The type of shingle that a homeowner will choose for his roof will depend on many factors, including price, durability, and overall aesthetic style. But in the Pacific Northwest, where drizzly rain is nearly constant for a number of months each year, climate has to be taken into consideration when selecting new shingles as well. According to A&E Roofing owner Greg Jensen, a roof repair expert in Portland, Oregon, people who live in wet climates have to be careful when selecting new materials for their roofs.
As Jensen explains, the first factor that almost all homeowners look at when selecting a new type of roof shingle is style. Most people want to fit in with their neighbors, and in Portland, that generally means choosing an architectural style shingle for most re-roofing projects. Jensen says that these types of shingles are usually made out of laminate, which is a good product for people who live in very wet, drizzly climates.
Beyond style, the next important factor is lifespan or durability. Jensen says that homeowners who are putting new roofs on their houses can usually choose between a 30-year roof shingle or a 50-year shingle. Of course, neither of these styles will actually last 30 or 50 years. However, Jensen says that making the decision to purchase a 30 year roof or a 50 year roof will typically depend on how long the clients plan on staying in the house. For older homeowners, a 50-year roof can oftentimes be seen as overkill, says Jensen.
The durability of a shingle leads right into the next important factor for people getting new roofs in Portland and the surrounding areas – price. Jensen says that price is always a consideration for the clients he works with, which is why he tries to keep his costs as low as possible and pass those savings on to his customers. For the most part, 30-year roofs are cheaper than 50-year roofs.
Having worked in the roof repair business for years in Portland, Jensen has seen first-hand how important it is to select a roof that will last as long as possible – or at least as long as a client plans on staying in his home. Even though many older clients don’t want to pay for 50-year roofs, Jensen says these are usually worth the investment for people who can afford to pay the slightly higher price tag.
In fact, families who can afford to pay more for quality roofing may also be interested in upgraded shingles that contain anti-allergy chemicals. These chemicals will make the roof itself more durable, and they will lessen the amount of roof maintenance that is necessary to keep the shingles clean.
The last important factor that has to go into choosing a new roof shingle in Oregon are CC&Rs. CC&Rs, which stands for covenants, conditions and restrictions, are documents that govern the types of rules that homeowners living in a certain community must obey. One of the popular conditions in most CC&Rs is that homeowners in the neighborhood must use a certain style of roofing shingle.
The goal of the CC&R is to ensure that no one homeowner gets a roof that clashes or conflicts with those in the rest of the neighborhood. Nonetheless, Jensen says that CC&Rs can squash any ideas that a homeowner might have about making his roof look “unique.” For homeowners who live in neighborhoods that are governed by CC&Rs, Jensen says it is important to read up on the rules carefully before calling a roof repair contractor out for the job.