Florida's building codes have some pretty tough standards for wind ratings and energy standards, and a lot of the standard shingles that homeowners are used to seeing just don't make the cut anymore. Insurance providers are going to take a hard look at what type of roof you have on your home and how old the roof is before they'll even give you coverage. Some insurance providers will actually refuse to insure homes that have some of these roofing materials installed on them. Homeowners who choose their shingles based only on appearance or price usually discover they've made a very expensive mistake when the first hurricane warning comes through for their area.
Let's talk about the shingle types that can handle Florida's brutal climate. Metal systems, storm-resistant asphalt and traditional tile are your main options, and all three of them perform differently for wind resistance, energy efficiency and how long they will last. Contractors across the state come back to these same materials year after year, mostly because they've seen them make it through multiple hurricane seasons without falling apart. They also meet the strict standards of Florida building codes and insurance providers.
Here are the top shingle options that Florida homeowners are going with for their homes!
Florida weather beats up roofs worse than just about anywhere else in the country. Hurricane-force winds rip through neighborhoods every year and turn any loose debris into dangerous projectiles. Metal, wood, and branches - it all turns into a hazard when the wind speeds get that high. Hurricane winds are especially destructive because they don't push down on your roof from above. The wind gets underneath your shingles and lifts them up from below, and can peel entire sections off if your roofer didn't install them correctly.
UV exposure does plenty of damage as well. Day after day, the sun beats down on roofing materials and breaks them down at a much faster rate than you'd ever see in northern climates. Coastal properties also face the salt air that corrodes metal fasteners and flashing bit by bit over the years.
Rain is another problem you'll need to deal with. Florida gets a lot more rainfall each year compared to most other states, and all that water needs to go somewhere. If your roof can't channel the water away fast enough, or if it can't stop moisture from getting beneath the shingles, leaks are eventually going to form and cause some serious damage to everything below.
Lots of roofing products that do well in places like Colorado or Ohio won't last as long down here. All this piles up fast. Shingles that might give you 20 or 30 years up north could fail in just a few years under Florida's tough conditions. The shingles you pick for your home turn out to be a much bigger decision.
Price is probably one of the first factors you'll think about when you're shopping around for a new roof, and that's understandable. Wind resistance and long-term durability need to be what matters most in this climate, though. A roof that saves you some money up front won't help you much if it falls apart during the first big storm that comes through your area. You want to find roofing materials that are tough enough to protect your home through all of the harsh weather conditions we get around here.
Metal roofing has gained plenty of popularity with Florida homeowners over the past few years, and it helps to know why. A strong metal roof can handle hurricane-force winds of 140 mph or higher (sometimes way higher).
Metal roofing usually falls into two main categories, and you'll see each type throughout the state. Standing seam is probably what most homeowners picture when they think of a metal roof - you get those vertical panels that lock together at the raised seams that run up and down. Metal shingles are the other option, and they're made to look like traditional roofing materials (asphalt or slate). They're just as tough. Coastal areas can be pretty harsh on roofing materials, and each one of these can take care of the conditions extremely well because of the protective coatings that get applied at the factory.
Aluminum and galvanized steel are the two most common materials you'll find on Florida roofs, and they each hold up really well in the climate. Each metal comes with a protective coating that resists corrosion from the salt in the air. Coastal homes can benefit from this the most. The salt exposure never stops. The coating does most of the work to hold your roof in great shape for much longer and can wind up saving you quite a bit of money over time.
Insurance providers have figured out that metal roofs hold up extremely well when severe weather and storms move through. Most providers are willing to give homeowners a discount on their annual premiums when they go with metal roofing. Over the span of 5 or 10 years, those premium discounts can pile up and can help to offset a solid portion of that higher up-front cost.
Metal roofing is going to cost you more up front than asphalt shingles and most of the other materials. Plenty of Florida homeowners are going with it. The wind resistance and the lifespan turn it into a solid investment if you're planning to stay in your home for the long haul.
Class 4 hail-resistant asphalt shingles are one of the most popular picks for Florida homeowners if you want solid storm protection, but it still needs to be affordable. Before any shingle can get that Class 4 rating, it needs to pass the UL 2218 standard test, and the test is pretty demanding. What this rating means is that these shingles can take direct hits from hail and storm debris much better than standard asphalt shingles can manage.
Storm-resistant shingles are made differently from standard shingles, and it depends on what's actually inside them. Manufacturers use a modified asphalt formula that has certain additives mixed into it, and those additives let the shingle absorb the force from impact instead of just breaking apart on contact. To make sure that these shingles hold up, manufacturers test them pretty thoroughly when they drop steel balls of different sizes onto them to measure just how much punishment they can take.
Asphalt shingles are the most popular roof choice in Florida, and most homeowners pick between the two main varieties - architectural shingles and 3-tab shingles. Architectural shingles are made with multiple layers that stack together, and they give your roof a more dimensional, textured appearance. These multi-layer shingles are also considerably thicker and heavier than their 3-tab counterparts.
Basic 3-tab shingles used to be the standard all over Florida. But architectural shingles have become the most common choice for most homeowners. Architectural shingles last quite a bit longer, and they hold up much better against the storms and the hurricanes that we see here. And they just look better on your house, too.
Clay tiles have been a fixture in Florida architecture for a few generations. You'll find them on rooftops throughout South Florida and all across the state. Most homeowners compare clay tiles to asphalt shingles when they pick a roof, and the two materials do perform quite differently from one another.
Another benefit to these tiles is how well they keep your home cooler throughout the year. The material bounces heat away from the building, and it means that your air conditioner won't need to work nearly as hard when summer temperatures start to climb. Clay and concrete tiles do this on their own, and they don't need any extra coatings or more treatments applied to them. It's just part of how the material works, and it helps a lot with your monthly energy bills.
Tile roofs are also a great choice in Florida because of how well they stand against hurricanes. Installation quality is the main factor to get the most out of your roof when the high winds come through, and each tile should be secured with clips and foam adhesive to hold everything locked in place. When the installation is done right, tile roofs will perform much better than most of the alternatives in extreme weather.
Tile roofs do have one big consideration that you should plan for ahead of time. The weight is a factor with these materials. A tile roof weighs a lot more than standard asphalt shingles, and your home's structure has to be able to support that extra load. You should get a professional out to check your roof framing and make sure everything will support it before you make a final choice on the tiles. In plenty of cases, homes are going to need some structural reinforcement first, and it's going to add to the total project cost.
Concrete tiles are pretty close to clay in terms of how they perform. But they're going to cost you a little less money. You still get that great heat reflection to keep your home cooler, and they'll last just as long as the clay tiles will. Plenty of homeowners go with concrete because it hits a nice balance - you get most of the premium benefits that the clay gives without paying clay prices, and you're stepping up quite a bit from what basic asphalt can do.
Energy codes in Florida have started to change, which shingles you can install on your roof. The state checks the solar reflectance rating and the thermal emittance value to see if your shingles meet the minimums. These two numbers tell you how well a roof bounces sunlight back up into the air instead of letting that heat get absorbed into your house.
Light-colored shingles are much better at doing this particular job. The lighter colors bounce a lot more heat away from your roof instead of just soaking it all up, which helps keep your attic cooler throughout the entire summer. Your air conditioning bills are going to go down as a result because the unit itself won't need to work nearly as hard to cool the inside of your home.
Better still, darker shingles have actually come a long way. Manufacturers apply reflective coatings to their brown and gray options, and those coatings turn the darker shingles into cool roofs just like the lighter colors do. Homeowners can pick whatever color looks best on their house and still get the same energy-saving benefits from it.
A lot of cities and counties across Florida actually run rebate programs to help support these energy-efficient upgrades. Every area has different programs that are available, so it makes sense to contact your local building department and ask which ones you might qualify for.
You'll spend less on your utility bills, and that's great on its own. But the financial benefits don't stop there. Some insurers actually view these roofs as less risky to insure, and some of them will give you a discount on your homeowner's premium because of it. It's just one more reason why it makes sense to go with the shingles that do a better job at keeping heat in (or out, depending on the season).
Insurance carriers have plenty of control over what actually ends up on your Florida roof. Wind uplift ratings are one of the main factors they care about, and these ratings tell them how well your shingles will stay put when a big storm comes through the area. Maybe you already have a material that you like or one that you've looked into for a while. The insurance company probably has other ideas, though, and they'll usually want a specific type of shingle depending on where your home is located.
Hurricane Ian forced a lot of insurance carriers to rethink what they require for roof materials. After the storm, plenty of providers raised their minimum standards across the board. Products and installation methods that would have been acceptable just a few years ago might not qualify anymore. Ian tested everything under real storm conditions and separated the materials that hold up against bad weather from the ones that can't.
Miami-Dade County has one of the strictest product approval processes you'll find anywhere in the country. When a roofing material earns that stamp of approval, the product has been through thorough testing for wind resistance and impact protection. A lot of insurance carriers across Florida look for that Miami-Dade approval on your materials, and it doesn't matter which part of the state you live in.
A better roof installation with quality materials might actually save you money on insurance premiums in the long run. Most insurance carriers will give you a discount if you go with products that they've approved, and you have documentation that shows your roof meets their higher standards. Over time, those discounts add up and help cover some of what you spent on the upgrade.
Your shingles need to be of high quality. But the installation itself can make or break how well your roof holds up over time. You could buy the best roofing materials available, and they still won't deliver the results that you paid for if the installation isn't done correctly. A certified installer knows how to apply your shingles based on what the manufacturer requires, and they'll also make sure that everything meets the building codes in your area. Those little details (like nail spacing and where each one gets placed) do matter for how long your roof will last.
Another big benefit of a certified roofer is how much easier it makes your life if you ever need to file an insurance claim. If something happens to your roof and you'll have to get coverage, you'll be happy you have documentation that proves a licensed professional handled the installation. This paperwork can help speed the process along with your insurer. Insurance carriers are a lot more willing to pay out on claims when they can see that the work was done right and meets industry standards.
Your location in Florida matters quite a bit, and so does the way your home was built and what you're planning for the property down the line. A homeowner in Miami will deal with different problems than a homeowner who lives up in Pensacola, and a historic bungalow won't have the same needs as a newly-built home. Material preference is one part of the picture - you'll also want to make sure that whatever you choose meets your local building codes and fits what your insurance company needs for your area.
A roof is a big investment, and the last outcome you want is to choose on your own and then spend months second-guessing if it was right. Roofing contractors who actually know Florida's climate and what the building codes call for around here really matter for how your project turns out. Colony Roofers works on commercial and residential properties, and we have teams that are based in Georgia, Florida and Texas. Your roof protects your property and everything inside, so it would only make sense to let experienced contractors take care of the repairs. Contact us for a free inspection, and we'll make sure your roof gets the expert care that it needs.