Did you know that you can get a discount on your homeowner’s insurance when you install a new roof with impact-resistant shingles? Here’s one insurance company’s take on what these shingles are and how they can help you as a homeowner. Read this article taken from State Farm Insurance.
What are impact-resistant roofing materials?
Impact-resistant shingles and other roofing materials are designed to resist damage from hail and flying debris — abuse that might damage ordinary shingles. Shingles on an impact-resistant roof are designed to withstand high winds and hail damage and have a Class 4 rating (see below). Hailstorms are responsible for more than $10 billion in annual property damage, and they are particularly hard on roofs.
That’s because hailstones can form up to five inches or more in diameter, and pelt your roof at speeds of 90 miles an hour or more. And while the average life span of some roofs is 20 years, roofs in severe hail-prone areas often must be replaced every seven to 10 years, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS).
The IBHS is one of the organizations — including State Farm®, which has an in-house laboratory in Bloomington, Illinois — whose researchers have devoted years to field and lab research studying hail and testing the materials designed to handle it. (The IBHS has a newly instituted rating system for impact-resistant shingles that includes reviews of denting, tears, and granule loss.)
You can choose impact-resistant shingles such as asphalt or a metal roofing material in a variety of popular styles, including individual shingles and other roofing materials. Impact-resistant shingles resembling wood or slate that are made of cement, plastic, molded polymer, or recycled resin or rubber are also available…Read More