A buddy of mine swapped out his whole roof for some “next gen” composite shingles a couple years back—looked great at first, but after our last hailstorm, half of them ended up cracked or curling at the edges. Meanwhile, my old asphalt three-tabs are still holding on, just need the occasional patch. It’s tempting to try new stuff when all the marketing says it’s longer-lasting or more eco-friendly, but I swear, the tried-and-true materials seem to handle our weather swings better.
I’m curious if anyone here has actually had good luck with any of those newer shingle types in a harsh climate? Or is it mostly hype and warranty loopholes? I keep hearing about synthetic underlayments too—supposedly more durable than felt, but I’m not convinced yet. Anyone actually torn off a roof with one of those after 10+ years and seen how it holds up?
- Seen a lot of those “next gen” shingles on jobs lately. Some hold up, some don’t—seems to depend on the brand and install.
- Torn off a couple roofs with synthetic underlayment after 10+ years. Usually still looks decent, but not always as perfect as the ads claim.
- Old-school felt can be rough if it gets wet, but synthetic sometimes gets brittle over time—especially with big temp swings.
- I’m still waiting to see one of these “lifetime” roofs actually make it to retirement age... marketing sure loves to stretch that word.
- Those “lifetime” roofs always crack me up—seen plenty that barely made it past their first decade, let alone a lifetime.
- Synthetic underlayment’s a mixed bag for me. Looks great at first, but I’ve pulled up some that turned brittle and tore like tissue after a few years of hot/cold cycles.
- Felt’s not perfect either, but at least you know what you’re getting. If it gets soaked, it’s toast, but sometimes it still outlasts the fancy stuff.
- Install makes a huge difference. Seen cheap shingles last longer than premium ones just because someone actually cared during install... go figure.
- Marketing folks must have a different definition of “lifetime” than the rest of us.
Install makes a huge difference. Seen cheap shingles last longer than premium ones just because someone actually cared during install... go figure.
That’s the truth—seen it myself plenty of times. Curious if anyone here has had luck with those newer “breathable” synthetic underlayments? I’ve only tried them on a couple jobs, and honestly, I’m not sure they’re holding up any better than the old-school felt. Maybe it’s just our wild Midwest temperature swings, but I keep seeing premature wear. Anyone else seeing that, or is it just me?
I’ve wondered the same thing about those synthetics. I went with a “breathable” underlayment on my garage last year, mostly because the contractor swore it was worth the extra cost. Honestly, I can’t say I notice any difference compared to the old felt on my main house. Both seem to get a little brittle after a couple years, especially after our freeze-thaw cycles. Maybe it’s just our weather here in Nebraska, but I’m not convinced it’s worth paying more.
Has anyone actually seen a noticeable benefit from synthetic underlayments in terms of moisture or heat? Or is it just marketing? I keep hearing about “better ventilation” but if your attic isn’t vented right, does the underlayment even matter that much? Just trying to figure out if it’s worth spending more next time or if I should stick with what’s worked for decades.
