A new roof is a costly investment with practical and aesthetic implications – the roof is your home’s most important protection against rain, snow, and nature’s elements. The roof can also significantly impact the appeal of your home in the eyes of potential buyers.
GAF Timberline HD Shingles Roof
This guide will help you make an informed decision when it comes to re-roofing, whether it’s adding a new layer of roofing to the existing roof or tearing off and replacing the old roof.
Seven Signs You Need a New Roof
Here are the indicators that your roof should be re-shingled or replaced to maintain your home’s defense against the elements:
Shingles are visibly worn: Are there so many of the colored granules gone that your roof looks like it has bald spots? While the shingles might still be keeping moisture out, a lack of reflective granules allows excess heat into your home, raising the temperature inside your house and increasing your air conditioning costs. Furthermore, once exposed, the underlying asphalt will soon dry out and crack, and then your roof will be susceptible to leaks.
Shingles are cupped and curled:
Curled-up old shingles
This issue looks bad, but more importantly, it means wind-driven water and moisture can easily get under the shingles and into your roof deck where it might cause leaks and rot.
Shingles are cracked: The cracked areas aren’t properly diverting rainwater and moisture away from the roof deck underneath, and hence the risk of leaks and eventual water damage goes way up.
Cracks or thermal splitting in asphalt shingles via Structure Tech
Your neighbors are getting new roofs: This is more than “keeping up with the Joneses.” When homes built about the same time as yours are being re-roofed, your roof is probably about due.
You’ve experienced multiple leaks: Your roof is an entire structure, not just the shingles. Deck paper/underlayment, flashing, ice and moisture barrier in valleys, starter shingles, vent stack boots and other components are part of an entire roofing system. As the roof ages and several of its components or locations fail, the roof should be replaced.
The roof has experienced major damage:
hail damaged roof shingles
If more than about 35% of the roof is going to need a repair due to wind or hail damage, then the most cost-effective decision might be to replace it altogether.
Repair is costlier on a per square foot basis because it is more time-consuming to integrate new shingles into the existing roof “here and there” than to install them over the entire roof. Plus, a mix of old shingles and new just won’t look very good.
Your roof looks bad: Cosmetics and aesthetics do matter to homeowners and potential buyers. If your roof is worn, has algae staining that won’t clean up or has patches of moss on it, boosting its appearance with a new layer of shingles will make a very nice difference.
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If none of these reasons to get a new roof apply, then you’re probably done here! If you’re not sure about your roof’s condition, hiring a home inspector or roofing contractor to inspect it can be a preventative measure before a roof failure and the extensive and expensive damage it can cause.
Asphalt shingles still dominate the US roofing industry, accounting for more than 70% of all residential, sloped roofs including new construction and replacements. That’s probably why you’re here – asphalt shingles are on the short list of materials you’re considering for your home, garage, or business.
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GAF Timberline HD Birchwood Architectural Asphalt Shingles on a Cross-Cable Roof with two dormers Source: GAF
However, not all asphalt shingle roofing products are created equal. This guide will help you:
Understand the main types of asphalt shingles
Compare top products and brands from most popular manufacturers
Ultimately choose the best asphalt shingle type and style for your home
What are Asphalt Shingles?
There are many reasons for the popularity of asphalt shingles, and we’ll cover them in the pros and cons section, but the main reasons are low cost and ease of installation – the combination of low cost and fairly decent durability and longevity aka the value for the money.
Note: If you come across a discussion of organic shingles in your research, the information is likely quite old or encyclopedic. Organic shingles didn’t perform up to the expectations of quality and performance, so most manufacturers stopped making them in 2008.
Did you know? The longevity of any asphalt shingle product is determined by the shingle thickness and quality of construction. More on that below:
Composition of a modern asphalt shingle:
Fiberglass mat: The core of today’s durable asphalt shingles is fiberglass mat. This material is chosen because it is lightweight, resists tearing, and holds asphalt very well.
Asphalt: The fiberglass mat is run through a saturator tank where the glass fibers are thoroughly coated with hot asphalt, a petroleum-based material used for its strong resistance to moisture. The weight and toughness of the asphalt is useful for wind and hail impact resistance.
Mineral granules: The part of the asphalt shingle that will be exposed to the elements is coated with mineral granules that are available in a wide range of colors.
— Shingles can be given a single color to produce a solid-color shingle or a blend of colored granules for a more nuanced look.
— The ceramic-coated granules also reflect the UV rays of the sun – the single worst threat to shingles.
Sealant strips: Continuous or intermittent lines of raw asphalt are applied to the top part of each shingle that will be covered by the next layer installed. The sealant strip bonds the shingles together once they heat up in sun and warmth.
Did you know? The sunnier a climate is, the shorter the lifespan of the average shingle will be. One of the ways to extend the lifespan of an asphalt roof in a sunny climate such as Florida, Arizona, Texas, is to opt for a solar-reflective, light colored shingles designed to reflect solar radiant heat and UV radiation.
Andersen and Pella, Pella, and Andersen. The two window giants are compared more often than any other two brands, and for a good reason; each company offers an impressive selection of windows ranging from affordable to luxurious, available in multiple materials and all window styles and sizes.
This buying guide is your comprehensive source for window prices for both brands, plus their complete window series and styles information. We start with what’s on every homeowner’s mind:
How much do Pella windows cost?
How much do Andersen windows cost?
This table lists the window series, materials, and pricing details for all Pella and Andersen windows, making it easy to compare new window costs between these top two brands:
Pella Windows
Series
Material
Types
Cost
Architect Series 850
Wood
S, D, C, A
$850-$1,550
Architect Series Reserve
Wood
D, C, A
$1,000-$1,850
Lifestyle (previously Designer 750) Series
Wood
D, C, A
$750-$1,250
450 Series/ProLine (discontinued)
Wood
D, C, A
$300-$550
Impervia
Fiberglass
S, D, C, A, G
$350-$750
350 Series
Vinyl
S, D, C, A, G
$250-$475
250 Series
Vinyl
S, D, C, A, G
$195-$395
Encompass by Pella
Vinyl
S, D, C, A, G
$145-$295
Andersen Windows
Series
Material
Types
Cost
Architectural Collection E-Series
Wood
D, C, A
$950-$1,525
Architectural Collection A-Series
Wood/Fibrex
D, C, A
$1,000-$1,750
400 Series
Wood
D, C, A, G
$475-$950
200 Series
Wood
D, G
$395-$750
100 Series
Fibrex
S, C, A, G
$195-$395
Renewal by Andersen aka RBA
Fibrex
D, C, A, G
$985-$1,850
Notes:
Cost: The Cost column reflects windows of average size and most common features chosen by homeowners. Specific window costs will range slightly lower or higher based on the feature package chosen such as window size, glazing/glass package, extras like exterior cladding, custom grilles, built-in blinds or shades.
Types Code: S=single-hung; D=double-hung; C=casement; A=awning; G=gliding or sliding. Most window series also offer picture/fixed windows and bay/bow window assemblies.
Did you know? New construction windows are different from replacement windows.
All Pella series and all Andersen series except for Renewal series can be used for new construction or as replacement windows. — If they are new construction windows, the frames are manufactured with a nailing fin used to secure the windows to the home’s exterior sheathing.
Replacement windows are secured to the window opening through the side jamb, so the exterior siding doesn’t need to be disrupted.
If you’re doing a complete exterior makeover including siding replacement, then either type can be used.
Installation Costs
Window installation costs below apply to both professional (warrantied) labor and any supplies required for all window types, double-hung, casement, fixed, etc.
New window installation cost: $150-$300 per window
Basic Vinyl or Fiberglass Replacement window installation cost: $195-$350 per window
Wood-frame Replacement window installation cost: $350-$700 per window (more labor to replace wood windows)
Bay/Bow window installation cost: $300-$650 per window assembly
Window installations do cost less for new construction projects for two reasons:
There are no old windows to remove first and windows quickly nail to the exterior sheathing on the home.
Installing replacement windows in older homes can take significantly longer if the window openings have shifted or warped or if they need repair. — These delays will increase installation cost.
Cost-to-Value Return at Resale
National home remodeling and sales data show that window replacement return on investment (value recouped at resale) ranges from about 73% for upscale windows such as Pella Lifestyle (previously Designer 750) series and higher, Andersen 400 Series and higher, plus Renewal by Andersen, and up to 80% cost-to-value return for more affordable Pella and Andersen window lines.
For example, if you spend $10,000 on new windows, the potential sale price of your home in the first 10 years will be $7,300 to $8,000 higher.
The cost-to-value return speaks to the value recouped at the time of selling your home. It does not take into account the commutative value of energy savings and/or other benefits such as the enjoyment homeowners derived from the windows upgrade.
New windows can help a home sell faster, especially when the listing price is near the upper end of a potential buyer’s target price range. The buyer will have the assurance that replacing windows won’t be an expense they will need to worry about for the next 15-25 years.
Pro Tip: If you plan to sell your home in the next few years, replacing the windows isn’t a cost-effective choice unless they are in such poor condition, they’ll turn off buyers.
A better approach is to give potential buyers an allowance sufficient to cover the mid-grade new windows like Pella 350 high-end vinyl/Impervia Fiberglass or Andersen 200/400 Series. — This would cover their costs. The buyers could also use the money toward a premium window series, allowing the buyers to choose the kind of windows they like the best for the price.
Andersen Vs. Pella Window Comparison
Pella makes a broader overall range of window series in different materials compared to Andersen. You can view and buy Andersen windows at Home Depot, while Pella windows can be viewed and purchased at Lowe’s.
Andersen makes four solid wood series and one affordable Fibrex composite series. Pella makes three solid wood series, and one fiberglass Impervia Series windows that compare with the Andersen’s most affordable 100 Series windows made of Fibrex, though at a much higher cost for Pella Impervia. This comparison would be based on the window frame materials only (fiberglass vs. Fibrex) and not a fair series-to-series (Impervia is a mid-tier fiberglass window series line from Pella) comparison.
Andersen 100-Series Windows
Did you know? The primary difference between Pella and Andersen is that Pella also makes three vinyl window lines, and one fiberglass-frame window. Pella Impervia, the fiberglass window series sits right in between the wood and vinyl product lines based on Pella’s pricing tiers.
Andersen, on the other hand, offers windows made from their proprietary composite material called Fibrex, which is made from 40% reclaimed wood fibers by weight (from the production of Andersen wood windows) combined with 60% thermoplastic polymer (PVC vinyl) by weight.
Note: Andersen also has a completely separate line of high-end Fibrex windows called Renewals by Andersen, which is a whole separate business unit/division within Andersen. RBA windows are made for replacement only and are sold through the in-home sales presentations by independent RBA dealers. We cover the Renewals by Andersen offering, right below the main lineup of Andersen windows.
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