Asphalt Roofing: The Basics You Need to Know
When it comes to residential roof replacement, you’ll have no shortage of material and brand options. In fact, there’s such a wide array that some homeowners often find themselves in a tight spot just trying to choose which one will suit their home and their preferences. In terms of materials, however, one of the most popular ones you can consider is asphalt roofing.
Asphalt Roofing Advantages
The reason for asphalt roof’s popularity is its numerous advantages. All across the Northern America, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota roofing contractors alike install more asphalt roofing than any other type of roof. Apart from these shingles affordability, they’re also durable as they were designed to be fire and weather resistant. They’re one of the easiest roofing materials to apply and is also one of the most aesthetically appealing materials available on the market. In terms of damage and maintenance, meanwhile, compared to other roofing materials, asphalt roofs can easily be repaired and require only the regular maintenance every now and then.
Roofing Grades
According to residential roofing services professionals, asphalt roofing has three basic grades. The first of these grades is the saturant-grade asphalt, a non-oxidized or oxidized asphalt that is used to manufacture saturated felt piles for built up roof (BUR) systems, organic felt shingles and other roofing materials. The second grade is the coating-grade asphalt, which is an oxidized asphalt used to make roofing materials for asphalt shingles and polymer-modified bitumen roofing.
The final asphalt roofing grade is the mopping-grade asphalt, which is usually melted and used in the construction of BUR and modified bitumen systems.
Roofing Underlayments
Underlayments are an important part of your roofing system that helps keep moisture away from the structure beneath the shingles. Oftentimes, they consist of a felt or mat that’s made from fiberglass or polyester, and may be coated in asphalt, stabilized asphalt coating, polymer modified asphalt, non-asphaltic polymeric coating or a combination of all four. Regardless of what you choose, so long as you install an underlayment in your roofing system, the structure will be protected from moisture.
For assistance, don’t hesitate to turn to Rapid Roofing. We are your leading provider of residential and commercial roofing services. Give us a call at (734) 234-1174 or (269) 222-717. You can also fill out our contact form to get a free roofing estimate! We serve homeowners in Ann Arbor, MI, and other nearby areas.
