There is alot of talk about what is “green roofing.” This can create several problems for customers (and roofers) that want to provide green roofing alternatives. Does a roof need to be made of a natural organic material (ex. slate or tile) to be considered green? What about asphalt?
On the surface most people would never consider asphalt shingles to be a green roofing option. However, when you look deeper into the potential of asphalt shingles you notice there are various types of asphalt shingles. The typical asphalt shingle is 30 yr. As expected a 30 year shingle is intended to last for 30 years.
Alternative to 30 yr Shingles:
Most people live with the reality they will need to replace their roof from time to time. For budget reasons the average homeowner can’t roof a home with a slate or tile roof (these roofs can last 75-100 yrs or more). The problem with the typical 30 yr asphalt roof is by year 20 the roof is typically showing its age. After just 10 years a roof will start to stain and potentially develop various growths on the surface. There is an alternative–the 50 year asphalt shingle roof.
Benefits of a 50 yr Asphalt Shingle Roof:
A 50 yr roof is designed to last. The material is thicker, which means the roof can also be treated / cleaned. The roof also has a much better appearance and visually you can notice the roof is better made, which gives the home an overall look of being more sound. Roofing your home with 50 yr shingles does come at an expense of more costly roofing materials. For those homeowners that know they will be in their home longer than 20 years, this is an option that should be considered because it will help ensure you only need to roof your home once.
50 yr Asphalt Shingles have less Waste:
Less frequency of roofing means less waste. This is why 50 yr asphalt shingles can be seen as a green roofing option for the average consumer. Relatively speaking, a 30 yr roof and a 50 yr roof create the same amount of waste. By using better roofing materials you will decrease the frequency that the roof needs to be replaced.
Can 50 yr Asphalt Shingles be Green?
Many people have a bad association with the word “oil.” Oil is the key ingredient to produce asphalt shingles. It is understandable a $50k+ slate or tile roof isn’t always affordable to most homeowners with a 2, 3, or 4 bedroom home. This doesn’t mean that more eco-friendly alternatives are not available. The next time your home needs a new roof, consider 50 yr asphalt shingles. It will cost a little bit more up front, but for those homeowners that intend to stay in their home for a long years it is a great investment and a great way to reduce landfill waste.
Have stories about green roofing? Email info@ktmroofing.com
– By Phone: Call 678-565-7663
– Online: Submit a request for a free roof estimate
