Adios asphalt? The U.S. and Canadian residential roofing industry may be on the verge of a seismic shift

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation made headlines recently by publicly stating asphalt roof shingles often do not last as long as manufacturers claim.

For years, asphalt has been the most widely used residential roofing material in the U.S. and Canada. Homeowners often turned to asphalt roofing as a cheaper, readily available commodity product that could be slapped on top of homes without much trouble or forethought. 

But in 2025, that may be changing as the reliability and inferior performance of less durable building materials have been called into question in places like Florida. After billions of dollars in damage caused by extreme weather and the increasing scarcity of affordable home insurance policies, the issue is heating up, with some local authorities suggesting that it may be time to phase out asphalt roofs completely.  

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation made headlines recently by publicly stating asphalt roof shingles often do not last as long as manufacturers claim. They point to more resilient roofing types such as quality metal, that hold up far better in Florida’s weather, with more ability to withstand high winds, impact damage and hurricane conditions.

While no one suggests a Florida ban on asphalt is in the immediate future, the Insurance Institute for Business and Safety (IBHS) also is raising questions, saying that “asphalt shingles are failing American homeowners, and their durability has not advanced.” (source: Palm Beach Post, part of USA Today’s Florida network) 

On the other side of the country, industry experts are predicting that a similar debate may soon take place in areas such as California, where the horrors of wildfire have taken a devastating toll. Proper roofing techniques and the use of ignition resistant materials such as metal roofs (which often carry a Class 4 rating for wildfire protection – the highest available) are continuing to gain favor with homeowners desperate to try and protect their home.

“Threats are increasing, home insurance premiums are increasing,” said Renee Ramey, Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) executive director. “The time for short term thinking has passed, and now it’s all about realizing what the long-term costs really are for using less resilient building materials and methods.” 

According to Renee, roofs take the majority of the burden from climate extremes – be it monster tropical storms, massive hail and thunderstorms, extreme heat and more – so it makes sense that just as climate forces are growing stronger, so too are the discussions about what may be the best solutions moving forward.

Those changes include not just homeowners looking for different and better solutions, but also a shift in the trades used to dealing in “traditional” roofing types and methods. Making the shift to train and attract more contractors and installers to help serve the growing market of homeowners looking for more resilient solutions like metal roofing is a challenge and an opportunity for organizations like the MRA. 

“Times change, needs evolve. For the next generation of residential roofing solutions, it’s only natural that the market shifts to better meet today’s challenges. This represents not only adopting a new mindset, but working to meet the rising demand,” said Renee. “No doubt it’s an opportunity for forward thinking contractors and installers who want to continue to grow their business and help customers better protect their homes.”

For complete details and more information about resilient, long-lasting residential metal roofing, the free MRA Residential Buyer’s Guide is available at https://metalroofing.com/wp-content/uploads/MRA-Buyers-Guide-v2024-05.pdf. The MRA also offers programs and opportunities for the trade looking to get into residential metal roofing at https://metalroofing.com/join-the-mra/contractors/.

About the MRA

Representing the residential metal roofing industry in the United States and Canada, the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) was formed to help educate consumers about the many benefits of metal roofing. For more information about MRA membership, residential metal roofing resources and tools, visit MRA at www.metalroofing.com.