Asphalt popular choice in roofing material The right choice for your roof can keep you from hitting the ceiling when you see your heating and home-repair bills. The most widely used roofing material in North America, topping four out of five homes, is versatile, sturdy and, best of all, economical. It's asphalt. Any style, any shape, any climate - asphalt can work for your roofing needs. More than 12.5 billion square feet of asphalt shingles - enough to cover more than 5 million homes - are manufactured annually. Asphalt shingles offer consumers the broadest array of colors, shapes and textures available, and can affordably match almost every type of architectural design and achieve virtually any desired effect. Some of the benefits of asphalt shingles are: + Product performance - Asphalt shingles perform well, even in extreme temperatures and in areas where wind, water and ice are common. + Affordability - Mass production and the relatively low application cost of asphalt shingles can provide consumers with an overall value that's tough for other roofing materials to match. + Durability - Asphalt shingles may be the longest-lasting roofing material you can buy for your home. + Low maintenance - Asphalt shingles require little regular upkeep and are easily repaired. + Ease of application - Asphalt shingles are considered to be the easiest of all standard roofing materials to apply. + Adaptability - The flexibility and strength of asphalt shingles supports their application on a wide variety of roof designs. + Fire and wind resistance - Asphalt shingles are manufactured to resist flames and to stay up even in heavy winds. Your roofing contractor can tell you what type of asphalt shingles are best for you. For more information on the benefits of asphalt, go to www.asphaltroofing.org.