Inflation in the US may be a bit higher than the official numbers because of adjustments to how different categories are weighted and some careful fudging, but there is no way we have anything close to 17% inflation. Simply applying the rule of 72, that would mean prices double every 4.2 years-on everything!
Most are too young to have dealt with it(even me), but high inflation and Stagflation into the 70's with 10%+ inflation, 19%+ mortgage interest rates, and 21%+ prime rates crippled the economy and people's wallets. Ever notice that almost all homes built in the 70's and many before are simple and tiny? That's not what we have now, no matter how much anyone wants to debate our nation's fiscal policy.
Some things have skyrocketed, like petroleum and some metals, but overall official inflation has averaged between 2-4% for the past 30 years. The most pessimistic variation from the official numbers that I've found
HERE shows inflation at 12% during 2007-2008 while the Fed's CPI-U showed 6%. Even "burgernomics", the humorous comparison of the 10 year running average price of a Big Mac to nations' official inflation numbers, is only 1.5% higher than the official numbers.
But, back to roofing:
Asphalt shingles get a big black eye in the court of opinion, but more so than they deserve. We should all strive to make sure we are weighing decisions based on actual facts, not fear of potential problems or "common" knowledge, just like my posts on flammable refrigerants. Here are some common beliefs to consider:
1: "Asphalt shingles are just landfill" Asphalt shingles shouldn't go in the landfill any more than cars should. Many companies
SUCH AS THIS ONE and the roofers they partner with, recycle the material. The asphalt used in shingles is higher grade than what is usually used in roads, so pavement plants usually pay a premium for the recycled material. They have many other uses, too-check out
Asphalt Roofing Shingles 101.
It's a shame that it took from the dawn of the industrial revolution til the 70's for environmental awareness to be common enough to notice. Same shame that we haven't been recycling lots of things until now and that we have so far to go towards living nice lives within what our planet can handle.
2: "Asphalt shingles never last and are at best a 15 year option." True, for heat absorbing, cheaply made 3 tab builder grade crap installed by non-thorough or inexperienced crews. Thicker or architectural grade shingles hold up vastly longer, particularly when installed properly instead of how they usually are!
The biggest factor shortening the lives of asphalt shingles is micro-cracking and granule loss due to dramatic temperature swings. If the surface changes temp 80F+ degrees twice a day plus every time the cloud cover changes, no wonder most shingles, which only reflect 3-8% of heat hitting them, don't last! The cool roofs will be a completely different story because they minimize the greatest destructive force affecting a roof. I'll report on mine as years go by.
I have family members whose asphalt shingles on their house were still going strong at 40+ years. They were good quality shingles in a light color, installed properly (he built the house himself), and with some tree shading thrown in for good measure.
I have also seen lots of metal roofs whose coatings are deteriorating and don't look very good within 15 years of installation.
3: "I get a big discount on my insurance if I put a metal roof on." Yes, you do. The reason is they know they will never have to pay for damage to your roof for anything short of the roof coming off. There are specific clauses in policies stating they will not pay for cosmetic damage. Since roof replacements due to wind damage (from cheap, poorly installed shingles) and hail (from pockmarks causing future leaks) are one of their biggest claim areas, they offer discounts for products preventing these types of claims.
Architectural grade or composite shingles, installed properly, have 130+MPH wind warranties from the manufacturers including labor and disposal. UL 2218 Class 4 rated shingles prevent damage from all but the largest hailstones. These shingles get the same or nearly the same discounts as metal roofs.
A metal roof won't leak due to hail impacts, but it WILL dent. If a big storm pockmarks your $15k+ roof like a golf ball the day after installation, your insurance will do nothing, and your house will live with it for the next 50+ years or until you pony up the $$ to replace it yourself.
How well can asphalt hold up? I found a "Mythbusters" style video on destructive testing from GAF for their shingles
HERE. The roof even withstood explosion blast testing that demolished the house structure!
4: "The warranty isn't worth much." Sure, shingles (and batteries, and tires, and house paint, and other roofing types too, and....) usually don't last quite as long as their warranty, there isn't any warranty adjustment for inflation, and you have to jump through hoops to make a claim. In my experience, most products seem to last around 75% of their warranty.
New shingle construction methods are making better, longer lasting shingles. The shingle warranties have gone up to match. My CertainTeed Landmark shingles come with a lifetime warranty to me (prorated warranty credit never drops below 20%) and a 40 year prorated warranty to future owners, as described
IN THIS LINK. Full coverage and labor is included for 10 years, and most of their products include tearoffs, flashing work, and disposal, too.
5: "Asphalt shingles cost more in the long run and have more environmental impact." Sure, there is more labor/travel involved in recycling the material since asphalt won't last as long as metal, but it is just part of the total lifecycle cost, just moved from the front end to the back end.
Is the environmental impact of manufacture/delivery/recycling plus the levelized cost over time for asphalt more or less than for other roof options? Good question! I don't know the complete answer, but I'll bet it is much closer than most realize.
Metal shingles have to have the ore mined/processed and use higher heat methods in manufacturing. A roof full of asphalt shingles uses remnants from petroleum refining that would have been made anyway due to the other uses that drive petroleum demand, then thrown away or used less efficiently.
The same new construction methods that make the shingles last longer means less environmental impact to make them, too.
Metal roofs have an advantage in fire prone areas, but all roofing must be fire rated, as described at
INSPECTAPEDIA.
Is asphalt roofing the best? NO! Is it the best bang for the buck with an acceptable environmental footprint? When done right, probably! There isn't a very big price increase from the cheapest shingles which give asphalt a bad rap to pretty decent ones.
I would love a slate or sound-dampened metal roof, but I looked at the cost over time, the fact that very very few of us ever use roofwater for drinking rather than irrigation, the likelihood that I would want to revamp my solar collectors and their mountings as technology progresses before a metal roof would wear out, etc. I'm not allowed to have anything but asphalt by my HOA, but I still would have decided on asphalt based on what I have learned thus far.
One caveat for older homes: The Northeast Recycling Council warns, "Since recycling of asbestos-tainted materials is prohibited by federal law, processors must test shingle loads in accordance with state and local requirements." Some recycling companies may charge you a fee to cover the testing costs.
Read more: How to Recycle Asphalt Roof Shingles | eHow
How to Recycle Asphalt Roof Shingles | eHow
I would love for others to chime in with measurable results/research comparing the total cost of ownership, installation ease, and environmental impacts of well-made Energy Star asphalt shingles and other roof types. I am very interested in the Decra metal tiles where2 installed-they sound great! Where2, how much was your roof installed per square?
Let the fun begin!
Craig
The MMT