When it’s time to replace your roof, choosing the right roofing shingles for your home is an important decision. Roofing shingles are one of your home’s first defenses against wind, water and other weather elements. Plus, your roof color and style of shingles greatly influence your home’s curb appeal and overall aesthetic.
We know choosing a new roof for your home isn’t a decision you frequently make, and you might feel a little overwhelmed with the number of options available in the market. So, how do you know which option is best for you and your home?
Here are some of the reasons why homeowners are choosing to have TruDefinition® Duration FLEX® Class 4, impact-resistant, SBS shingles installed when getting a new roof, and why you might consider this durable option for your home, as well.
1. High-Performing Against Wind and Storms
In the Midwest, we experience all types of severe weather.
Absorbs the Force
TruDefinition® Duration FLEX® (Duration FLEX®) shingles are “Class 4 Impact-Resistant”, and are designed to stand up to weather events, including hail, rain and powerful winds, which can often result in airborne debris hitting your roof. These shingles are tested and classified in accordance with the UL 2218 Impact Resistance Test and have the highest rating for impact resistance – Class 4.
What makes this style of shingle so durable?
Duration FLEX® shingles get their enhanced impact performance from a proprietary blend of SBS polymer modified asphalt.
Compared to standard asphalt shingles, SBS modified asphalt allows the shingles to better:
- Absorb the impact energy from hail or storm debris
- Resist cracking/splitting
- Resist granule loss
While a Class 4 rating does not provide a guarantee against hail damage, it does provide benefits that improve performance in a storm environment.
Reinforced Toughness
Duration FLEX® shingles are the only roofing shingles in the industry that combine patented SureNail® Technology with the durability and flexibility of SBS. SureNail® Technology refers to a proprietary reinforcement strip that’s built into all Owens Corning® Duration® Series shingle products.
The highly visible tough, engineered fabric strip provides many benefits, including:
- A clearly defined nailing location, to help installers nail through the shingles in the common-bond for Triple Layer Protection®. Improper fastening of the shingle can lead to shingle blow-offs and other performance issues. The fabric reinforcement in the nailing zone also provides excellent blow-through resistance against over-driven nails. Water infiltration can result from over-driven nails.
Reinforcement of the nailing zone, which provides up to 2.5x the nail pull-through resistance vs. other leading brands. This helps the shingles stay in place in high winds.
Wind Resistance
Wind resistance is an important quality of roofing shingles, especially if you live in an area prone to hurricanes, tornadoes or powerful storms that bring high winds and rain. Blown-off shingles may expose the roof deck and cause leaks, which could lead to other exterior or interior damage.
Along with nailing strength, a shingle’s wind performance is also dictated by how well the shingles seal to one another. The SureNail® fabric in the nailing zone on Duration FLEX® shingles provides a clean, flat surface that promotes an excellent bond to the shingle below. These shingles have up to 130-mph wind resistance limited warranty*.
2. Your Insurance Company May Incentivize You
A good roof that helps withstand the elements means better protection. Some insurance companies incentivize homeowners to install Class 4, impact-resistant roof shingles because of their enhanced performance during severe weather.
Depending on your geographical location, homeowners insurance company, and other factors, you may qualify for insurance premium discounts when you install Class 4 roofing shingles, such as Duration FLEX®. Check with your insurance company to learn more about potential savings on premiums.
3. Beauty and Performance
With all the outstanding performance benefits of a Class 4, impact-resistant shingle, TruDefinition® Duration FLEX® also comes in a range of popular colors from subtle to vibrant.
The Duration FLEX® shingle line recently expanded to include four distinct vibrant color combinations: Black Sable, Sand Dune, Storm Cloud, and Summer Harvest for a more dimensional looking roof. The new color offerings expand upon the existing classic palette of rich, sophisticated hues.
Every shingle features a specially formulated mixture of colors designed to pair beautifully with a wide range of exterior styles, materials and accents— for a dramatic, multi-dimensional roof with spectacular curb appeal.
Visit Owens Corning Roofing for Duration FLEX® technical specifications and other product details.
4. Reduced Risk of Granule Loss and Roof Damage
When you get a new roof installed, you want high-quality shingles to help withstand the strength of severe weather. Here’s how the SBS-modified asphalt in Duration FLEX® provides several benefits beyond just impact resistance:
- Improved granule adhesion, which keeps your shingles looking great and performing well
- Flexibility in cold weather conditions, so they’re pliable and easy to install during cooler months – reducing the risk of damage or blow-offs
About Granule Adhesion
The granules on roofing shingles exist for two primary reasons:
- Aesthetics, they give the shingles their color
- Protection, they help to shield the asphalt from the sun’s UV rays
Roof shingles can lose granules due to impact from falling objects (e.g., tree branches and hail), or over time from the expansion and contraction of the asphalt with temperature changes. It is possible you have seen some roofing granules accumulate in your gutters or at bottom of downspouts.
The proprietary SBS asphalt used for Duration FLEX® shingles is designed to help hold the granules in place, and its flexibility can withstand expansion and contraction better than traditional shingles. Improved granule adhesion can help keep your roof looking great and protect the shingles from UV degradation over the years.
5. Warranty Benefits
Duration FLEX® shingles come with one of the industry’s best warranties*, including:
- A limited lifetime warranty against shingle defects for the life of the shingle for as long as your own your home
- Up to 130-mph wind warranty
- 10-year algae resistance warranty
Plus, getting your new roof installed by an independent Owens Corning Roofing Platinum or Preferred contractor in the Owens Corning Contractor Network can extend and expand the terms of the warranty.
*Read the actual Duration FLEX® warranty for complete details, limitations and requirements.
These benefits, along with others, mean Duration FLEX® shingles provide industry-leading performance, especially in geographical areas that experience high winds and storms.
Ready to get estimates? Find independent roofing contractors in the Owens Corning Roofing Contractor Network near you.
Duration FLEX® Shingles: FAQs
Have questions about Duration FLEX® shingles? Read our FAQ or call 1-800-GET-PINK to speak with the Owens Corning Customer Service team.
Do Duration FLEX® shingles have a limited lifetime warranty?
Duration FLEX® shingles include a limited lifetime warranty for as long as your own your home. Additional warranties can be purchased that offer extended coverage when you have your roofing shingles installed by an independent Owens Corning Roofing Platinum or Preferred contractor in the Owens Corning Contractor Network.
What is SBS?
SBS refers to the polymer that is used to modify the roofing shingle asphalt. SBS stands for styrene-butadiene-styrene. It provides a rubberizing effect on Duration FLEX® roofing shingles, which improves their resistance to impact, increases their durability and flexibility, as well as helping the shingles shed water.
What does Class 4, Impact-Resistant mean?
In the mid-90s, the roofing industry developed a test to evaluate different roofing products’ resistance to impact, such as from hail or tree branches. This standardized test is called the UL 2218 Impact Resistance Test and is commonly known as the “steel ball test.”
Class 4 is the highest possible rating shingles can receive from this test, and to qualify for it, a roofing shingle must withstand having a 2-inch steel ball dropped on it repeatedly from a height of 20 feet without cracking.