Asphalt Shingle Roofing

We often recommend fiberglass asphalt shingles because they are the most popular roofing materials.

Asphalt Shingle Roofing Experts

Rio Blanco Roofing & Restoration frequently recommends fiberglass asphalt shingles due to their advantages. Asphalt shingles are the most widely used roofing materials, not only because they are more affordable than wood shingles, wood shakes, tile, metal roofs, or slate, but also due to their reliable lifespan, which gives them an edge over competing options. Therefore, Rio Blanco Roofing & Solar offers a variety of shingles to meet your asphalt roofing needs in San Antonio.


Each type and variation of shingle comes with its own set of benefits and drawbacks, and we are pleased to provide a complimentary consultation to help you choose the perfect shingle solution for your specific roofing requirements, whether residential or commercial. Asphalt shingles simplify roof repairs, making them both easy and cost-effective.

Material Construction

The asphalt shingles that Rio Blanco Roofing & Restoration installs in San Antonio are composed of: a base material, usually a fiberglass mat that provides support for the weather-resistant components and gives a shingle strength. This is coated with a mixture of asphalt and fillers. Subsequently, colored mineral granules are then distributed on the top of the shingle when the asphalt is still hot. The mineral granules, besides providing color options, provide protection from UV degradation, impact, and improves fire resistance.

The most common form of asphalt shingles installed in San Antonio in the past are known as 3-Tab, or Strip, shingles. They are rectangular, the most prevalent size being 12 inches wide by 36 inches long. Metric shingles are 13 1/4 inches by 39 3/8 inches. Strip shingles, most frequently, have three tabs that are exposed along the length of the shingle for visual effect.

As a popular option in San Antonio and surrounding areas including: Universal City, New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and Helotes -  home owners also love Architectural or Laminate asphalt shingles that contain no cutouts. Their lower portions are laminated with an additional asphalt layer. This creates the contoured, dimensional look that gives them their name and popularity. Asphalt sealant bonds the layers, reinforcing the shingles’ waterproof capability. This type of shingle is rapidly becoming the most popular style of asphalt shingle installed in this country due to its more attractive look, increased durability, storm resistance, and better warranties provided by manufacturers.

The cost of the asphalt shingles in San Antonio is higher for thicker product. The thicker the shingles are the longer they will last and the more attractive they look.

Both, 3-tab asphalt shingles and laminated asphalt shingles, contain a strip of factory applied adhesive that is activated by the sun’s heat after installation and seals each shingle to the course below it. The seal strip also provides much of a shingle’s resistance to wind uplift. Shingles with factory-applied adhesive have a strip of clear polyester film applied to each shingle to prevent the sealing strips from bonding the shingles together when packaged. The plastic film strips do not have to be removed during the installation of the shingles.

Roof Deck

Shingles should be applied over continuous or closely spaced wood plank decking or wood decking in San Antonio. The most common materials used for roof decks is plywood or oriented strand board (OSB). The sheathing should be a minimum of 15/32 inch thick or 1/2 inch nominal exterior-grade.

Underlayment

Underlayment (or ‘felt paper’ as it is frequently called) is installed over the roof deck before the application of asphalt shingles. An underlayment performs two primary functions: it provides temporary weather protection until the asphalt shingles are installed and it provides a secondary weatherproofing barrier in the event moisture infiltrates the asphalt shingles.

It is not uncommon in the San Antonio area for it to rain after the contractor installs underlayment but before he installs the asphalt shingles, as well as surrounding areas of Universal City, New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, and Helotes. The underlayment gets wet and may become wrinkled. If the wrinkling isn’t severe enough to affect the shingle installation (i.e. the wrinkling won’t telegraph through the shingles and they won’t appear buckled or wavy once installed), the underlayment probably can remain in place. The effects of wrinkling also will be minimized when using heavier weight shingles.

Asphalt saturated, non-perforated organic felts are among the most common underlayment used for shingles; they are commonly designated as Type 15 and Type 30, or referred to as No. 15 and No. 30, which are reflective of a once used pound per square weight designation. The terms Type I and Type II now are used within the industry in lieu of No. 15 or No. 30, respectively.

Another type of underlayment is a synthetic underlayment. It is characterized as being lightweight, water-resistant, and less likely to wrinkle; having high tear strength; and being easier to walk on—even when wet. Theoretically, the product may be left exposed to the elements for extended periods of time.

Fasteners

Roofing nails in San Antonio should be 11-gauge or 12-gauge galvanized steel or the equivalent corrosion-resistant roofing nails. Nail heads should be low-profile, smooth, and flat. Shanks should be barbed or otherwise deformed for added pull-out strength. Nails should be long enough to penetrate through all layers of roofing materials and extend through the underside of the roof deck or penetrate at least 3/4 inch into wood plank or board decks.

Flashing

Flashings for asphalt shingle roof systems fall into four categories: 
  • Perimeter Edge Metal: Depending on the severity of climate, anticipated rainfall and freeze-thaw cycling, the use of perimeter edge metal should be considered.
  • Penetrations: Plumbing soil stacks, exhaust vents and pipes are flashed into asphalt shingle roof systems with some type of flat flange that extends around a penetration and is installed under shingles on the upslope of a flange.
  • Valleys: Valleys that are called ‘open valleys’ are typically lined with sheet metal. Rio Blanco Roofing lines all valleys with metal flashing.
  • Vertical Surfaces: When a roof system abuts a vertical surface, there are four types of flashing commonly used: apron, step, cricket (or backer), and counter-flashing.

Warranties

When purchasing a new roof system, there will be two warranties to consider. First, there will be the manufacturer’s warranty. In general, these warranties cover defects in the manufacture of the roof covering. The period of coverage can range from 20 years to a lifetime. Rio Blanco Roofing & Restoration provides a Lifetime Workmanship warranty.