Fiberglass Shingles

As most roofing companies in Edmonton will tell you, all roofing products have their strengths and weaknesses. Shingles made from fiberglass and urea-formaldehyde resin, synthetic materials commonly used for their toughness in a variety of industrial applications, have become uniquely enticing to customers in recent years for a variety of reasons:

IKO Fiberglass shingles being made

Ease of Installation

Fiberglass shingles are a favorite for roofing companies for this reason. They are well known to be hassle-free to install. The construction of the shingles makes them light and easy to carry up ladders, transport, and maneuver. The lightness of shingles has more to do with making them easy to install than just easy lifting for contractors though; since they are lighter they don’t need as much structural consideration, making them ideal for large homes or homes where large scale installation can be difficult. The ease of installation makes fiberglass shingles particularly popular for homes where reinstallation is a common occurrence due to environmental factors.

Fire Resistance

As one of the most common forms of roofing in the world today, fiberglass shingles have to contend with one of the most difficult problems facing homeowners, that of fire. Whether they originate from the wilderness, faulty wiring, or human error fires do billions of dollars in damage to homes every year.

Luckily theses shingles are a class-A rated roofing material. This means that they are in the top tier of flame resistance possible! A class-A rated roofing material will not contribute to the spread of a blaze that originated outside of the home, will hold up under extreme heat without turning into embers or breaking up, and will hold its position on the roof even while the blaze rages on.

All of this means that the deck of the roof will be protected from the flames and your home will be protected for more time than it would be if your roof was covered with a material other than fiberglass shingles. Most shingles are even capable of withstanding flames raging through structural components for up to two hours before failing.

Even with these qualities in mind however, it is important to take steps to prevent the flames from reaching your home and shingles. This has become especially important due to the increase in the frequency of fires that has swept North America in the last few years. Nevertheless, you should always clear your lawn of dry leaves, trim dry brush, and get rid of low hanging branches as all can act as vessels to help fires move. Roofing companies in Edmonton can help you with these tasks.

Aesthetic Versatility

Fiberglass shingles, despite construction similarities to organic asphalt shingles, are actually incredibly versatile in their aesthetics. Due to their material properties provided by the synthetic cores fiberglass shingles are capable of being produced in nearly endless colors, styles, shapes, textures, designs, and varieties that a consumer could possibly want. Particularly popular is to have fiberglass shingles mimic high-end, high-cost materials such as cedar shakes and slate, but for a fraction of the price of the genuine materials. Adding to the cost advantage is the fact that these recreations are immensely easier to install and replace, as well as usually include that typical warranties that fiberglass shingles are known for, and for owners of properties prone to expensive repairs, this makes fiberglass shingles a godsend.

IKO Fiberglass Shingles

They’re Environmentally Friendly

One of the more long term benefits of fiberglass shingles is they’re more environmentally friendly compared to the other alternatives currently available on the market, traditional “organic” asphalt shingles included. Asphalt shingles required huge amounts of lumber to created the wood core and paper backings needed in their construction, and could not be recycled once they had been on a roof for years or even decades and the organic interiors had rotted. Likewise, Cedar shingles require large amounts of logging to be produced in quantities viable for the market, and slate is even worse due to its necessity for the material to be mined. Instead, fiberglass shingles are made with organic and natural materials that are easily recycled and reused, Materials such as glass fiber, formaldehyde resin, and asphalt. Many fiberglass shingles are even made from recycled materials already, helping to further reinforce the “green side” of the roofing material.

Lower cost and warranties

In terms of financials, fiberglass shingles are typically among some of the cost-effective options on the market offered by roofing companies. This fact is only marginally complicated by the immense variability of their appearance and quality, with differences in cost coming mainly from how you want your shingles to look as well as a few other considerations usually associated with home renovations.

IKO Roofing Shingles on a pallet

Prime among these considerations is how long you want your newly shingled roof to last after the job is done. While even the cheapest fiberglass shingles will last for decades some on the higher end of quality will last for nearly half a century. Additionally, in many cases, manufacturers will further guarantee the lifetime of their product ( and more importantly your investment) with warranties with approved roofing companies

While the quality of the shingles is perhaps the largest factor in determining the durability and cost of the final product, the aesthetics and appearance of the shingles also help to determine the costs. The more complex the look the higher the cost, those fiberglass shingles that appear identical to the age-old asphalt variety are invariably the most cost-effective option. On the other hand, those that are designed to replicate the look and feel of other materials such as cedar shingles or slate are usually much higher on the pricing scale. Ask your local roofing companies for samples.

Tried and True Construction

A fiberglass shingle shares more than just a purpose with the traditional asphalt variety, indeed they also share much of the same construction. Asphalt shingles are traditionally made of compressed wood, a paper mat, and some other fibrous material and then wrapped in asphalt in order to give them resistance to the elements. Likewise, fiberglass shingles are also wrapped in an asphalt covering but instead of a wood and paper center employ a fiberglass core, which is typically much stronger than the paper products traditionally used, as well as having a significant advantage in weight.

There have been attempts previously to improve upon asphalt shingles, with the felt mat shingle being the immediate predecessor of the current fiberglass iteration. Indeed, the felt layer can even still be found in many of the current fiberglass varieties, though these models are notably less durable and are not worth the small amount of weight they save over the non-mixed versions.

Instead, it is recommended that the more typical variety is used, where two separate fiberglass layers are bonded with a sealant and then covered with asphalt to create a heavier, but very durable, roofing product.

Roofing Edmonton, Fiberglass Roll

Disadvantages

As with any roofing material fiberglass shingles are not perfect and have disadvantages to their use. Indeed while fiberglass shingles are not fragile, they do require caution during installation as if they are not installed properly the will have limited wind resistance and increased potential leaks into the deck below, increasing the need for frequent repairs. As such it’s advisable to find roofing in Edmonton that are experienced in the installation of fiberglass shingles rather than hiring conventional contractors or attempting to install them yourself.

Jayson Global – Your Choice For Roofing Companies

Fiberglass shingles are a favorite of both clients and roofing companies in Edmonton for a variety of solid reasons. They’re easy to install, come in a variety of styles and colors, can survive the perennial wildfires, are recyclable for the eco-conscious consumer, and are easy on the wallet to boot. So when compared to the alternatives of expensive slate and traditional heavy asphalt shingles, fiberglass with its warranties and easy to replace properties is a clear contender.


With over 30 years’ experience, we are your local grown Edmonton Roofing Company.  We have the expertise to assist you on your premium roofing product installation.  If you’re interested in having an estimate on any of the options discussed, please contact us today! We look forward to assisting you on your next project!

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