Protect Your Roof With Impact Resistant Shingles

When golf ball-size chunks of ice start falling from the sky — a part of life across much of Texas — roofs can take the brunt of the damage. But you can keep from finding a leak in your home with impact resistant shingles.

If you’ve lived here long enough, you might think such a thing impossible, but these stormproof shingles are very much so real. Most roofs consist of one of two basic types of shingles, three-tab and architectural, also commonly referred to as composition shingles. Architectural shingles are heavier and last longer, and they can be upgraded to a Class 4 shingle — the highest rating a shingle can receive in a Test Standard UL 2218, or simulated hail test. “The three-tab tends to be a lighter weight and less durable, plus more prone to wind lift and so forth,” says Ryan Nicholson, a Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent in Collin County.

Class 4 shingles — whether asphalt, metal, wood, or another material — are stronger when it comes to impact, explains David Roodvoets, program coordinator of the Hail Investigation Program for the Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues. A typical roof is Class 1 or Class 2.

While the up-front cost of a roof with impact resistant shingles is usually slightly higher than other types, you can often get reductions on your homeowners insurance.

“You can’t visibly see the difference, but under that shingle there’s a stamp that says ‘Class 4’ on it,” he explains. “Once the roofer confirms, we give them the discount.”

If you’d like to add impact resistant shingles to your home, Roodvoets recommends finding a roofer who’s experienced in this area. “It’s not any more difficult to install, but sometimes if they’ve not installed a Class 4 roof before, they want to charge more because they really don’t know what’s going to happen,” he says.

For those who live in a hail-prone area, there’s little downside to upgrading your roof. “If I were a homeowner, I would definitely get a Class 4 shingle,” Roodvoets says. “Generally speaking, they have a better wind resistance, and overall the roof is likely to last longer.”

Don’t let Texas’ unpredictable severe weather catch you off guard. Homes, vehicles, vacation properties, and other items need sufficient coverage to help weather the financial fallout of hail, wind, lightning, and more. Call your Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent today to schedule a 360 Review.

Discover the best weather apps to keep you prepared during inclement and severe weather.

Coverage and discounts are subject to qualifications and policy terms and may vary by situation.

2016 Storm Watch

When you take a gander at the severe Texas storms that occurred last year alone, a Texas-tough roof sounds all the better.

• MARCH 16, 2016 — Fort Worth and Arlington suffered an estimated $600 million in insured property losses after two thunderstorms moved through about three hours apart.

• APRIL 12, 2016 — Hail reached the size of baseballs in the San Antonio area on April 12, contributing to the costliest hailstorm in state history, according to the Insurance Council of Texas. Two more storms followed in the vicinity on April 25 and April 29. All told, 136,000 cars and 125,000 houses were damaged, with losses topping $1.9 billion for the three storms combined.

• APRIL 11, 2016 — In Wylie, about 80 percent of homes were damaged in a storm with hail the size of softballs. The city’s public safety center was also hit.

• JUNE 1, 2016 — State of disaster declared for 31 counties across Texas affected by flooding as a result of record heavy rainfall.