I hear you on the landfill waste. When we replaced our roof last year, I was shocked at how much old asphalt shingle just got tossed. We went with composite, partly because my neighbor’s house took a beating in a hailstorm and his composite roof barely had a scratch, while ours looked like Swiss cheese. The upfront cost stung, but our summer AC bills dropped a bit, which was a nice surprise. Still not sure it’ll pay for itself if we move soon, but it feels good knowing we’re not sending another pile of shingles to the dump next time.
We did composite a few years back too—mainly for the hail resistance. I hear you on the sticker shock, but honestly, not having to pick up shingle bits after every storm is worth something. Plus, our attic’s noticeably cooler now.
We switched to composite after a nasty hailstorm shredded our old asphalt roof. I’ll admit, the price tag was a gut punch, but picking up shingle scraps every time it storms just got old. Haven’t had to do that once since. The attic thing is real too—ours used to feel like an oven in July, now it’s way more bearable. I do miss the classic look of asphalt a bit, but not enough to go back.
Interesting to hear about the attic temp—didn’t realize composite could make that much difference. I keep hearing composite lasts longer, but is it really that much tougher in hail? I worry about the upfront cost if it only buys a few extra years.
I keep hearing composite lasts longer, but is it really that much tougher in hail? I worry about the upfront cost if it only buys a few extra years.
That’s a fair concern—composite shingles do tend to last longer in general, but “tougher in hail” can depend on the specific product and what it’s rated for. Some composites are engineered with impact resistance in mind and carry a Class 4 impact rating (which is the highest for roofing materials), but not all of them do. Standard asphalt shingles usually don’t hold up as well under repeated hail events, especially after they’ve aged a bit.
In my inspections, I’ve seen composite roofs come through moderate hail with just cosmetic scuffing, while older asphalt often ends up with bruising or granule loss that leads to leaks down the road. That said, if you’re in an area with frequent big hail, nothing is truly “hail proof”—even metal roofs can get dented.
Upfront cost is definitely higher for composite, sometimes double or more depending on brand and installer. But if you factor in fewer repairs and possibly lower insurance premiums (some companies offer discounts for impact-rated roofs), it can pencil out over time... just not always as quickly as people hope. If you’re planning to stay put long-term, it’s usually worth considering, but for a short-term situation? The math gets trickier.