considering a tile roof? get the facts before you...

Quality You Can Trust Since 1886...From North America’s Largest Roofing Manufacturer ™

Quality You Can Trust Since 1886...From North America’s Largest Roofing Manufacturer ™

Considering A Tile Roof?Get The Facts Before

You Buy...

Information SheetUpdated: 1/07

Considering A Tile Roof?Get The FactsBeforeYou Buy...


CONSUMER REFERENCE

SERIES

FeatureBenefit To You...AsphaltShingles

Clay Tile

Concrete Tile

Wide range of colors and styles

Easier to coordinate with yourother exterior colors✔✔✔

Natural look

Emulates the look of naturalmaterials,such as wood,stone,or slate✔✔✔

AffordableA prestigious look that can increasethe value of your home(for as littleas half the cost!)✔

Easy to maintainand repair

Won’t crack when walked on,easy to replace if damaged✔

Easy to install

Less mess and hassle,fasterinstallation,lower installation cost ✔

Consistent quality

More consistent overallappearance,less maintenanceneeded✔

No efflorescence (anugly white staining)*

Roof will look beautiful longer,avoids permanent staining✔

Algae protectionavailable**

Helps protect against the growthof ugly blue-green algae✔

No structuralreinforcementsrequired

Less hassle for you,fasterinstallation,lower cost✔

Lightweight butstrong & flexible

Safer,less cracking/damage inhurricanes or earthquakes✔

Resists damagefrom pests

Less chance of damage fromtermites,carpenter ants,squirrels,wasps,birds✔

*Hanson Roof Tile (a major tile manufacturer) states “Property owners,builders,etc. must be advised of the potentialproblem of efflorescence.”(Technical Bulletin No. 114)

**Monier Lifetile (a major tile manufacturer) confirms on its web site (www.monierlifetile.com) that “...there is no knownmanufacturing procedure or job site coating that would have any long-term preventative effect on this condition [i.e.,algaegrowth].”Monier recommends that you hire a professional cleaner!

Quick Comparison: Tile vs. Premium Asphalt Shingles

The Weather Stopper®

Integrated RoofingSystem

™(which includes GAF Materials

Corp. shingles) has earned the prestigiousGood Housekeeping Seal, which means thatGood Housekeeping stands behind theproducts in this system.

Quality You Can TrustSince 1886...from North America’sLargest RoofingManufacturer


Visit www.gaf.com Visit www.gaf.com©2007 GAF Materials Corporation 1/07

RESGN219

Shingle Shown:Camelot

™

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

™

Premium Designer Asphalt Shingles:Styles & Colors To Suit Every Taste!Your roof can represent up to 40% or moreof the “curb appeal”of your home. Today’sasphalt shingles offer homeowners dozens ofstyles and hundreds of colors, and are theeasiest, most cost effective way to upgrade

the appearance of your home.

Tiles Are Not Waterproof(it’s the underlayment thatwaterproofs your home)

You probably didn’t know: cementor clay roof tiles do notprovide themain waterproofing for your home.That’s right, in a tile roofing system,it’s the underlaymentthat does theprimary waterproofing, not thetiles.

1The tiles are there mainly as

a decorative element. (In an asphaltshingle roof, the shinglesprovide theprimary waterproofing—theunderlayment is there as an extralayer of protection.)

Why is that important? • If the underlayment in your

tile roof fails, you will likelyexperience leaks and damageto your home and property

• Incredibly, most tile roofs use onlyone or two layers of thin tar paperas the underlayment!

2

• Tile roofers know that this tarpaper may need to be replaced inas little as 15 years—which means

the tiles would need to be removedand reinstalled well before theiradvertised life span. Do you reallywant to deal with that aggravation?

Did You Know: Tiles AreBrittle—And Can Crack

Most homeowners think that,once their roof is installed, theywon’t have to worry about it againuntil it needs to be replaced. Butremember, there are many timeswhen you or a qualified repairperson might need to climbonto your roof:

• Installing/repairing cable TV• Trimming trees or branches• Repairing siding or skylights• Eliminating insects/pests• Cleaning gutters or windows• Installing holiday decorations

Tiles are relatively brittle and aremolded into shapes that lendthemselves to cracking whenwalked on.

3Even worse, tiles

harden with age, becoming evenmore brittle. That doesn’t happenwith asphalt shingles which aremore flexible and lay flat to “hug”your roof.

If You Live Where ThereAre Hurricanes Or

Earthquakes, BewareBecause they are brittle, tilesare vulnerable to breakage fromwindborne debris. During ahurricane or even high winds:

• Tile can break and act like aprojectile, causing further damageto people or property (or to othertile roofs)

• Tiles can slip out or blow offentirely due to poor fastening andcracked mortar

4

• It is not uncommon for broken tilepieces to break windows

Tile can weigh up to 400% more thanasphalt shingles. On a typical home,that’s like parking six SUV’s on yourroof! During an earthquake, tiles canbecome dislodged,so just hope you’renot there to break their fall!

In fact, the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) saysthat these problems can be so severe,that they do not recommend tile forcritical or essential buildings inhurricane-prone areas.

5Isn’t your

home “essential”?

A Tile Roof Will Cost YouMoney... BIGMoney

If you haven’t checked prices yet,you’re in for a shock. • Due to the excessive weight of the

tile, special framing may beneeded to install it on your home

• New framing can be a majorexpense, requiring engineeringdrawings and building inspection.

• The tile itself requires specialinstallation that is particularlylabor-intensive

All this adds up to a veryexpensiveroof—up to 50% more than theinstalled cost of a premium designerasphalt roof.

6

Homeowners Know BestGiven all of the drawbacks of tileroofing (and the advantages ofasphalt shingles), it’s little wonderthat asphalt shingles dominate theroofing market.

Since 2000, asphalt shingles havegrown from 76% of the market to85%—while tile has fallen from 5%to just 3%.

7

Clearly, as savvy consumers havebecome more knowledgeable aboutthe risks associated with tile roofing,they have turned to asphalt shinglesas the best and safest choice forprotecting their biggest investment—their homes.

1,2Source:National Park Service,Preservation Briefs,#30

3Source:www.fixaroof.com

4Source:Tile Roofing Institute

5Source:FEMA,Technical Fact Sheet No. 21

6Source:www.bobvila.com

7Source:F.W. Dodge,2006 Economic Forecast

“Tile Roofs Can BeAttractive...But WillThey AdequatelyProtect Your Home?’’

80%

60%

40%

20%

0

2000

76%85%

5%3%

2004

AsphaltShingles

Asphalt shingles continue togrow—while tile declines

TileAsphaltShinglesTile

Tar paper provides great “backup” protectionunder asphalt shingles—

but do you really want it as the mainwaterproofing layer for your tile roof?

Clearly, consumers have spoken—and their choice is asphalt shingles

A typical tile roof installation. Most use a thinlayer of “tar paper”as the underlayment that

protects your home against leakage.

Tar paper



CONSUMER REFERENCE

SERIES


Clay Tile

Concrete Tile



Natural look





Easy to install


Consistent quality






















RESGN219


™

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

™



Tiles Are Not Waterproof(it’s the underlayment thatwaterproofs your home)

You probably didn’t know: cementor clay roof tiles do notprovide themain waterproofing for your home.That’s right, in a tile roofing system,it’s the underlaymentthat does theprimary waterproofing, not thetiles.

1The tiles are there mainly as

a decorative element. (In an asphaltshingle roof, the shinglesprovide theprimary waterproofing—theunderlayment is there as an extralayer of protection.)

Why is that important? • If the underlayment in your

tile roof fails, you will likelyexperience leaks and damageto your home and property

• Incredibly, most tile roofs use onlyone or two layers of thin tar paperas the underlayment!

2

• Tile roofers know that this tarpaper may need to be replaced inas little as 15 years—which means

the tiles would need to be removedand reinstalled well before theiradvertised life span. Do you reallywant to deal with that aggravation?

Did You Know: Tiles AreBrittle—And Can Crack

Most homeowners think that,once their roof is installed, theywon’t have to worry about it againuntil it needs to be replaced. Butremember, there are many timeswhen you or a qualified repairperson might need to climbonto your roof:

• Installing/repairing cable TV• Trimming trees or branches• Repairing siding or skylights• Eliminating insects/pests• Cleaning gutters or windows• Installing holiday decorations

Tiles are relatively brittle and aremolded into shapes that lendthemselves to cracking whenwalked on.

3Even worse, tiles

harden with age, becoming evenmore brittle. That doesn’t happenwith asphalt shingles which aremore flexible and lay flat to “hug”your roof.

If You Live Where ThereAre Hurricanes Or

Earthquakes, BewareBecause they are brittle, tilesare vulnerable to breakage fromwindborne debris. During ahurricane or even high winds:

• Tile can break and act like aprojectile, causing further damageto people or property (or to othertile roofs)

• Tiles can slip out or blow offentirely due to poor fastening andcracked mortar

4

• It is not uncommon for broken tilepieces to break windows

Tile can weigh up to 400% more thanasphalt shingles. On a typical home,that’s like parking six SUV’s on yourroof! During an earthquake, tiles canbecome dislodged,so just hope you’renot there to break their fall!

In fact, the Federal EmergencyManagement Agency (FEMA) saysthat these problems can be so severe,that they do not recommend tile forcritical or essential buildings inhurricane-prone areas.

5Isn’t your

home “essential”?

A Tile Roof Will Cost YouMoney... BIGMoney

If you haven’t checked prices yet,you’re in for a shock. • Due to the excessive weight of the

tile, special framing may beneeded to install it on your home

• New framing can be a majorexpense, requiring engineeringdrawings and building inspection.

• The tile itself requires specialinstallation that is particularlylabor-intensive

All this adds up to a veryexpensiveroof—up to 50% more than theinstalled cost of a premium designerasphalt roof.

6

Homeowners Know BestGiven all of the drawbacks of tileroofing (and the advantages ofasphalt shingles), it’s little wonderthat asphalt shingles dominate theroofing market.

Since 2000, asphalt shingles havegrown from 76% of the market to85%—while tile has fallen from 5%to just 3%.

7

Clearly, as savvy consumers havebecome more knowledgeable aboutthe risks associated with tile roofing,they have turned to asphalt shinglesas the best and safest choice forprotecting their biggest investment—their homes.

1,2Source:National Park Service,Preservation Briefs,#30

3Source:www.fixaroof.com

4Source:Tile Roofing Institute

5Source:FEMA,Technical Fact Sheet No. 21

6Source:www.bobvila.com

7Source:F.W. Dodge,2006 Economic Forecast

“Tile Roofs Can BeAttractive...But WillThey AdequatelyProtect Your Home?’’

80%

60%

40%

20%

0

2000

76%85%

5%3%

2004

AsphaltShingles

Asphalt shingles continue togrow—while tile declines

TileAsphaltShinglesTile

Tar paper provides great “backup” protectionunder asphalt shingles—

but do you really want it as the mainwaterproofing layer for your tile roof?

Clearly, consumers have spoken—and their choice is asphalt shingles

A typical tile roof installation. Most use a thinlayer of “tar paper”as the underlayment that

protects your home against leakage.

Tar paper



CONSUMER REFERENCE

SERIES


Clay Tile

Concrete Tile



Natural look





Easy to install


Consistent quality






















RESGN219


™

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

SHINGLES

™



considering a tile roof? get the facts before you...

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