Fiberglass Asphalt Shingles

There are asphalt shingles that use a different base material than the usual asphalt roof shingles. One of these is the fiberglass asphalt shingle. In contrast, regular asphalt shingle, also called organic asphalt shingle, uses paper or shredded wood as its base.  Fiberglass acts as the mat for this type. This gives it characteristics not found in the organic shingle.

What Makes It Different

These fiberglass asphalt roof shingles are thinner compared to those with a paper base. The matting needs to be sturdy enough in order to support the asphalt placed on it. Because the fiberglass type needs less material to support asphalt, they are much lighter. Installation is thus made considerably easier.

Heat and fire resistance is also much higher with this type of roof shingle. Paper, being paper (or wood being wood, for that matter), is susceptible to heat and fire. This causes it to ignite at temperatures lower than the fiberglass variety. The higher fire rating of the fiberglass shingle makes it more ideal for warmer regions, although it can also work as well in colder ones.

The manufacturers’ warranties also differ. Fiberglass warranties go as high as half a century while the organic variety warranties generally range from 25 years to 40 years, or even less for some. The warranty, however, does not automatically make a particular brand a good choice. It represents, to some extent, the manufacturers’ confidence in their product.

Quality Standards

The material used to make a roof shingle does not automatically make it good. It depends on the standards used by the manufacturer when they make the product. The minimum acceptable standard for organic and fiberglass is different for each type. For the organic variety, the standard is set by ASTM D225. On the other hand, ASTM D3462 is the standard for fiberglass. These asphalt shingles need to meet these minimum requirements before they are deemed acceptable for installation in a home or building. How far these standards are exceeded by the manufacturer is an indication of their quality.

The United Home Experts Advantage

Here at United Home Experts, we strive to provide one of the highest warranties in the country for fiberglass shingles. On top of this we also provides a warranty on installation that ranges between five to fifteen years. This provides the prospective customer with an idea of how confident they can be with the roof shingles provided by United Home Experts.

CertainTeed, one of the best manufacturers in the nation of asphalt shingles, have rated United Home Experts as a SELECT ShingleMaster. This is the highest rating they have for a roofer. This is due to the company’s long experience in the roofing business and the many satisfied customers it has. Incidentally, this has also earned them an A rating with the Better Business Bureau.