Asphalt Shingle Roofing: Architectural Shingle Installation in DuPage County
Asphalt Shingle Roof Installation by a Local Illinois Roofer
Asphalt shingles are the roof on most DuPage County homes, and they’re most of what Adept Construction installs. We install architectural asphalt shingles, with Owens Corning as our standard and other brands on request, on full tear-off replacements and new roofs across Naperville, Downers Grove and the surrounding towns. Every shingle roof is installed as a complete system, to the manufacturer’s instructions and the International Residential Code as each town adopts it: the 2021 edition in Downers Grove, the 2024 edition in Naperville.
Adept Construction, Inc. is a family-owned Illinois roofing contractor (license No. 104.011123) that has provided shingle roofing services since 1997. If you’re comparing shingle roof replacement contractors, start with our Naperville roof replacement or Downers Grove roof replacement page. If only part of the roof is damaged, see Naperville roof repair or Downers Grove roof repair.
What Is an Asphalt Shingle?
An asphalt shingle is a fiberglass mat coated with asphalt and surfaced with ceramic-coated mineral granules. The fiberglass mat gives the shingle its strength but isn’t waterproof on its own. The asphalt fills the mat and makes it waterproof, and the granules protect the asphalt from sunlight and give the shingle its color. A strip of sealant bonds each course to the one below it in warm weather, which is what holds shingles down in wind.
3-Tab, Architectural and Designer Shingles
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association groups asphalt shingles into three types (ARMA guide):
- 3-tab (strip) shingles: a single layer with three cut tabs. They’re flat-looking and the least expensive.
- Architectural (laminated or dimensional) shingles: two or more layers bonded together for a thicker, textured look. They’re now the most common type on homes and the standard on Adept Construction replacements.
- Designer (luxury) shingles: premium laminated shingles, many made to mimic slate or wood shake.
Owens Corning’s architectural line, Duration, has an engineered fabric strip in the nailing zone, which Owens Corning calls SureNail Technology.
How We Install a Shingle Roof to Illinois Code
Every shingle roof we install in Illinois goes on as a complete system, not just a layer of shingles:
- Tear-off to the deck. Every old layer comes off, so damaged decking can be seen and replaced. The code does not allow a roof-over where two or more layers already exist.
- Ice barrier at the eaves. A self-adhering ice-and-water membrane runs from the edge of the roof to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall. This is the code’s ice barrier rule for asphalt shingles, and it’s what stops ice dams from pushing water under the shingles.
- Drip edge at eaves and rakes. Overlapped at least 2 inches between pieces, with the underlayment lapped correctly over it.
- Underlayment, flashing and ventilation. Synthetic underlayment over the rest of the deck, new step and chimney flashing, pipe boots, and ridge or box vents sized to the attic.
- Shingles to the manufacturer’s nailing pattern, so the manufacturer’s warranty holds.
These requirements come from the International Residential Code, which Downers Grove enforces in its 2021 edition and Naperville in its 2024 edition. The Village of Downers Grove lists them in its re-roof requirements memo.
Impact-Resistant Shingles for DuPage County Hail
Impact-resistant shingles are rated under UL 2218. A Class 4 rating, the highest, means the shingle withstood a 2-inch steel ball dropped from 20 feet without cracking. DuPage County’s severe thunderstorm warnings come from the National Weather Service Chicago office in Romeoville, and hail bruises and cracks asphalt shingles in ways you often can’t see from the ground. After a hail replacement, many homeowners choose a Class 4 shingle for the next roof. Ask your insurer whether it offers a discount for one.
Shingle Repair, Replacement and Permits
A few damaged shingles are a small repair; our handyman roof repair service sends one technician for jobs like that. A roof with damage across several slopes, or one past about 20 to 25 years, is usually a roof replacement.
Permits: the City of Naperville does not require a permit for an asphalt shingle re-roof when the existing sheathing stays in place. The Village of Downers Grove does not require a permit to replace shingles on a house, though the work must meet code. Other DuPage towns have their own rules, and we check them for every job.
Other roofing systems we install: composite roofing, cedar shake roofing and flat roofing. For typical prices, see our architectural shingle roof cost guide, or request an exact quote.
Asphalt Shingle Roofing FAQs
An asphalt shingle roof is covered with shingles made of a fiberglass mat coated in asphalt and surfaced with mineral granules. It is the most common roof on houses in DuPage County and across the United States, because it balances cost, durability and ease of repair.
3-tab shingles are a single flat layer with three cut tabs. Architectural shingles are two or more layers laminated together, so they are thicker, heavier and have a textured, dimensional look. Architectural shingles are now the most common type installed on homes.
For most homes, yes. Architectural shingles cost somewhat more than 3-tab shingles but are thicker and heavier, give the roof a dimensional look, and are now the most common type installed. They are the standard shingle on Adept Construction roof replacements.
Adept Construction installs Owens Corning architectural shingles as its standard and installs other brands on request.
An architectural asphalt shingle roof in the Chicago suburbs typically lasts about 20 to 25 years. Ventilation, installation quality, hail and tree cover all affect the real number.
No, as long as the existing roof sheathing stays in place. The City of Naperville requires a permit if sheathing is replaced or the roof is metal, wood, slate or a sealed membrane. The work must still meet code, and the roofer must hold an Illinois roofing license.
No. The Village of Downers Grove does not require a permit to replace shingles on a house, according to its February 2026 re-roof memo, but the work must meet the 2021 International Residential Code with village amendments, including the ice barrier and drip edge rules.
A Class 4 shingle has the highest impact rating under UL 2218: it withstood a 2-inch steel ball dropped from 20 feet without cracking. Many homeowners choose Class 4 shingles after a hail replacement, and some insurers discount premiums for them.
Ice-and-water shield is a self-adhering membrane installed under the shingles along the eaves. When ice dams form, it keeps meltwater that backs up under the shingles from reaching the roof deck. The building code requires an ice barrier extending at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall in the Chicago area.
Yes. Replacing a few missing or damaged shingles is a small repair. Adept Construction’s handyman roof repair service sends one technician and matches the color as closely as the existing roof allows.