Share this Basic Roofing Guide for Homeowners with Your Customers 

This roofing guide shows homeowners what to consider when shopping for their next roof.

By Alex Elshaw, 3M.

There’s no doubt replacing your roof is an effective way to increase the value of your home, but doing so is a considerable investment in time and money. As a homeowner, choosing quality and beautiful shingles is an important and sometimes stressful decision. At 3M, we manufacture quality granules used in Atlas shingles that a homeowner can trust to get the job done. 3M quality granules are dense, non-porous, UV ray resistant and tough enough to stand up under handling. With a proprietary ceramic color coating and surface treatment, 3M granules reduce color variability of the shingle and resist asphaltic staining from bundles in storage. Ultimately, the granules not only contribute to the visual beauty of a roof, but also provide a protective shield for all the shingle elements below it that work together to protect your roof and home.

Finding a Contractor

Finding a contractor you can trust can be overwhelming, but there are steps you can take to make it less stressful:

• Get recommendations - Ask friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers for referrals.
• Look at credentials – Visit a possible contractor’s website and/or give them a call to ask about their work and talk about your own project.
• Check references – Investigate reviews of past work on sites such as Yelp and Angie's list or call past customers if possible.
• Make sure the contractor is licensed to work in your area, bonded, and insured.
• Ask what work will be done by the contractor’s employees and what work (if any) will be done by subcontractors.
• Look at work samples – This will give you an idea of a contractor's handiwork.
• Meet face to face with a few contractors and get detailed quotes.
• Consider choosing a contractor who has completed the Scotchgard™ Protector Sales Training Program.

Trust your gut! 3M created the Scotchgard™ Protector Sales Training Program to help contractors understand the science behind shingles featuring Scotchgard™ Protector and how they can help prevent black streaks. Black streaks on roofs often get mistaken as dirt by homeowners. The truth? These black streaks are actually caused by algae growth. With the assistance of a trained professional, you don’t have to live with an ugly roof that hurts your home’s curb appeal.

Choosing the Right Roof After finding a contractor, it's time to choose the right roof for your home's needs; and not all shingles are the same. Pay attention to who manufactures the shingles your contractor presents. Are they presenting a brand you trust? What kind of warranty is offered on the shingles, does it prorate and when, and can it transfer to a new owner? What performance and aesthetic features are you looking for? Look around your neighborhood to see what type of roof failures are common. Do some homes have black streaks? In general, all roofs are susceptible to black streaks caused by algae. Select Atlas shingles featuring Scotchgard™ Protector help keep your roof looking like new.

Selecting Your Shingle Style and Color There are many different shingle styles and colors, meaning you can find the right roof for you. Shingle styles include 3-tab, architectural and slate-look. For a traditional look on a budget, three-tab shingles are the way to go. Architectural shingles are thicker and provide a more dimensional look, while asphalt slate shingles combine the sleek look of slate with asphalt strength to provide an elegant looking roof. There are dozens of different colors and color blends to choose from as well. Colors range from white to black to color blends that match wood, tile, slate and more. Want to learn more about how to pick the right shingle? Look at this post for more information.

At 3M, we provide our manufacturing partners with high-quality granules for a roof that you can be proud of. We hope you’re excited about your upcoming roofing project and remember that when you choose Atlas shingles that feature Scotchgard™ Protector, you can be confident you are getting a quality roof that will look beautiful for many years to come. Start here to start your shingle selection process.

Learn more about 3M granules here.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared on The Asphalt Life and can be viewed here.