Asphalt shingles in New Castle, Indiana
Asphalt shingle roofs for houses in New Castle, Muncie, Anderson, Indianapolis, Carmel and Fishers. This page covers the grades of shingle, how a shingle roof goes on, and how long each grade lasts here.
Which shingle is on your roof, and which should go on next
There are three grades worth knowing. You can tell the first two apart from the driveway.
Flat with evenly spaced slots: three-tab
One thin layer, the standard roof until about 2005. It lasts 15 to 20 years here and is rated for 60 mph wind. Most makers have stopped selling it, so matching one for a repair is getting hard.
Thick with a staggered, shadowed look: architectural
Two layers bonded together, about half as heavy again as a three-tab. It lasts 20 to 25 years in Indiana and is rated for 110 to 130 mph wind when nailed to the maker’s pattern. This is what we install unless you ask for something else.
Impact-rated architectural
The same shape with a rubberized asphalt that flexes under hail instead of cracking. It carries a Class 4 rating, the highest in the standard hail test. Some insurers lower the premium for it, so ask your agent before you choose.
Black streaks down the north slope
That is algae, and it feeds on the limestone filler in the shingle. It looks bad and does little harm. Shingles sold as algae-resistant have copper in the granules to stop it.
A dark roof or a light one
Color makes a small difference to attic heat and none you would notice on the bill if the attic is ventilated. Choose the color you like against the house.
What is under the shingle counts as much
Ice and water membrane at the eaves and in the valleys, synthetic underlayment, metal drip edge, starter strip and a ridge vent. A good shingle over poor underlayment leaks like a poor one.
How a shingle roof goes on
In this order, from the wood up. Each layer laps over the one below it so water always runs onto the next piece, never behind it.
Bare, sound decking.
Old shingles and felt come off. Soft sheets are replaced and loose ones renailed, so the new roof lies flat.
Drip edge and ice and water membrane.
Metal edge along the eaves, then a self-sealing membrane over the first three feet of roof and down every valley. This is what stops an ice dam leak.
Underlayment and starter strip.
Synthetic underlayment over the rest of the roof, then a starter course along the eaves and the gable edges, where wind tries to lift the first row.
Flashing.
New step flashing at every wall and chimney, and new boots on every vent pipe. We do not reuse the old.
Shingles, nailed in the nail line.
Each shingle has a marked strip about an inch wide. Nails above it miss the layer below and the shingle can slide. We nail six to a shingle on the windward slopes.
Ridge vent and cap.
A slot is cut along the peak and covered with a vent, so hot, damp attic air has a way out. Cap shingles go over it.
What the day is like
Shingles are delivered a day or two ahead, usually lifted straight onto the roof by the supplier’s truck. If they have to sit on the driveway, we stack them to one side.
A shingle job is a full replacement day: a dumpster in the driveway, tear-off in the morning, nail guns into the afternoon. Most houses take one to two days.
The new shingles will look slightly ridged for the first weeks. Each one has a strip of sealant that bonds to the shingle below once the sun warms it, and then the roof lies flat. In cold weather we seal the tabs by hand along the edges.
You will find a few granules in the gutters after the first rains. That is the loose surplus from the factory and it stops.
The warranty
All work is backed up by our workmanship warranty.
Who does the work
Tabor’s own crew, the same people on every shingle roof we do. Most shingle failures we are called to repair come down to how the roof was nailed and flashed, not which shingle was used, so the crew counts for more than the brand.
Shingle roofs we have put on
Questions about asphalt shingles
Why do shingles not last the 30 years on the wrapper?
In our climate the asphalt goes through dozens of freeze and thaw cycles each winter and bakes each summer.
Can you shingle in winter?
Yes, on dry days above about 25 degrees. Colder than that and shingles get brittle enough to crack when nailed.
The seal strips need a warm day to bond.
Related work
We install asphalt shingle roofs in New Castle, Muncie, Anderson, Indianapolis, Carmel and Fishers. See where we work, or everything under Roofing & Exteriors.
Get your free estimate
Shawn calls you back the same day. The estimate is free. Prefer to talk? Call or text (765) 465-1208.
Don't Labor. Call Tabor!