One of the most problematic weather conditions for a roof is hail. During the heavy storms when hail is falling on the roof, the shingles on your home’s roof can quickly become damaged. The onslaught of hail can affect a large portion of your roof as well making a full roof replacement in Howell Michigan a necessity. Most roofing materials can not withstand the impacts of hail which are greater than pea-sized. But there is one type of roofing material that is designed to protect your home against hail and they are called impact resistant shingles. While impact resistant shingles may protect your home against hail, the question that many homeowners want to know is; are they worth the additional costs involved and do they look like a normal roof? We’ll go over the answers below.

Should You Consider Impact Resistant Shingles in Howell Michigan?

You live where you live because the risk is worth the reward and let’s face it, Michigan weather is great, at times. Alaskans get to live in an outdoor paradise at the cost of spending thousands of dollars every year to protect and maintain their homes during winter. Georgianians get to enjoy gorgeous and fair weather at the cost of living in constant vigilance of ants, spiders and all forms of creepy crawlies and poisonous snakes. If you live in certain parts of the country you get to weigh everything you love against the constant dread of someday having to replace your roof due to the heavens raining down their icy fury upon your beautiful roof in the form of hail and high speed winds.

As if there wasn’t enough to weigh in everyday life, now you need to make a decision between saving some money on regular old shingles or shelling out a bit more on impact resistant shingles in Howell Michigan. Ultimately the number one factor to consider is need. If you do not live in an area where the wind blows hard on a regular basis while hail the size of golf balls hammers your home to remind you you’re alive, you probably do not need impact resistant shingles. But if you do…

Average Costs Involved with Impact Resistant Shingles in Howell Michigan

The average cost to cover a rooftop in class 4 impact resistant shingles is $3,200. The average amount spent on non impact resistant shingles, shingles that do not meet the U.L. .2218 steel ball listing is $2,200 to cover the average roof in America. These numbers are before the cost of contractors and labor. Of course these are average figures and do not consitute an offer for your roof installation. Size of your home and type of roofing will play a huge factor in pricing your roof. We do offer free roof estimates here at Livingston Roof Pros. Give us a call and we’ll be glad to help and offer you a detailed quote. 

Things To Consider

• To be considered an impact resistant shingle a product must pass the L. .2218 steel ball test. This is a process in which a steel ball is dropped twenty-feet onto the same part of a single shingle multiple times. The shingle must not show any damage while being beneath magnification.
• An alternate and more aggressive test that U.L. performs is the .2218 B-ice hail resistant test. 2 in. ice balls are shot at the shingle at speeds over 100mph. The shingles are then wrapped around a pole and examined for any cracks or tears.
• Having an impact resistant roof could safe you up to $500 in insurance cost’s annually.
• Impact resistant shingles will increase the lifespan of your roof if you live in an area plagued by constant hail and bad weather.
• Impact resistant shingles come in a wide variety of colors and styles just like regular shingles.
• Though the initial price of impact resistant shingles is slightly more expensive, the installation costs are the same as non-class 4 shingles.
• They will substantially lower your annual repair costs. Even an ageing impact resistant roof sustains less damage from hail and debris than a roof covered by non-class 4 shingles.

Peace of Mind VS. Peace of Wallet

The choice to use class 4 impact resistant shingles in Howell Michigan comes down to financial planning. The cost will be higher up front, yet will save you money every year in repair costs and insurance discounts. Homeowners who have chosen the class 4 route have said that it takes roughly 3 years to pencil out in savings. If you have any questions bout class 4 impact resistant shingles, please call Livingston Roof Pros today for a free estimate on installing these roofing materials on your home.