28 Dec The Disadvantages of Asphalt Shingles
Choosing a roofing material for homes is a much more important process than some homeowners realize. Although many opt for asphalt shingles due to their popularity, they might not be aware of the many problems that can plague a home because of them. To help you take the right steps for protecting your property, we’ll break down three of the disadvantages of asphalt shingles.
Insufficient Protection
High-quality metal roofing should mean a lifetime roof. Asphalt shingles, on the other hand, are lucky to last for 12 years before a replacement is necessary. Weather conditions such as heavy winds, rain, and snow can cause immense damage to asphalt shingles.
Due to their inability to withstand the elements, those shingles can quickly fall victim to issues including, but not limited to, blistering, cracking, and curling. Plus, if debris—such as a tree branch—hits asphalt shingles, the shingles will become more vulnerable to moisture damage and other unfortunate issues. Suffice it to say that “home defense” and “asphalt shingles” don’t go hand in hand.
Routine Replacement
Due to their vulnerability, you’ll need to replace or repair asphalt shingles more frequently than with more sustainable materials. As we touched on before, good metal roofing is typically a “lifetime roof”, whereas asphalt shingles are “maybe-a-decade” roofs.
For this reason, you’ll find yourself having to make costly improvements to these shingles on a routine basis. However, if you invest in something more durable and long-lasting, those costly repairs or replacements can be virtually non-existent.
Environmentally Unfriendly
What makes asphalt shingles so bad for the environment is what happens when their lifecycle ends. Whenever it comes time to get rid of those asphalt shingles and other forms of unsustainable roofing, they’re most likely going to find their way into a landfill. Instead of being effectively reused, those asphalt shingles simply become raw materials that sit in a hole. Metal roofing, on the other hand, is consistently constructed from recycled material and won’t be irresponsibly thrown into a landfill when its time is up.
As you can see the disadvantages of asphalt shingles are colossal, to say the least. In order to provide your home with a more reliable and cost-effective means of protection, consider reaching out to a reliable contractor for metal roofing installation.
At McCarthy Metal Roofing, we are metal roofing contractors in Raleigh, NC that can provide the skill and care required for such an installation process. Not only will a high-quality metal roof protect your home, it can also be effectively installed over existing asphalt shingles—so you won’t have to throw them into a landfill in order to upgrade.