Comparing the Types of Owens Corning Roof Shingles

Across the United States, Florida demands the most out of its asphalt shingle roofs. Between extreme UV ray exposure, hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall, shingle roofs in Florida face a lot of challenges. And in our more than 20 years of roofing in Florida, we’ve clearly seen that Owens Corning roof shingles are some of the best for Florida’s unique climate.

We’re Classic Roofing and Construction, and we’ve been installing and repairing shingle roofs in Florida for decades. As your local roofing experts, we want to tell you everything you need to know about the different types of Owens Corning roof shingles and how they can protect and beautify your home. To do that, we’re starting with the big picture: What are the types of Owens Corning shingles?

Types of Owens Corning Roof Shingles

Over the years, Owens Corning has released many shingle lines. And while all of them are good, some are better than others at specific things. To help you decide which one could be right for your roof, let’s take a brief look at each of them!

TrueDefinition Duration Shingles

As the name implies, Owens Corning TrueDefinition Duration shingles are made to last. Using patented SureNail technology, these shingles are specially reinforced so that they can withstand winds of up to 130mph. For reference, 130mph winds only occur in a category four hurricane, so that’s considerable protection!

Since these Owens Corning roofing shingles are architectural, they’re thick and hardy. This has two key benefits: First, it makes it even harder for wind to uplift your shingles from your roof. And second, the thickness makes it harder for water to soak through the shingle. This can prevent mold and rot from developing on your roof, which can add years to the life of your roofing system.

As a final bonus, TrueDefinition Duration shingles have that classic textured look that architectural shingles are famous for. This makes them great for adding visual interest to your roof without sacrificing quality and protection.

TrueDefinition Designer Shingles

Since they’re part of the same line, the Duration and Designer shingles have a lot of similarities. Both are architectural shingles, both use SureNail technology, and both can do a fantastic job protecting your home. But where Designer shingles shine is their aesthetics.

These Owens Corning roofing shingles come in a variety of neutral tones, whereas Duration shingles are available in neutral tones and some less conventional colors like dark greens and blues. Although Designer shingles may have a narrower range in terms of colors, they more than make up for it with their stunning composition that blends neutral shades together to create a roof with a classic, homey feel.

If aesthetics are an important consideration for you and you like a refined, traditional look for your roof, then TrueDefinition Designer shingles could be perfect for your new roof.

Oakridge Shingles

If you need a roof replacement on a tight budget, Oakridge shingles may be the choice for you. While these are architectural shingles, they’re considered a small step up from three-tab shingles. This means a lower price point for your roof replacement, but it also means less protection for your home.

For example, Oakridge shingles do not use SureNail technology. As a result, they’re only approved for winds up to 110mph instead of 130mph. Standing up against 110mph winds is still substantial, but it does still show a downgrade in the quality of your home’s protection.

Oakridge shingles also deliver less on aesthetics than either TrueDefinition option. They offer a limited color range and have more of a flat look that does not create as much curb appeal.

Still, these shingles are a great option if you’re on a tight budget and need a roof replacement immediately. If you want the best possible roof for your home, though, you may be better served by choosing another kind of Owens Corning roof shingle.

Owens Corning Roof Shingle Warranties

Whatever type of Owens Corning shingle that you choose for your roof, you may be eligible for certain warranties. And in Florida, where hurricanes are just a fact of life, a robust roofing warranty is always a great idea.

And just like their shingles, Owens Corning provides a wide variety of warranties to match each roof’s unique protections. Let’s look at what you can expect from each type of Owens Corning roof shingle warranty:

• Standard Product Limited Warranty: This warranty provides material coverage for 10 years, wind uplift of your shingles for 15 years, and an algae resistance guarantee for 25 years. This is the only Owens Corning warranty that does not require the installer to be an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor.
• System Protection Limited Warranty: With this option, your materials are covered for 50 years, wind uplift protection for 15 years, and algae resistance for 25 years.
• Preferred Protection Limited Warranty: This warranty offers all of the same protections as the System Protection Limited Warranty, but with an added workmanship warranty for 10 years. This means that if you experience roofing problems due to improper installation, Owens Corning will pay for the necessary repairs.
• Platinum Protection Limited Warranty: This is the apex of protection for your Owens Corning roof shingles. Platinum Protection offers all of the benefits of Preferred Protection but with a lifetime warranty on workmanship that is reduced after 25 years. However, since your homeowners insurance company will almost certainly need you to replace your roof after 20 years, this is essentially lifetime protection for your roof on both workmanship and material quality!

As you can see, there’s a wide variety in the quality of Owens Corning warranties. So how do you get the best one?

How to Get the Best Roof Shingle Warranty

Two factors determine which kind of warranty your roof qualifies for: what’s installed and who installs it.

When offering warranties, Owens Corning looks at your roofing system as a whole. This means that, in addition to Owens Corning roof shingles, your roof will need several Owens Corning products to get the strongest warranty. These other Owens Corning products include:

• Water-resistant underlayments
• Hip and ridge shingles
• Exhaust and intake vents
• Ice and water barriers

By installing a complete roofing system with protective Owens Corning products, you can qualify for their best warranties. Provided, of course, that you choose an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor.

Owens Corning offers its best warranties when using a Preferred Contractor because they vet these roofers to ensure that they’re experienced professionals. This includes verifying that they follow best practices for safety, durability, and longevity. This is why Owens Corning is willing to extend its best roof shingle warranties on these jobs—because they know that the work will be completed the right way.

Get Your New Owens Corning Shingle Roof

At Classic, we are proud Owens Corning Preferred Contractors. So no matter what kind of Owens Corning roof shingle you choose, we’ll be able to install it and get you the best warranties in the roofing industry.

Are you ready to see how we’ve become and stayed Florida’s favorite roofers for over 20 years? Then schedule your free, no-obligation roofing estimate. We’ll talk to you about shingle options and prices and make sure that you know exactly what you’re getting when you choose a roof with Classic.

So what are you waiting for? Classic has set the gold standard for shingle roofing in Florida for decades. Give us a shot and see why after all these years, we’re still doing things the Classic way!