If you’re a property manager or owner of an apartment complex, you know that finding the right roofing material is essential to maintaining your commercial building. You need something that’s durable, low-maintenance, and attractive. Well, we’ve got good news for you – shingles are the perfect solution! In this blog post, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about shingles, including why they’re such a great choice for an apartment building’s roof. Keep reading to learn more!
What Are Shingles?
Shingles are a type of roofing material that consists of overlapping pieces of material (typically asphalt). They’re easy to install and are very popular because they’re both durable and attractive. There are many different manufacturers of shingles and slight variations within those products.
Here at A. Fricker Roofing & Waterproofing, we use a couple of manufacturers including Certainteed and Tamko. The most popular shingle choice currently are architectural shingles. However, there are also synthetic and premium shingles that have been brought to market by companies like DaVinci, F-Wave and Euroshield.
How To Choose What Shingles To Use?
Having an intimate understanding of your structure and the entire roofing system is very important when deciding what shingles you will install. There are several things that should be considered before deciding:
What is the life expectancy of the shingles you’re considering?
Depending on the type of shingle and the manufacturer used, there are various life expectancies. When deciding to install a new roof, you want to be sure it lasts as long as possible!
How resilient will the shingle be to the Weather?
In Bentonville, we can experience extreme weather conditions. These include Hail, tornadoes, high wind, and wind-driven rain. All of these conditions can make a huge impact on your apartment building roofing system. One example of this is hail and Class 1 – Class 4-rated shingles. All shingles are going to fall into this system; Class one being the least resilient to hail and Class 4 being the most hail-resistant. Certainteed grades the classes as follows:
- Class 1: Sample did not crack when hit twice in the same spot by a steel ball 1.25 inches in diameter.
- Class 2: Sample did not crack when hit twice in the same spot by a steel ball 1.50 inches in diameter.
- Class 3: Sample did not crack when hit twice in the same spot by a steel ball 1.75 inches in diameter.
- Class 4: Sample did not crack when hit twice in the same spot by a steel ball 2.00 inches in diameter
Given the frequency of hail and the damage that it can do, a Class 4 shingle may warrant your consideration when installing a new roof in Bentonville, AR.
What color do you want your roof to be?
Aside from functional purposes, you also want to take into consideration the aesthetic appeal of your home. Some things to consider when choosing your roof color are; the color of your gutters, fascia, soffit and trim. Also, the color of your home’s facade and siding. When choosing a roof color that ties these components together, can make a huge difference in curb appeal. Different shingle manufacturers have different colors to choose from, but the variety throughout makes shingles a great material for your roof.
What warranty will your shingles have?
When we purchase things as a consumer, we want to have assurances. That is no different when buying a roof, especially for your apartment complex. Depending on the manufacturer and product selected, there will be variations as far as what is covered under their warranty. Choosing a contractor that can properly install your roofing system, do the paperwork for the manufacturer warranty and will be around for years to come is a vital component of this equation. It is important to compare the different warranties associated with the different shingles you are considering to make an informed decision as to what best fits the need of your roof.
Using Shingles on a Sloped Roof
In general, you are going to want to choose your roofing material based on the slope, or pitch of your roof. If your roof pitch increases more than 2 inches, for every 12 inches it runs, (pitch factor) shingles are going to be our best bet. Conversely, you wouldn’t want to use shingles on a flat roof that is prone to pooling water. Most apartment complex buildings will have a pitch factor of 2/12 or greater which makes shingles the most viable roofing material to uphold the integrity of the building.
Maintenance and Shingle Roof Repair
As mentioned previously, singles are a great option for a commercial roof like an apartment building due to their relative ease of repair and maintenance. Regardless of the shingle manufacturer or product that you choose, there may come a time when you need to have a roof repair performed to ensure the longevity of the system. Typically, the way this will present is lifting and creasing, or shingle blow-off due to high winds. In some instances, if you notice these issues, you may have sufficient damage to file an insurance claim. In the event that you need a shingle or two replaced, it is a relatively small investment for that project.
Opportunities for Roof Rejuvenation
As shingles experience prolonged periods of heat and continue to age, they have a tendency to begin to dry out. When the core and exterior of an asphalt shingle become drier, they become more brittle and pliable. This may impact the performance of the shingle as time moves forward. Take this example into consideration: When we get high winds in Bentonville, AR, that wind may catch the edge of your shingle.
The more pliable and less brittle that shingle is, the more likely it will return back to its original position while maintaining its structural integrity. As that shingle dries out, that gust of wind is more likely to cause creasing or lead to shingle cracking. When a shingle creases, or cracks, you compromise the ability for it to protect the rest of your roofing system from water intrusion.
Water penetrating your roof line is problematic and will cause premature roof aging and in some instances, compromise decking, create mold growth, etc. Roof rejuvenation is the application of a compound that helps enrich the shingle, combat the drying of that shingle and help prolong the life of your roof.
Not only can it add functionality to your roof, but it can also improve its appearance of it! This method has risen in popularity in recent years and is just another benefit of choosing an asphalt shingle roof for your building.
Final Thoughts
When choosing a new roof for your commercial property, it is important to find a trustworthy contractor that will take a consultative approach to determine what is best for you and the property. A. Fricker Roofing & Waterproofing is here to help with all of your apartment building’s roofing needs and would love to make you our next happy customer!
