Are you looking for an affordable roofing material? Do you keep seeing or hearing about 3-tab asphalt shingles?
3-tab asphalt shingles are used all over the United States. In fact, they’ve been the most common residential roofing material for decades.
But what exactly are they? And what do you need to know about them?
For over 30 years, Bill Ragan Roofing has helped homeowners make the right asphalt shingle decision with transparent information. So, let’s break down everything you need to know about 3-tab asphalt shingles to determine if they’re right for you.
By the end of this article, you’ll learn:
3-tab asphalt shingles lay flat and get their name from the three tabs on each shingle strip. They are composed of a single layer on a fiberglass mat with asphalt granules embedded for color and water resistance.
3-tab shingles are the easiest roofing material to install and repair, which is why they were the most commonly used roofing material in the United States. However, they have become the inferior shingle option with the creation of architectural shingles.
3-tab asphalt shingles are still installed on roofs today, but manufacturers are starting to phase them out. This is simply due to architectural shingles being a higher-quality material with only a 15% price increase.
Finding them is getting harder, so it really depends on what suppliers in your area have in stock.
At this point, you know the basic information about 3-tab asphalt shingles. However, you can’t decide if they're right for you based on this alone.
Let’s get to the 5 things every homeowner needs to know about 3-tab asphalt shingles.
As you know, 3-tab asphalt shingles are being phased out of the roofing industry. It’s even possible that suppliers in certain areas have already stopped carrying them.
But not only are they getting harder to find, color options are also already limited. This makes it harder to find color matches for repairs and roof replacements.
Now, every 3-tab asphalt shingle won’t disappear overnight. However, you may not find the exact color you’re looking for, and it could be hard to find them in general in the coming years.
3-tab asphalt shingles are more susceptible to wind and hail damage than every other roofing material. Any decent-sized hail can dent and ding the shingles and cause granule loss.
While hail can damage most roofing materials, 3-tab asphalt shingles are very susceptible to wind damage. If there are missing shingles after a storm, it’s a pretty good guess they’re 3-tab.
For comparison, architectural asphalt shingles have double the wind resistance (110 mph to 130 mph) compared to a 3-tab shingle’s 60 mph wind rating. This is a massive difference in wind resistance, which is why choosing 3-tab shingles can negatively impact your insurance policy and coverage.
The lifespan of your roof is how many years you get out of it after installation. With that in mind, 3-tab asphalt shingles have the shortest lifespan compared to other residential roofing materials.
They have a manufacturer-specified lifespan of 25 years, but they’ll realistically only last 15 to 20 years at the most. Unfortunately, there are many factors that impact the life of a roof.
So, some 3-tab asphalt shingle roofs may only last 12 to 15 years. But they’ll get pretty close to 20 years as long as they’re properly installed and the attic is adequately ventilated.
Just like having the shortest lifespan, 3-tab asphalt shingles are also the cheapest roofing material available. The reason they’re the cheapest comes down to quality compared to other options.
A new roof will always be an investment, so I understand it’s important to look for an affordable option. However, it’s crucial not to try to find the cheapest roof replacement possible.
Doing this sets up your new roof for premature failure from the beginning. That’s why it’s crucial to invest in quality materials and hire a great roofing contractor if you're seriously considering 3-tab asphalt shingles.
Every asphalt shingle comes with a material warranty from the manufacturer to protect against defects on the shingles themselves. However, they also offer non-prorated enhanced or extended warranties that cover the entire roof system.
Unfortunately, 3-tab asphalt shingles don’t qualify for an enhanced warranty. 3-tab shingles generally only come with a 25-year warranty, which will prorate heavily as the years pass.
Other than a roofing contractor’s workmanship warranty, this is the only protection that comes with 3-tab shingles.
After reading this article, you know what 3-tab asphalt shingles are and the 5 things every homeowner needs to know about them. While they’re the cheapest roofing material around, they don’t offer many benefits.
The good thing is that 3-tab shingles still make for quality roofs if installed correctly and maintained. However, there’s no telling how much longer they’ll be available.
I strongly recommend considering another type of asphalt shingles, but it’s your decision at the end of the day. But you can’t truly make the right decision without knowing what the other types of asphalt shingles are and how they compare.
That’s why I wrote another article comparing the three types of asphalt shingles.
Check out 3-tab vs. Architectural vs. Luxury Asphalt Shingles to learn which one fits your budget, has the highest curb appeal, and all the other important comparisons.