Impact Resistant Shingles: Are They Worth the Investment?
Impact resistant shingles are a type of roofing material made to hold up against hail and severe storms. Regular shingles crack and break when hail hits them. Impact resistant shingles are made from polymer-modified asphalt, which adds a rubber-like flexibility that absorbs the hit without falling apart.
Every impact resistant shingle goes through a test run by a company called Underwriters Laboratory. Underwriters Laboratory is a recognized organization in the USA that evaluates products and components to make sure they meet standard safety and performance requirements. To test, a steel ball is dropped onto the shingle to see how much damage it takes. Depending on the damage taken by the shingle, it is rated from 1 to 4. Class 4 is the highest impact resistance rating available.
There are two ratings most College Station homeowners will choose between: Class 3 and Class 4.
Class 3 Shingles
Class 4 Shingles
For College Station homes, class 4 shingles are the best choice. They may cost slightly more than Class 3, but when you factor in lower insurance premiums and fewer roof replacements, the numbers work out in your favor.
Here's where it gets interesting. Upgrading to impact resistant shingles usually costs a few hundred to a couple thousand dollars more than a regular roof replacement. That completely depends on the size of your home and the materials used.
Now think about your insurance deductible. Most College Station homeowners' hail or wind deductible is somewhere between $1000 and $2500 or even more. In most cases, the upgrade costs about the same as your deductible, or even less.
That means one hail storm without impact resistant shingles could cost you just as much as the upgrade itself. College Station gets hit with hail more than most cities in the country. This is not a rare situation here and happens over and over again.
College Station sits right at the edge of what meteorologists call "hail alley" and storms here can bring large hail with very little warning. Homeowners with regular shingles here often end up replacing their roof multiple times over years due to storm damage. Now, every time that happens, you pay your deductible. You deal with the insurance process. You wait for contractors. And then you repeat this entire process after the next storm and it doesn't stop anywhere, unless you find a permanent solution against the hail.
Impact resistant shingles put an end to that cycle. They are made to strengthen your roof and take the kind of hits that would tear up a regular roof. That means fewer insurance claims, less hassle and more money staying in your pocket in the long run. In short, impact resistant shingles really are worth it for College Station homes and all hail prone areas.
