As we experience more severe weather events, quality roofing materials are more necessary than ever. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety’s (IBHS) roof shingle hail impact ratings provide one way to assess products’ performance under tough wind and hail conditions. What do the top-performing shingles on the list have in common? Many use Polymer Modified Asphalt, or PMA. 

The benefits of using PMA products include: 

• More flexibility 
• Easier application in colder climates than non-modified options 
• Better granulation so that the granules don’t wash off of the roof as it ages
• Protection from UV damage 

A roof equipped with a modified shingle will better withstand extreme weather conditions, including heat, wind, and hail, than traditional shingles. And because modified shingles last longer, they have a lower full lifecycle cost than a commodity shingle. With fewer replacements, fewer shingles move to the landfill – making the modified shingle the better choice for our customers and the environment. 

The results of the IBHS survey are another testament to the innovations in the asphalt industry: transforming waste into high-value products.