Are you looking for a rubberized shingle that will best protect your Seattle home, but can’t decide between Owens Corning and CertainTeed? Are you worried about spending more money just to pick a shingle that can’t protect your home from Seattle rain?
When it comes to picking the right asphalt shingle for your home, it’s easy to become confused and overwhelmed because there are so many options, and all of them are fairly similar. This leaves you wondering what the differences are.
At RoofSmart, we match hundreds of customers every year with their perfect roof using our SmartMatch Needs Analysis to find a roof based on their needs, preferences, and budget. During this process, we educate our customers on the pros and cons of each roof type and discuss how their roof options compare.
This article will compare the following shingles: Owens Corning Duration Flex, CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex, and CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex.
These rubberized shingles were chosen for this article because they’re made by three top brands in the Seattle market.
We offer all of these brands, as do most other local roofers in the area. So, I want to make sure you can understand and easily compare all of your options. The reason we’re not comparing these shingles to GAF’s rubberized shingle option is that it’s not available in this area. So, adding it to the comparison isn’t useful for Seattle homeowners.
In this article, you’ll be able to compare the rubberized shingles to see how they measure up in these categories:
- Aesthetics
- Longevity and Durability
- Wind Protection
- Impact resistance
- Warranty Protection
Each category will have a winner, showing you which shingle brand performs best in that specific category.
By the end, you’ll be able to decide which rubberized shingle best aligns with your roof’s needs and preferences.
Want professional help deciding which shingle is right for you? Contact us today and schedule an inspection to get personalized roofing material recommendations from one of our roofing specialists.
How do I choose between Owens Corning and CertainTeed rubberized shingles for my Seattle home?
Each manufacturer has their own version of the rubberized architectural shingle, but what’s the difference between them? A big part of the reason that it can be so difficult to choose which shingle brand you want is that you don’t know how they compare to each other.
This article will help you make your decision with confidence by comparing the rubberized shingles made by Owens Corning and the two styles by CertainTeed based on different categories.
1.) Aesthetics
Winner- CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex
CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex wins because it has 12 different color options, giving you the most variety. Owens Corning Duration Flex has 9 color options and CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex only has 6.
Here is how each shingle looks in a similar shade of brown:
Owens Corning Duration Flex in Teak
CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex in Heather Blend
CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex in Max DEF Heather Blend
2.) Longevity and Durability
Winner- CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex
Between the three shingle options, the one that weighs the most will last the longest because it takes more time to wear down.
CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex is the winner in this category because it is heavier than the other two shingle options. It weighs about 270 pounds per square. This is the weight of a typical 50-year shingle.
CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex and Owens Corning Duration Max weigh much less. The Duration Max weighs around 200 pounds per square and Landmark ClimateFlex weighs around 229 pounds per square. This is the weight of a typical 30-year shingle.
CertainTeed does publish some information on the weight of their shingles, but Owens Corning does not. So, to keep things transparent, we’re using AI overviews for this section.
3.) Wind Protection
Winner- Owens Corning Duration Flex
Owens Corning Duration Flex shingles have a baseline 15-year warranty for 130 mph winds, but the Certainteed Landmark and Northgate ClimateFlex shingles have a baseline 110 mph coverage for 15 years (you can upgrade to 130 if you meet the right requirements).
4.) Impact Resistance
Tie- All 3 shingle options
The Owens Corning Duration Flex, CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex, and CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex all have a Class 4 rating for impact resistance.
These ratings come from the UL 2218 impact test, which is used to determine how well a shingle can withstand impact from debris. A steel ball is launched at the shingle, and it passes the test if there are no cracks.
The highest rating is a Class 4. The other options are Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3. The class rating for the shingle changes based on the size of the steel ball used during the test. For example, a Class 4 rated shingle withstood impact from the largest steel ball option (2 inches in diameter).
5.) Warranty Protection
Winner- Owens Corning Duration Flex
Both Owens Corning and CertainTeed have solid warranties, but the Owens Corning warranty stands out for having lifetime coverage for workmanship issues at the Platinum level. CertainTeed’s workmanship coverage maxes out after 25 years.
Other than workmanship coverage, the warranty coverage is pretty similar for both manufacturers.
Here’s a comparison table showing you the coverage you get from both the lowest and highest level warranties offered by Owens Corning and Certainteed:
| Manufacturer | Standard Warranty | Premium Warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Owens Corning | Standard Product Limited Warranty- Lifetime material coverage- 10-year TRU PROtection® (materials & labor fully covered)- 10-year algae resistance- Wind resistance up to 130 mph (with proper installation)- No workmanship coverage- No contractor certification required | Platinum Protection Limited Warranty- Lifetime material coverage; 50 years full coverage (materials, labor, tear-off, disposal)- 25-year workmanship coverage (prorated afterward)- 10-year algae resistance- Wind resistance up to 130 mph- Requires Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor- Requires 4+ Owens Corning system components |
| CertainTeed | Limited Lifetime Warranty- Lifetime material coverage- 10-year SureStart™ (materials & labor fully covered)- 10-year algae resistance- Wind resistance up to 110 mph (upgradeable to 130 mph)- No workmanship coverage- No contractor certification required | SureStart™ PLUS 5-Star Warranty- Lifetime material coverage; 50 years full coverage (materials, labor, tear-off, disposal)- 25-year workmanship coverage- 10-year algae resistance- Wind resistance up to 130 mph- Requires SELECT ShingleMaster™ Contractor- Requires full Integrity Roof System components |
How much do rubberized asphalt shingles cost?
Installing rubberized asphalt shingles costs about 10% more than regular asphalt shingles. For example, with regular shingles, a roof replacement costs around $30,000. So, a roof replacement on an average roof using rubberized shingles would cost around $33,000.
However, the heavier the shingle, typically the more it will cost. The CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex weighs more than the CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex and the Owens Corning Duration Flex.
However, even though it weighs less, the Owens Corning Duration Flex costs the same as the CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex shingles.
Installed, the CertainTeed Landmark ClimateFlex shingle only costs about 4% more than a standard asphalt shingle. So, it’s not a big difference in price for the added durability and longevity rubberized shingles give you.
How do I know which rubberized asphalt shingle to choose?
Rubberized asphalt shingles are a good upgrade from regular asphalt shingles because they have better durability, impact resistance, and last longer.
To figure out which shingles work best for you, make sure that you choose the shingle that best matches your priorities. See which shingle is the winner in the comparison categories that are most important to you.
For example, If you’re worried about a windstorm blowing your shingles off during Seattle’s stormy season, choose the Owens Corning Duration Flex for its superior wind warranty.
Or, if you want a shingle that will last a long time before it needs to be replaced, choose the heavier CertainTeed Northgate ClimateFlex because it’s the thickest option.
Is a rubberized shingle right for my roof?
But the shingle itself is not the only thing you should focus on. An incredibly important factor to consider is who you choose to install your shingles. We recommend that you also prioritize choosing which contractor you feel you can trust the most.
Both of these manufacturers (Owens Corning and CertainTeed) have contractors that they’ve certified as qualified, reputable contractors who will do a good job installing any shingle. If your priority is getting a great quality roof AND a great quality shingle, then these certified contractors are worth looking into.
On each company’s website, you can find a list of their certified contractors. You can search by the area you live in to find a certified contractor near you. Use these links to get started:
Want to make the evaluation process easier? Download our Qualified Roofer Checklist to use as a guide for asking your roofer all of the right questions before you sign a contract.
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