So, you have a 3-tab roof that’s leaking. But when you get an estimate to repair your roof leak, you learn your 3-tab shingle color is no longer available.
This is frustrating, and no one wants a roof with mismatched shingles. Unfortunately, it’s becoming a reality in the roofing industry that certain 3-tab shingle colors are harder to find.
This leaves homeowners saying, “I don’t get why it’s getting hard to find a color match for my 3-tab asphalt shingle roof repair.”
For over 30 years, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has never shied away from answering tough questions about the roofing industry. Now we’ll help you understand why it’s getting harder to find certain 3-tab asphalt shingles.
I start this article by answering the main question right away. After that, we’ll go down the path of questions homeowners ask once they learn the answer to why it’s getting harder to find a color match.
Why is it getting harder to find a color match for 3-tab asphalt shingle repairs?
The simple reason why it’s getting harder to find 3-tab asphalt shingle color matches is that they’re starting to be phased out of the roofing industry. They’re getting harder to find altogether, and color options are very limited.
(Non matching 3-tab asphalt shingle repair)
You could even run into a scenario where suppliers aren’t carrying 3-tab asphalt shingles anymore. Keep in mind there’s still a chance your specific 3-tab shingle can be found for your repair.
Unfortunately, it still won’t match 100% because of the wear and tear the rest of the roof has gone through. However, it’ll be a closer match than having to get a completely new color.
What happens when you can’t find a color match for your 3-tab asphalt shingle roof repair?
After learning why it’s getting harder to find a color match, you’re probably wondering what happens when you run into this situation. When you can’t find a color match, there are a couple of things you and your roofing contractor can do.
(Close matching 3-tab asphalt shingle repair)
The first option is finding a 3-tab shingle with a color close to the original. This allows your roofing contractor to the repair area, and hopefully, it’s not as noticeable.
The second option is taking 3-tab shingles from another part of your roof. With this option, your roofing contractor will take shingles from an area that can’t be seen and install them where the repair is needed.
Then they’ll take the close matching shingles and install them in the area where the originals were taken from. Unfortunately, there’s still the possibility you’ll notice the repair because the shingles might not have the same amount of wear and tear as the ones around them.
There’s also that chance you don’t have an area that can’t be seen. So, just be aware that there will be an area of non-matching 3-tab shingles on your roof no matter which route you go.
Why are 3-tab asphalt shingles being phased out of the roofing industry?
Now you know your options if you can’t find a color match for your 3-tab asphalt shingle roof repair. But there’s still one more question homeowners are asking, “why are 3-tab shingles being phased out of the roofing industry in the first place?”
The truth is, 3-tab asphalt shingles used to be the standard and dominated the roofing industry for a long time. However, manufacturers developed architectural asphalt shingles as technology improved.
They are a higher quality roofing material and offer more benefits than 3-tab shingles. Because of this, architectural shingles are the preferred choice in the roofing industry, and 3-tab shingles are being phased out.
Keep in mind that every 3-tab shingle isn’t disappearing overnight. That’s why I use the phrase “phased out”.
Shingle manufacturers just aren’t offering all the color options they used to anymore. However, some suppliers may stop carrying them altogether, depending on your area.
So, should you avoid 3-tab shingles in the future?
After reading through this article you probably think I just have bad feelings towards 3-tab shingles. The truth is, 3-tab shingles aren’t bad, and I’m not saying that you need to replace your 3-tab roof right away.
However, the future of 3-tab asphalt shingles isn’t as bright as some of the other roofing materials. And the simple reason for this comes down to the development of better quality roofing materials.
This doesn’t mean you can’t get 3-tab asphalt shingles for a roof replacement. However, the color options are limited, and you’ll have to replace them sooner than other roofing materials.
Just know when homeowners come looking for 3-tab shingles, it usually means they’re looking for the lowest price roof replacement possible. This isn’t a problem as long as you invest in quality labor and roofing components.
How do 3-tab asphalt shingles compare to architectural asphalt shingles?
Now you know what the future of 3-tab asphalt shingles looks like. This article is not saying 3-tab shingles are a bad roofing material.
It’s just important to know they’re being phased out of the industry, and the preferred asphalt roofing choice is now architectural shingles. But why are architectural asphalt shingles considered better and the preferred choice?
To answer this question, I wrote another article comparing 3-tab asphalt shingles to architectural asphalt shingles on key factors like cost, lifespan, and warranties.
Since 1990, the team at Bill Ragan Roofing has provided high-quality roofing services in Nashville and surrounding Middle Tennessee areas. Whether you have a 3-tab roof or another roofing material, you can count on us to take care of any problem you have.
Check out 3-tab Shingles vs. Architectural Shingles (Lifespan, Cost, and More) to learn why architectural shingles are the preferred choice over 3-tab shingles.
