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Posted on June 30, 2021 in Roof
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HOW LONG SHOULD A ROOF LAST?ELEMENTS
A lot of elements play a role in maintaining the integrity of the roof, but as a homeowner, the most important components to pay attention to are the underlayment, ventilation, and material.
Atlas Shingles Pass The Ul2218 Impact Rating Test
The UL 2218 Class 4 Impact Rating test simulates the damaging impact of a 2 size hail stone. The test drops a 2 steel ball onto the shingle twice in the same spot and the shingle cannot exhibit any signs of fracture, breaking of the glass mat, or significant granule loss. Because of the unique nature of SBS modified asphalt, Atlas StormMaster Shake and Slate pass this test and brings a more flexible & durable shingle tot he marketplace. Atlas StormMaster® shingles with UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating resist hail, leaving the underlayment, roof deck and home leak free.
Ask your insurance agent about potential discounts on your homeowners insurance premiums when you install UL 2218 Class 4 Impact rated StormMaster® shingles.
Wont Effect Insurance Premiums
Some worry about having class-rated roofing shingles on their home due to an increase in their insurance premiums. Luckily, that wont be the case with hail-resistant shingles because theyre still classified by a residential underwriters code . So, your home will stay insured at a lower rate than if you didnt have them installedthats a win-win! To be certain, though, always reach out to your insurance company before installing your new hail-resistant shingles.
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What Is Class 4 Impact Resistance For Roofing Shingles
All roofing products go through rigorous testing by independent, nationally recognized laboratories to provide assurance that product performance meets specifications. Impact resistance for roof coverings are rated by Underwriter Laboratories between Class 1 and 4, with Class 4 being the most durable.
Are Class 4 Impact Resistant Shingles Worth The Investment
In general, Class 4 impact shingles are worth the investment, simply because it adds extra protection and longevity to the roofing material. However, the need for impact shingles mainly depends on where you live. If you are located where there is a frequent amount of damaging storms and hail storms, then the need for the Class 4 impact shingles is greatly increased. Its very common for homeowners to be affected by significant amounts of roof damages that could potentially be an expensive repair. Therefore, having a Class 4 impact shingle would help prevent any damages and alleviate any concerns. Especially for those living in harsh weather conditions and stormy climates.
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How Can Hail Damage My Roofing Materials
While it might be easy to spot a fresh new dent on the hood of your car since the mark is right in front of your eyes, hail damage on your roof is not as apparent because the shingle surface is hard to see from down below. Roof damage from hail may come in many forms and varying degrees of severity, especially depending on where you live.
Regardless of the hails actual size, strong winds can speed up the rate at which it impacts your roof. In fact, smaller sizes of hail can actually create worse damage on your roof than usual. So, how can you tell when hail has damaged your roof?
Here are the different ways in which hail can damage your shingles.
Are Class 4 Shingles Worth It
Generally, installing Class 4 shingles is a wise investment if you live in a region that is frequented by severe weather and major roof damage is common.
In the US, a large number of residents lose their roofs due to hail and wind damage each year, but certain areas are more prone to hailstorms than others. Therefore, the higher the risk in your area, the more advisable it is to install Class 4 impact-resistant shingles.
Although their cost is 10-20% higher than the price of other types of shingles, the investment pays off in the long run. This is because the installation of such shingles lowers your maintenance costs, and may help you avoid an untimely roof replacement.
On top of that, many insurance companies provide discounts to households with Class 4 shingles, making up for the higher cost of their installation.
To help you understand how hail-prone some areas of the US are, heres the list of the states with the most hailstorms in 2019:
Texas 872 hail events South Dakota 302 hail events Colorado 294 hail events
If you live in one of these areas or in a location with other extreme weather conditions, installing Class 4 impact-resistant shingles is your best course of action.
If you are considering spending extra money on a more durable roof that provides lasting protection, its a good idea to also consider metal roofing.
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Are All Shingles And Metal Roofs Class 4 Roof
Most shingles are not impact rated, and those that are Class 4 run 10 to 20 percent more expensive than those that are not class 4 rated. Many metal roofs are impact resistant and will be rated class four. Now the question that might run through your head is, why is impact resistance so important? Well impact resistance is important because its a measure of resistance to hail and debris. Generally speaking, you cant label something as hail proof but those products that have been classified as class 4 have met the very highest standard of resistance that a roofing material can achieve from the UL safety certification system. Therefore, purchasing roofing products that are class 4 rated means you will have a smaller likelihood of damage after a hail event or a storm where debris has made contact with your roof. Furthermore, replacing a roof is not the only expense when roofing fails. If the hail/debris causes a leak, additional damage is likely to occur inside the building. With Class 4 rated metal systems, your roof is far more likely to remain watertight even after a storm damage.
Strength And Durability By Design
Non-impact resistant roofing shingles can be more easily damaged when struck by hail or other debris during a storm.
Thanks to advancements in shingle design and construction, industry-leading roofing manufacturers have engineered asphalt roofing shingles that can withstand greater impact and therefore potentially reduce the amount of roof damage caused by a storm, such as hail damage.
Read next:How Do I Know If I Have Roof Hail Damage?
Impact-resistant shingles are usuallyengineered in two ways:
- A reinforcing, polymer-based mesh is added to the back of a standard asphalt shingle. This mesh is embedded into the asphalt and helps holds the shingle together, preventing the shingle from splitting when impacted by a hailstone or other object.
- Rubber-like polymers, such as SBS , are added to the asphalt composition. The integration of the SBS polymer blend with the asphalt produces a rubberizing effect, creating a shingle that is more flexible and more capable of recovering from hail impact.
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Designed To Withstand Nature’s Extremes
Shingles are the first layer of a home’s defense, protecting us against extreme weather that can be dangerous to the people and the things we hold dear.
When you choose Atlas shingles with Core4 Technology, you can be sure that you are sheltering your family beneath some of the most durable shingles in the industry.
Class 4 Impact Rated Roofing Shingles
As mentioned before, Class 4 shingles offer the highest level of impact resistance. For roofing shingles or any construction material to receive this classification, it is required to go through rigorous testing. This testing is usually done by an independent organization known as the Underwriters Laboratory who worked with the Institute of Business and Home Safety to create the UL 2218 classification that goes hand-in-hand with the Class rating system.
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What Are Ul 2218 Class 4 Shingles
The UL puts construction materials, like roofing shingles, through a rigorous series of tests set to determine how impact resistant they genuinely are. During this test, known as the UL 2218 Class 4 Impact Rating test, steels balls in various sizes are dropped onto the roofing material at 90 mph from 12 to 20 feet high, two times in the same spot.
How the roofing or other construction material holds up under the impact of these steel balls will determine whether they will be classified as UL 2218 Class 4 shingles or a lower class. For a UL Class 4 impact resistant rating to be achieved, the sample roofing material should be able to withstand two hits by a steel ball that is two inches in diameter without cracking or showing signs of stress.
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Why You Should Consider Class 4 Roofs
If you have lived in calgary for an extended period, you know that we suffer from some of the most extreme weather in Canada. Hail damage, unfortunately, is a regular occurrence in calgary, with communities still recovering from hail damage years later.
For a more in-depth look, severe weather occurrences in Calgary, look at Calgary Disaster Risk Explorer.
If you have a new home and are looking to replace shingles anyways, using impact-resistant shingles will offer some additional benefits.
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Example Home On Willow Street
- $15,000 roofing project.
- For this particular house, the cost to upgrade to Class 4 is right around 10%, or $1,500.
- The homeowner has a typical wind/hail deductible of $2,000.
Over the life of the roof in our Willow Street example, if the homeowner is saved from having to file even one claim, then the upgrade has paid for itself. Additionally, in the event where there are no claims, an added 10-20 years of longevity to the roof could be worth thousands per year in benefit by deferring the cost of a roof replacement. Even if you arent in a forever home, the added value when selling the home and peace of mind about roof damage when living in the home may still be compelling reasons to look at upgrading to a Class 4 roof.
Built For Impact: What To Know About Class 4 Shingles
The roof is the most essential part of any home or other building structure it is what protects the inside from things like heavy wind, rain, and hail. If a roof is not strong enough, it will break or tear under the stress of extreme weather, which can leave the home or building prone to leaks and other serious structural issues. Because of that, it is essential to invest in a high quality, impact resistant roof for the most protection. Class 4 shingles will provide the most protection from wind, rain, and hail.
Here is what you should know about hail resistant Class 4 shingles and choosing the right Class 4 roof for your home or building.
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Class 3 Vs Class 4 Shingles
As mentioned earlier, the impact resistance of shingles refers to their ability to endure damage and impact caused by storms and hail. The steel ball test is used to measure this resistance. Based on the test results, its easy to set Class 4 shingles apart from Class 3 shingles .
In particular, shingles earn a Class 3 impact-resistance rating if they dont crack when the ball hits them twice in the same place. On the other hand, a Class 4 impact-resistance rating only goes to shingles that dont get damaged at all in the process.
If you get a Class 4 impact-resistant material, your home will receive the best protection. Nevertheless, during extreme weather conditions such as large, wind-driven hail, theres still some possibility of damage.
The shingles will protect your roof during average hail storms, but if its an especially bad one, theres still some risk of damage.
What Is Sbs Technology
SBS stands for styrene-butadiene-styrene. What does that mean for the shingle? Well it means that the Armorshield II shingle is composed of not just your average asphalt, but a synthetic rubber or a thermo plastic elastomer that increases abrasion resistance and aging. It gives it those properties of elastic and greater flexibility. These shingles when installed properly hold a 130mph wind rating, not to mention GAF offers an impact resistant ridge cap to support the same specifications as your entire roof! This type of shingle does come in a variety of colors, seven colors to be exact. GAFs shingles have a distinctive shadow line to them. They use what they call a feather look, which provides a beautiful shadow and contract line in color.
Another highly favored manufacturer that offers an incredible class iv impact resistant shingle is Owens Corning. You might already be familiar with Owens Cornings pink panther inside of your house because along with roofing material, they also produce insulation for many homes.
Owens Corning actually offers two different types of impact resistant shingles, Duration Storm and also their newest product Duration Flex.
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Choosing The Right Roof And How Brava Can Help
We at Brava Roof Tile would like to help you make the right choice in roofing material. We clearly understand that for your family’s safety and the protection of your investment, only durable, long-lasting roofing products, with low to no maintenance costs, fit today’s homeowners’ requirements.
At Brava, all of our eco-friendly composite roofing products come with a 50-year warranty. We offer three unique composite tile styles that achieve, if not surpass, the beauty of natural slate, Spanish clay tile, and cedar shake roofing. Importantly, all our products protect against impact, fire, moisture, extreme temperature, color fading, and structural damage – features that eliminate maintenance and lower long-term costs.
- Brava roofing products achieve a Class 4 impact rating – 110mph wind resistance
- Homeowners can choose Brava products with either a Class A and Class C fire rating
- Moisture-resistant Brava products avoid problems associated with mold
- Temperature-resistant Brava products maintain their integrity during freezing and thawing events and high temperatures.
- Brava’s revolutionary multi-coloring process produces a product with authentic color variation and flow throughout the entire tile.
- Brava’s lightweight composite tiles eliminate the potential of structural damage, unlike heavier tiles, like clay and concrete.
When Are Class 4 Impact
Every year, thousands of homeowners across the country suffer costly damage to their roofs during hailstorms and other extreme weather events. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Severe Storms database, 4,610 major hail events occurred in the U.S. in 2018, and these storms caused billions of dollars in damage. One insurer alone, State Farm, reported paying out more than $2.7 billion in claims related to wind and hail damage in 2018.
There are certain parts of the U.S. that are more hail-prone than others. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the five worst states for major hail events in 2018 were:
- Texas, with 508 hail storms
- Kansas, with 493 hail storms
- Colorado, with 332 hail storms
- Nebraska, with 309 hail storms
- South Dakota, with 309 hail storms
If you live in a hail-proneregion of the country, or in an area where frequent severe weather events put yourroof at higher risk for damage, then you may want to seriously considerinstalling Class 4 roofing shingles.
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Best Impact Resistant Shingles
There are many producers of shingles, but some make better Class 4 impact resistant shingles than others. Heres a list of reliable impact-resistant shingles, and their respective manufacturers:
1. Owens Corning Duration TruDefinition Duration Flex Shingles
Owing to their UL 2218 Class 4 rating, TruDefinition Duration Flex shingles offer you the best hailstorm protection possible. Owens Corning makes them with a blend of modified SBS polymer asphalt. This gives the shingles a rubberizing effect, making them pliable and more flexible.
As a result, the shingles are more durable, tougher, and can withstand more severe storm conditions. Another benefit of these shingles is the nailing technology used in their production.
Namely, Owens Corning uses SureNail Technology, which helps make the shingles extremely durable and strong. Their shingles also feature triple-layer protection, great wind resistance, and outstanding grip.
2. Owens Corning Duration TruDefinition Duration Storm Shingles
TruDefinition Duration Storm shingles also offer reliable roof protection. They feature two patented systems: the SureNail Technology, and the WeatherGuard technology that safeguards against failure due to impact.
Thanks to their fabric strips, the shingles prevent blow-offs due to winds of up to 130 mph. In addition, the shingles can last a lifetime if you maintain them properly.
3. Owens Corning Duration TruDefinition WeatherGuard HP Shingles
4. CertainTeed IR Shingles
IKO Nordic Shingles
Gaf Impact Resistant Shingles Meet The Highest Impact
Impact resistant shingles are tested by dropping a 2 inch steel ball from 20 feet onto the top of the shingles to see if the shingle cracks. GAF impact resistant shingles pass class 4, which is the highest rating possible. For instance GAFs Timberline ArmorShield series shingles passed the most comprehensive impact-resistance test: UL 2218 Class 4. With this test, the shingles ability to withstand high-velocity impact is evaluated. The potential leaks, when subject to high impact. Shingles that pass this test are more likely to prevent leaks into your home.
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