Asphalt Shingle Roofing near you

Three-tab shingles are a single flat layer with cutouts that make each strip look like three separate pieces. They give the roof a uniform, flat look and weigh less. They have become less common on new roofs, though many older homes still have them, and finding a match during a repair gets harder as product lines change.

Architectural shingles, also called laminated or dimensional shingles, bond two or more layers together so the surface has depth and shadow lines that can suggest wood shakes or slate. They are thicker and heavier, generally come with stronger wind and warranty terms from manufacturers, and hide small irregularities in the deck better. Whichever you choose, the product sheet and installation instructions, not the label on the bundle, tell you what the shingle is built to handle.

Shingles are the last layer to go on. What lies beneath them decides whether the roof survives an ice dam or wind-driven rain, and these are the details worth checking in a quote.

Product sheets list the wind resistance a shingle has been tested to, and many manufacturers raise that rating when the shingle is installed with extra nails and their matching starter and cap products. On an exposed site, near open water or on a hilltop, ask the roofer which rating the chosen product carries and what installation method it requires. Some shingles are also tested for resistance to hail impact; ask your insurer whether that makes any difference to your policy before choosing.

Colour affects more than curb appeal. Dark shingles absorb more of the sun's heat and light ones reflect more, which influences attic temperature in summer and how quickly snow slides or melts off in late winter. Attic insulation and ventilation matter more than colour, though. Some heritage districts, municipalities and condo associations also regulate roof colour, so check before you order.

Asphalt shingles age from the top down: sun, heat and freeze–thaw cycles slowly dry out the asphalt, and the granules that shield it from ultraviolet light wear away. Most of these signs can be seen from the ground with binoculars or from an upstairs window.

The shingle warranty comes from the manufacturer and is often more generous on paper than in practice. Some cover full replacement only for an initial period and are prorated after that, and many exclude damage from winds above the tested rating, poor attic ventilation or installation that doesn't follow the instructions. Read the warranty document itself, not the marketing summary, and check whether it transfers to the next owner if you sell.

Many manufacturers run certification or preferred-contractor programs. A qualifying roofer can often register the roof for an enhanced warranty that covers more of the system, and sometimes part of the labour, provided the full system of underlayment, starter, caps and vents from the same maker is installed. Ask which program the roofer belongs to, ask for proof, and make sure the roof is actually registered once the job is done. The roofer's own workmanship warranty is separate, so get its length and terms in writing.

Shingles rely on a factory-applied sealant strip that bonds each course to the one below once the sun warms it. In cold weather the strip may not activate until spring, leaving tabs exposed to wind in the meantime, and cold shingles are stiffer and can crack when bent over ridges and hips. Manufacturers' instructions describe cold-weather precautions, such as storing bundles somewhere warm or hand-sealing tabs with roofing cement.

Late-fall or winter reshingling is sometimes unavoidable after storm damage, and a good crew can do it properly. Expect the roofer to follow those instructions and to work only on a deck that is dry and clear of snow and ice, and ask whether they'll check that the tabs have sealed once warm weather returns.

A full reshingling starts with stripping the old shingles, underlayment and nails, which produces a lot of heavy debris. The roofer usually brings a container, protects the lawn, gardens and siding with tarps, and sweeps the yard with a magnet afterwards to pick up nails. Your quote should say who supplies the container, where it will sit and who handles disposal.

Old shingles are construction and demolition waste. In Quebec, most municipal drop-off centres accept renovation debris, and some sorting centres recover asphalt shingles so they can be reused, for example in road paving. What's available varies by region, so ask the roofer where the debris goes and whether it goes to a recycler. On older homes, the crew should also watch for roofing materials that could contain asbestos and have them tested before going further; see our asbestos removal page.