Rubber roofing is one of the biggest innovations in roofing materials since the asphalt shingle. Just like common roofing materials like metal and composites, rubber can be molded into almost any texture to mimic other materials like wood. One of the leading brands of rubber roofing in North America is EuroShield which is based in Canada. We’re going to go over what exactly rubber shingles are, and what makes them better than other materials.
What Is Rubber Roofing?
Rubber has really only been used in roofing applications since 1960, and even then, only in commercial or flat roofing applications (in the forms of EPDM, TPO, and PVC roofing). Rubber tile roof installation has really only been around for the past few decades, for which we know of no one better than EuroShield as it relates to quality. There are multiple color options and styles, and can visually imitate many other materials, like slate or shake amongst other options. They are thicker and are generally meant to resemble hand-split shake shingles.
Why Is Rubber Roofing Better?
Impact Resistance? Try Hail-PROOF
It’s not unusual for homeowners in our area to have significant hail damage after severe storms come through. Rubber is one of the best options for mitigating hail damage to roofing. Materials like metal become damaged, and cannot be repaired unless replaced. Asphalt roofs usually don’t withstand hail particularly well and typically need replacing. Most manufacturers’ rubber shingles can generally ignore hailstones as large as 2 inches in diameter. However, EuroShield roofing installed in North America’s harshest climates (Canada, Dakotas, Colorado, Texas) have never had a claim against hail damage at the time of writing this blog post in 20 plus years and have withstood hail storms with 4” and 5” hail… now that’s impressive!
The Eco-Friendly Option
If you are looking for the overall best combination of price, aesthetics, and functionality, a EuroShield Rubber roof is probably your best option. But what if that’s not enough? Does helping our planet motivate you? Let’s face it, most roofing options are not environmentally friendly. Asphalt roof replacements fill large sections of our landfills every day. But EuroShield is doing the opposite, they are actually recycling rubber tires and are actually helping not just our environment by reducing the amount of material in our landfills – not to mention protecting us with a better roofing solution – but by keeping and recycling material out of landfills! Better roofing solution and a more environmentally friendly roofing option? That’s a hard combination to beat up.
Price
At the end of the day, a roof replacement is an investment in, typically, the largest asset you own. If you are replacing a cedar shake or slate roof, a EuroShield rubber roof is a significantly cheaper replacement option. If you are replacing an asphalt roof, then this is an upgrade but given the rising cost of materials and labor shortages + the expected life of a rubber roof, in the long run, this is not an outrageous option.
- Function: See below for a number of reasons that EuroShield Rubber Roofing can be considered to be superior to other roofing options
Hurricane Grade Wind Resistance: When your rubber shingles are installed by qualified experts, they can give you nearly unrivaled resistance to damage from the harsh Chicagoland winds. They resist uplifts and can resist winds of 110 mph-160 mph depending on manufacturer and roofing specifics. - UV Resistance: Other materials, like conventional asphalt shingles, can become dried out, parched, and damaged by constant UV bombardment. Since the rubber shingles are far thicker and the rubber is formulated for roofing purposes, they are able to provide superior UV resistance, and will not dry or crack as they age.
- Rot & Mildew resistance: Rubber is highly hydrophobic, and as a result, it is impossible for water damage to set in on most rubber roofs. Not only will they not retain water and rot like natural wood shingles, but they also won’t be able to sustain moss, mold, or mildew growth like conventional shingles.
- Will not Deform or Discolor: All other materials, like metal, wood, and asphalt shingles, are prone to some sort of malfunction or shortcoming. Metal allows the damage of hail and other impacts to remain indefinitely, asphalt shingles lose their waterproofing and their texture granules, and wood has a number of weaknesses. Rubber resists all of these, and won’t curl, crack, deform, or become discolored because the color goes all the way through the material.
- Pest Resistance: One of the biggest vulnerabilities of wood shingles is their susceptibility to hosting pests. Pests, even difficult burrowing bugs, are unable to burrow or eat into the rubber material. This helps your roof to provide an additional layer of protection for your home.
Are There Drawbacks To Rubber Roofs?
Not really. As seen above, they are functionally better, more environmentally friendly, and cheaper than typical shake or slate roofing options. In the short term, the only factor that could be a drawback is the initial cost of replacing an asphalt roof as. In some cases, the cost of materials and installation can be nearly 2-3x that of a modest asphalt shingle roof. When you look at the bigger picture, however, since a rubber shingle roof can last several times the lifespan of an asphalt shingle roof, the overall cost to have a rubber shingle roof is lower because it doesn’t need to be replaced nearly as often.
Contact The Local Experts In Rubber Shingles
If you have any other questions about rubber roofing, reach out today to the experts in rubber roof installation and maintenance, and speak to a trusted member of our roofing team.
