How do you maintain your composition roof in Dallas during winter?
If you’re a Dallas resident looking to protect your home with the right roof shingles, whether you’re building a new home or looking to repair/upgrade your existing one, it is important to understand what you’re up against and what your options are.
The combination of harsh weather and improper roof installation and maintenance is the biggest cause of roofing damage.
Snow, water, high winds and scorching heat will inevitably wear down and destroy our roofing shingles over time.
The climate in beautiful Dallas-Fort Worth is known for its wide range of weather patterns that sometimes change at the drop of a hat.
While typically pleasant and partly cloudy most of the year round, the summer months experience heat surges and humidity, while the winters bring high winds and inconsistent bouts of cold weather.
We’ve even seen the odd hailstorm every now and then.
To protect us from the elements, over 80% of North America has opted to use composition roof shingles, and for good reason.
What are Composition Roof Shingles?
As the name implies, composition roof shingles (also known as asphalt shingles or composite shingles) are built as a composite of two or more layers of material; typically a base layer of synthetics like fiberglass, laminate, and/or resin-bonded paper, a waterproof layer of asphalt, slate and/or minerals, as well as an exterior layer of ceramic granules.
This makes composition roof shingles less costly, easy to construct and extremely durable under all sorts of weather elements, as well as being highly flame resistant.
Composition roof shingles are the most cost effective and time saving choice for the modern home and they come in a multitude of styles and colors to suit any style of home.
Many roofing manufacturers also use recycled materials in their composition roof shingles, making it an environmentally friendly roofing choice for concerned homeowners.
How long does a composition roof last?
The combination of these durable materials makes composition roof shingles capable of withstanding any type of weather, even in places that might experience sudden temperature changes due to erratic weather events occurring one after the other.
The outer layer prevents peeling and warping when exposed to intense sunlight, prevents erosion from heavy rains or snowfall, and the reinforced composite of adhesives and flexible fiber backing protects from cracking against hailstorms.
This is why composition roof shingles are known for their longevity. Once properly installed, composition roof lifespan can last for decades.
The cheapest options can last up to 15-20 years, while the higher quality composition roof shingles can last up to 30-50 years with proper care.
Composition roof shingles have a high impact rating and fire resistance and only require annual maintenance.
There are three types of composition roof shingles for us to compare and contrast in order to find what best suits your needs. Higher prices come with higher durability.
- Composition 3-tab roof shingle – Also known as Asphalt shingle
- Dimensional roof shingle – Also known as Architectural shingle
- Luxury roof shingle – Also known as Premium shingle
What are composition 3-tab shingles?
What roofers refer to as a composition 3-tab roof shingle is the most commonly used shingle in North American homes and businesses.
They are the more economical option in the market, and they are by far the easiest to install.
Composition 3-tab shingles are made up of three individual 12 inch wide tabs and come in single strips.
They appear flat and are very lightweight, making them relatively simple to manufacture and install.
They are normally made with asphalt and adhesives on top of a paper or fiberglass mat backing and an outermost layer of granules, making them reasonably durable for the price of purchase.
Composition roof lifespan of these shingles are expected at around 15-20 years on average.
The other two types of composition roof shingles are Dimensional roof shingles and Luxury roof shingles, which are essentially just upgraded versions of the composition 3-tab roof shingle.
They are thicker and heavier due to the fact that they are made with more layers of materials.
While more expensive than your basic composition 3-tab shingle roofs, some homeowners find that Dimensional and Luxury roof shingles are a better long term option due to their sturdier construction and weatherproofing.
Heavier weight means better protection against wind.
They also come in more variety of colors and styles, and are generally to have a better aesthetic quality than the common composition 3-tab shingle.
Dimensional and Luxury roof shingles are rated to last anywhere around 30-50 years with good maintenance habits.
However, due to their low initial investment and easy installation, composition 3-tab shingles have become the most popular roofing choice in low-cost housing and apartments across the US and Canada in the past few decades.
Dimensional and luxury shingles can cost up to twice or thrice as much as composition 3-tab shingles, but are seeing more and more usage due to their better durability and longevity.
Overall, total costs in the long run amount to about the same.
When it comes to roofing, the big question is how the material stands up to the elements.
All forms of composition roof shingles are built with materials that can protect against all weather and resist mold and algae growth.
Higher quality composition roof shingles may also have an added protective coating on the outer layer to further mitigate fading and cracking due to sun exposure and water damage.
How do you maintain your composition roof during the winter in Dallas, Texas?
Apart from snow and cold, winter time brings a whole host of environmental problems that could potentially damage your roof shingles.
High winds, rainfall and hail can cause damage to even the best composition roof shingles, and they will need the occasional maintenance and repair.
It’s important to know what to watch out for when weather hazards inevitably arrive.
Pooled water can cause warping and peeling if left unchecked.
Regular cleaning of the gutters and corners will help prevent long term damage on your composition roof shingles.
Watch out for water pooling in clogged gutters, clean out leaves and debris when you can, and preemptively trim any trees or branches in the surrounding areas to make cleaning easier.
Leaky ceilings could be an indication that one or more of your shingles needs replacement.
Make sure to not only repair the interior leak, but to trace where the leak got through in the first place.
Caulking the metal flashings on the edges of your roof could also solve these issues.
Moss overgrowth can cause a lot of damage to your shingles without you even realizing it.
As moss creeps in between the spaces of your shingles, they grow and absorb water, causing your shingles to crack, buckle and even separate.
This could become a nightmare in the wintertime, as the damage caused by the moss could be severely aggravated by the onset of snow and high winds.
Scrub off any moss as soon as you spot them.
Zinc sulfate can be sprinkled regularly on your composition roof shingles to prevent further moss growth.
Proper insulation, especially in the top floor of your home, can prevent a number of roofing nightmares during winter.
Indoor heating can cause the snow on the roof to melt, creating pools of water in the ice that could then start dripping and refreezing, causing unforeseeable damage around the house.
It could freeze in between your shingles, peeling off paint and staining the interior of your home.
Make sure to watch out for these and regulate your indoor temperature accordingly.
Proper ventilation of the upper floors will help balance out the indoor/outdoor temperature and mitigate this problem before it causes costly damages.
Keep track of how old your roof is.
Depending on what type of shingle you are using, knowing the age of your roof shingles will help you to determine how much maintenance is needed on your roof, how often you need to inspect it, and whether or not you might need a full re-roofing.
Seasonal or yearly inspections can make a huge difference in prolonging your composition roof life.
Watch out for signs of fading, discoloration, warping or cracking while cleaning your roof, and look for dislodged shingles that might need repair or replacement.
Having your roof inspected by a roofing expert before winter arrives can also save you a lot of money in the long run, as it can prevent unexpected damages that the extreme drop in temperature might cause.
Roof maintenance is a serious matter that requires a lot of time and work to upkeep.
Proper installation by professional roofers as well as having them on call in cases of emergencies can be a great help in preventing unwanted disasters from happening.
K&M Roofing Services offers the highest quality service in the Dallas-Fort Worth TX area.
We are a locally owned business and are an A+ rated company at the Better Business Bureau.
We provide the highest quality composition roof shingles, expert knowledge on roofing installation and repair, and we offer free and honest inspection of your roofing conditions beforehand.
Visit us at https://kmservicepro.com/ to get your free inspection today.
