functional damage. In fact, we've seen South Windsor CT homes using impact-resistant roofing shingles and gaining discounts from insurers.
Cenco Building Services has a great and detailed introduction to impact-resistant roofing shingles. Read more about them here.
Shingles that are “impact resistant” are considered a class 4 product, and are designed to withstand high winds and hail damage. These shingles may be made of copper, aluminum, resin and plastic.
Shingles with the Class 4 rating have an impact resistance rating of UL 2218. The UL 2218 is the roofing industry standard for testing shingles against hail impact. There are four testing classes that use four different steel ball sizes that range from 1 1/4” to 2”. These steel balls are dropped at heights between 12 and 20 feet to mimic the impact of hail falling at high speeds.
The UL 2218 is currently the highest impact resistance rating. Aside from hail impact, these shingles can also withstand high winds up to 110mph.
Are Class 4 Impact Resistant Shingles Worth the Cost?
Generally, yes. But it really depends on where you live. Thousands of homeowners lose their roofs to wind and hail damage each year, but some areas are more affected by damaging storms than others. Homes in areas that experience stronger, damaging storms will benefit greatly from impact resistant shingles because they offer long-term roof protection.
Impact resistant shingles do cost more initially, but they pay for themselves in the long run. Typically, these shingles cost 10-20% more than their non-impact counterparts. That being said, they reduce a homeowner’s maintenance costs and may even prevent premature roof replacement (Continued).
Anything impact resistant definitely sounds like an excellent choice for any homeowner. However, based on our experience as your highly-dependable roofing contractor in South Windsor CT, we know of some excellent alternatives with guaranteed and tried-and-proven durability and dependability.
In fact, we agree with most of the items in Euroshield Roofing's list of durable and impact-resistant roofing materials. While we believe average asphalt shingles still fail to resist strong hailstorms, we can agree on their other citations. Read more below.
1.Rubber Roofing
A rubber roof is one of the best roofing solutions for hail.
Rubber roofing offers a tremendous level of impact resistance due to its energy absorbing and dispersing nature.
Similar to a car tire hitting a pothole, a rubber roof can return to its original shape after a big impact.
Rubber roofs can handle extremes in temperature and temperature swings.
Euroshield® products were specifically designed to overcome extreme weather impact and temperature variances that cause splitting, peeling, cracking and rotting, undesirable characteristics associated with the ageing of other roofing systems.
Euroshield® rubber roofs are made from up to 95% recycled materials with the primary ingredient being rubber from recycled tires.
Nonetheless, if the object striking any roof is large enough, it is possible that the deck underneath could crack or split from the combination of speed and mass of the object.
All Euroshield rubber roofs can withstand hail impact of up to 2” in diameter and backed by a written warranty. The new Vermont Slate SC can withstand unlimited size hail impact and is warranted for the first 20 years for a hail of any size followed by 30 additional years of 2” hail coverage.
If you live in a hail-prone area with the risk of hail exceeding 2″, you should consider a rubber roof and a thicker wood deck based on potential hail size.
2. Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt Shingles are a popular and inexpensive roofing option however, most do not stand up to significantly sized hail.
Class 4 asphalt shingles are not guaranteed against hail damage in writing by most manufacturers but do provide better resistance to hail impact.
If an asphalt shingle gets hit by a hailstone that is larger than 2”, it can cause a dent or depression that weakens the bond of the granular coating.
This will dramatically shorten its usable life, and often will crack the shingle itself.
You may consider getting Class 4 rated asphalt shingles if you live in an area with smaller hailstorms and hailstones not exceeding 1”. (Continued)
With full understanding of the best impact-resistant roofing materials available for your property, make sure you work with professionals for quality installations that extend their lifespan and dependability in full. If you have yet to find one, you can count on us at Slavin Home Improvements. With our decades of experience and a well-educated team of professionals, we guarantee only exceptional results for your roofing needs. Contact us today!