Hands down, asphalt roof shingles are the most popular option when it comes to residential roofing. However, aside from being the most inexpensive, this material has numerous disadvantages. Some of them include thermal protection, durability, and damage from heat and wind. They offer very little thermal protection. Asphalt roof shingles will absorb heat from the sun and transfer it into your home. On cool nights, they will transfer more heat from your home. You will need to make sure your attic space is well-ventilated to the outside to help with this problem. Asphalt roof shingles not only transfer solar heat into your home, they can become damaged by the heat.  They may also start to sag if they are put on a steep roof. If your attic is poorly ventilated, they will also bake from underneath.

Wind can also give you problems.  Strong winds can uplift or tear them off easily. Tree branches blowing in the wind can also easily damage your asphalt roof shingles.

Moisture presents another disadvantage of asphalt roof shingles. If you live in a rainy area, you may have mildew problems because of the excess moisture. Your asphalt roof shingles may also start to rot if they are located in damp, shady areas of your roof.

One of the final disadvantages of asphalt roof shingles is their durability. Asphalt roof shingles will only last 20 years at the most. After that, you will have to install a new layer of shingles. While asphalt is still the most common material for residential roofing, metal roofs are picking up steam. Many homeowners, are making the investment because they know they won’t have to replace their roof again, Metal roofing is also three times as durable as asphalt. Erie Construction of Evansville, Indiana is a leader in the roofing industry and can show you why many are opting to ditch asphalt and go metal.