Asphalt shingles have varying qualities which help them survive wind, hail, or fire damage and discoloration.

1.Solar reflecting:shingles help reduce air conditioning costs in hot climates by being a better reflective surface.

2.Wind damage:Asphalt shingles come in varying resistance

3.Hail damage:Hail storms can damage asphalt shingles. For impact resistance UL 2218 Class 4 is best. This increases survivability from hail storms but the shingles become more susceptible to hail damage with age.

4.Fire resistance:Forest fires and other exterior fires risk roofs catching on fire. Fiberglass shingles have a better, class A, flame spread rating based on UL 790, and ASTM E 108 testing. Organic shingles have a class C rating.

5.Durability:Shingle durability is ranked by warranted life, ranging from 20 years to lifetime warranties are available. However a stated warranty is not a guarantee of durability. A shingle manufacturer's warrantie may pro-rate repair costs, cover materials only, have different warranty periods for different types of damage, and transfer to another owner.