Asphalt Shingles

Pros & Cons of Owens Corning Shingles – Costs – Unbiased OC Roofing Reviews

Owens Corning makes a large selection of composition shingles ranging from affordable to high-end. The brand is often compared with GAF, Tamko and Atlas. It’s considered a tier below the best lines from CertainTeed and Malarkey.

OC Shingle Cost

Owens Corning shingles cost ranges from about $75-$99 per square for 3-tab, $95-$135 for the most popular TruDefinition Duration shingles, and $250-$300 for premium designer shingles. A square is 100 square feet of roofing coverage.

New Shingle Roof

$7,500
Average price
New Metal Roof

$14,500
Average price
New Flat Roof

$8,225
Average price

See costs in your area Enter Your Zip Code

Did you know? Owens Corning (OC), GAF and CertainTeed account for about 80% of all asphalt shingle sales in the US.

This Fortune 500 (#458) dominates the building materials market with about 50% of combined residential insulation and roofing material sales. 2020 revenue was over $7 billion.

Owens Corning used to make vinyl siding until 2007, when the division was sold to CertainTeed.

Are OC Shingles Right for Your Home?

This guide is designed to provide you with comprehensive research about the strong points and weaknesses of the Owens Corning shingles.

Note: Comparing residential asphalt shingle brands is easy with the guides we’ve prepared for GAF, CertainTeed, Atlas, Malarkey and an Owens Corning vs Tamko guide.

Did you know? OC was the focus of a class action lawsuit regarding defective Oakridge Shadow shingles installed before 2006.

The suit was rejected in 2018 because “plaintiffs’ theories were too broad to show that the class would be sufficiently cohesive under the predominance requirement for class certification.”

Note: CertainTeed, GAF, Atlas and Tamko are among shingle brands that have been hit with class action suits.

Positives:

Here are the key factors besides a huge marketing budget that put Owens Corning shingles in the second place behind GAF in total sales.

The Owens Corning Total Protection Roofing System

A roof is much more than shingles. Other components protect against wind-driven rain, ice buildup, heat in the attic and other risks brought by the elements. All the major brands make a similar collection of products.

Using products from one brand ensures they’re designed to work together. It also gives you access to the best warranties from Owens Corning.

Pro Tip: You can qualify for OC extended warranty protection if you use at least three main components of the roofing system from Owens Corning. Ask your contractor to apply for the extended warranty coverage on your behalf.

OC uses the moto “Seal, Defend, Breath” to represent the Total Protection roof.

Seal: Underlayment and Moisture Barrier

OC makes standard felt underlayment (basic), ProArmor synthetic (better) and Deck Defense high performance synthetic (best).

The Owens Corning WeatherLock ice and water barrier is made in three tiers, too. The premium Flex barrier protects valleys, eaves, rakes and areas around chimneys. It’s best suited for very cold climates with frequent freeze/thaw cycles.

Defend: Starter Shingles, Roof Shingles and Hip/Ridge Shingles

OC makes starter shingles in roll and strip form that provide extra coverage at roof eaves. Five hip and ridge shingle lines match OC’s range of shingle styles.

Breathe: Roof Ventilation

This is a range of products for the soffit, ridge, and roof. The vents allow fresh, dry air to flow into the attic and hot and/or humid air to escape. Proper ventilation optimizes airflow to get rid of excess heat and moisture, which can damage your attic and roof.

OC Certified Contractors

All major brands offer certified contractor programs. Roofers in the network are trained in the installation of OC products and are given other perks.

The homeowner benefits by knowing the contractor has the experience and training OC requires. Secondly, you have the option of better warranties, though at a cost.

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Pros & Cons of GAF Shingles – Costs – Unbiased GAF Roofing Reviews

GAF is at or near the top of the best-selling asphalt shingles list. Is GAF’s enviable market share the result of consistent quality and performance, or is it driven by a large marketing budget that helps cover its flaws? Let’s explore.

GAF Woodland Shingles Roof
via GAF

There are obvious things to like about GAF – the wide selection of asphalt shingle styles and colors are sold nationally, and if you need more of the same shingles five or ten years later, they will likely be available.

On the downside, it is well documented that GAF, like most other shingle manufacturers, sometimes denies warranty claims that seem legitimate. The company settled a major class action lawsuit over warranty claims on defective shingles manufactured from 1998 to 2009, primarily at one plant. Let’s dig deeper.

Are GAF Shingles the Right Choice for Your Home?

This investigative look at GAF shingles is for homeowners who are considering GAF products and want to do their due diligence before making the roofing material decision.

This gives you the perspective of contractors that have installed GAF shingles for decades, home inspectors that have inspected hundreds of GAF-covered homes, and homeowners that live with GAF shingles on their roof every day.

Pros

Let’s look at the GAF shingle pros from the three perspectives mentioned: Installers, inspectors and homeowners.

Why roofing contractors like GAF shingles: There are a couple reasons that most roofers are happy to install GAF products, and some swear by them.

  • The GAF complete roofing system: When you purchase mechanical systems, an HVAC system for example, it’s important that the components such as the condensing unit, indoor coil, gas furnace and the thermostat control are designed to work together. The result is optimized performance.
Components of GAF asphalt roofing system
GAF – The Lifetime Roofing System

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Atlas vs. IKO Roofing Shingles: Cost, ROI – Definitive Guide for Homeowners

While the “battle” for contractors’ and homeowners’ attention and residential roofing marketshare between Atlas and IKO shingles doesn’t have the same heavyweight interest of GAF vs. Owens Corning, these brands are certainly not fighting over scraps.

Atlas Castlebrook architectural shingles roof. Source: Atlas Roofing

Both IKO and Atlas enjoy a moderate share of the composition shingles market, and the popularity of their steep-slope roofing products is growing every year. Currently, each brand offers 8 main shingle lines in the basic, better, and premium tiers explained in this guide.

Atlas and IKO Head-to-Head Comparison

IKO Cambridge and Atlas Pinnacle Pristine are the best sellers between the two manufacturers.

IKO asphalt shingles roof. Source IKO

However, there are plenty of other solid and compelling shingle options to consider outside of the mid-range lines, including the affordable 3-tab shingles, several high-end architectural series, and premium shingles from both brands.

Pro Tip: Talk to several contractors before you make a hiring decision. Many experienced roofing contractors install a wide range of shingles including both IKO and Atlas shingles. That’s one reason we recommend getting estimates from several different installers, so you can get expert advice and recommendations on which brand of shingles are best suited for the specific climate conditions in your area.

Did you know? IKO has a special Performance shingles category which includes IKO Dynasty and IKO Nordic shingles reinforced with ArmourZone for hail impact resistance (IR shingles) and exceptional high-wind and weather performance.

Meanwhile, Atlas also offers the enhanced-construction and impact-resistant (IR) shingles. We cover IR products from both brands in the Hail impact-resistant shingles section of the guide.

What you’ll find in this guide:

You’re here for sound advice, not a bunch of nonobjective marketing talk, and that is what we deliver.

We pick winners and losers in each category of roofing shingles. Let’s explore.

  1. Quality – Which brand makes better shingles in each tier?
  2. Costs – We list the current retail prices from major sellers – and where you can and cannot find roofing shingles from these brands.
  3. Performance and Value – IKO’s two most expensive shingle lines cost more, but are they worth the higher price? You’ll have a good idea of what you get for the money.
  4. Hail Impact Resistant Shingles – What they are, and what is and isn’t covered under the manufacturer’s warranties – Plus the best shingles from each brand for defending your roof from this weather menace
  5. Energy Efficient Shingles AKA Cool Roof Shingles from both brands.
  6. CA Title 24, LA County Green Building Code Roofing Shingles – Do any Atlas or IKO shingles meet these stringent standards?
  7. Warranty Comparison – and should you buy based on warranty? Are extended warranties worth the extra money? Do IKO and Atlas offer hail impact damage warranties?
  8. Bottom-line and Takeaways: While these are discussed throughout, we wrap up with final thoughts and conclusion to help you make the best choice.

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