I tried rubber shingles on my shed last year, actually. They went on pretty easily and seem to be holding up well so far, but that’s a small, low-pitch roof—definitely not the same as a full house. I liked that they’re lighter than asphalt, and supposedly more hail-resistant, but I’m still a bit skeptical about longevity. Price-wise, they weren’t much cheaper than architectural shingles either. If your climate gets wild temperature swings, I’d double-check how they handle expansion and contraction.
Rubber shingles are an interesting choice for a shed—definitely easier to handle than wrestling with bundles of heavy asphalt up a ladder. I’ve put them on a couple of smaller jobs, and yeah, they seem to shrug off hail better than the standard stuff. But when you scale up to a full house, especially with steeper pitches or more complicated valleys, things get trickier. Did you notice any curling or edge lifting during the winter? That’s usually where expansion/contraction shows up first.
Cost-wise, I’ve seen rubber run neck-and-neck with architectural asphalt too, which surprises some folks who expect it to be cheaper. The big question is always: how do they look in ten years? Asphalt’s predictable—rubber’s still a bit of a wild card. Have you checked if your insurance treats rubber differently after storms? Some carriers get picky about “non-traditional” materials when it comes time to pay out.
If you’re in an area with wild temp swings, I’d keep an eye on those seams and fasteners. Sometimes the movement can work things loose over time... nothing like finding out after a big storm rolls through.
Storm repairs can be all over the map, honestly. I’ve seen folks get away with a couple hundred bucks for patching up a few blown-off shingles, but then there are jobs where you’re looking at several grand—especially if water gets in and starts messing with decking or insulation. The material definitely plays a role, but I’m curious: has anyone here actually had to file a claim for rubber shingles after a storm? I’ve heard mixed things from adjusters about how they handle “non-standard” roofing, especially if it’s not listed on your policy.
One thing I’ve noticed with rubber is that it tends to bounce back from hail better than asphalt, but wind is another story. On steeper roofs or spots with weird wind patterns, I’ve seen edges start to lift after a couple of freeze-thaw cycles. Not always, but enough that I’d keep an eye on it. Anyone else run into that? Or maybe it’s just the install method—fasteners vs. adhesive seems to make a difference.
Insurance is its own beast. Some carriers around here (I’m in the Midwest) are fine with rubber, others want extra documentation or even a higher deductible. It’s a pain to find out after the fact that your coverage isn’t what you thought. Has anyone had their rates go up after switching to rubber, or is that just scare talk from the old-school agents?
I’m also wondering about long-term maintenance costs. With asphalt, you kind of know what to expect—granule loss, maybe some curling after 10-15 years. Rubber’s still a bit of an unknown for me. If you’ve had it on for more than five years, have you noticed any weird wear patterns or color fading? Or is it holding up better than expected?
Curious how folks are tracking these costs over time—do you just budget for a big repair every decade, or try to stay ahead with regular inspections?
Insurance is its own beast. Some carriers around here (I’m in the Midwest) are fine with rubber, others want extra documentation or even a higher deductible.
That lines up with what I’ve seen. My neighbor switched to rubber after a hailstorm and his insurer made him jump through hoops—photos, install receipts, even a letter from the roofer. His premium didn’t spike, but the deductible for wind/hail claims went up. As for wear, his roof’s about six years old now and looks decent, but there’s some fading on the south side. I’d say regular inspections are worth it, especially after rough winters. I budget for minor fixes every couple years instead of waiting for a big hit.
Rubber roofs are a funny thing—insurance companies seem to either love ‘em or treat them like you’re trying to pull a fast one. I’ve seen folks get stuck in paperwork purgatory just trying to prove their roof isn’t made of marshmallows. The deductible hike for wind/hail is pretty common, though. It’s like they know the Midwest gets smacked every spring and fall.
I’m with you on the regular inspections. After that derecho a couple years back, I started poking around my own roof every spring. Found a few spots where the flashing was starting to peel up—caught it before it turned into a leak. Honestly, I’d rather spend $200 here and there than get hit with a $2k bill all at once.
Fading on the south side is almost inevitable, especially if you’ve got no shade trees. Doesn’t hurt anything structurally, but it does make the house look a little tired. I guess that’s just part of living where the weather can’t make up its mind...
