Asphalt Shingles

When a roof can account for as much as 40% of the average home's exterior, many factors weigh into the choice of materials. Some surfaces are more beautiful than others. Some offer greater resilience or endurance. Some are more affordable. But the one roofing surface which offers all those attributes in balance is the asphalt shingle.

Now accounting for about 80% of the residential roof surfacing in the United States, asphalt shingles are measured against a variety of standards that evaluate fire and wind resistance, tear strength, and other key performance indicators.

Asphalt shingles come in two basic types: glass fiber (a.k.a. fiber glass) 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 contain around 40% more asphalt per square (100 sq. ft.) than their glass fiber counterpart which makes them weigh more and gives them excellent durability and blow-off resistance.

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 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, fills all of the little holes and voids in the mat rendering it waterproof. After this cools a bit, adhesive asphalt is used to cover the mat and the ceramic granules are then embedded.

The ceramic granules are there for two reasons. The primary reason is to protect the shingles from the sun. The sun's UV rays are very damaging to asphalt and cause it to deteriorate prematurely. This is one of the same reasons that gravel is used on built-up roofs. The second and more obvious reason for the granules is aesthetics. Asphalt shingles are available in a wide variety of colors to match almost any facade or landscape.

Fick Brothers is proud to install asphalt shingles from CertainTeed - the premier manufacturer of asphalt shingles in the United States. CertainTeed manufacturers the industry's most extensive line of asphalt shingles. Pioneering the concept of multi-layered shingles, also known as architectural or designer shingles, the company has been an industry leader in color innovation with complex color blending technology and the introduction of bold designer shingle colors such as variegated reds, blues and greens. When your roof is on the line - only the best will do.

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