This invention, in embodiments, relates to a roofing material having (a) a front surface, (b) a back surface, and (c) a sealant attachment zone disposed on at least the front surface of the roofing material, the sealant attachment zone including surfacing media that comprise at least one of mineral particles, polymeric particles, and combinations thereof. The sealant attachment zone has an average surface coverage of the surfacing media of 30% to 70%. The roofing material exhibits an increased wind uplift resistance, as measured according to ASTM D6381, as compared to a roofing material without a sealant attachment zone having an average surface coverage of surfacing media of 30% to 70%.

A roofing material may include a substrate and a coating on the substrate. The coating may include a polymer blend and at least one filler. The polymer blend may include at least one hydrocarbon oil, at least one resin, at least one polymer, or any combination thereof. The at least one hydrocarbon oil, the at least one resin, the at least one polymer, or any combination thereof may be present in an amount or in amounts sufficient to result in the polymer blend or the coating having a select softening point, a select viscosity, or any combination thereof.

A multi-layer cap shingle for installation along a ridge, hip, or rake of a roof includes a forward exposure area and a rear headlap area. The multi-layer cap shingle includes at least two layers of shingle material, a top layer and a bottom layer each having opposed edges. The layers are bonded together with patches of lamination adhesive adjacent their opposed edges. The bottom layer is configured with a deformation-absorbing mechanism such as a pair of slots extending from a forward edge rearwardly inboard of the lamination adhesive patches. When the multi-layer cap shingle is bent over a roof ridge, the slots of the bottom layer of shingle material narrow in width to account for the fact that the bottom layer must bend around an arc of slightly smaller radius than the top layer of shingle material. As a result, the opposed edges of the bottom and top layers of shingle material remain aligned and both edges of the top layer are laminated to the bottom layer to increase wind lift resistance of the installed multi-layer cap shingle.

A system includes a plurality of photovoltaic modules, each having a mat with an edge and a spacer with an edge, the edge of the mat being attached to the edge of the spacer. The spacer includes a plurality of support members and a solar module mounted to the support members. Each of the support members includes a ledge. The solar module and the ledge form a space therebetween. The space is sized and shaped to receive an edge of a solar module of another of the photovoltaic modules. The spacer of one of the photovoltaic modules overlays the mat of another of the photovoltaic modules.

A fastener plate for use in coupling an underlayment to a roof surface is disclosed. In use, the fastener plate is arranged and configured to enable subsequently applied liquid coatings to flow through a top surface of the fastener plate and into one or more cavities so that the liquid coating seals any openings created by introduction of the fastener. In one embodiment, the fastener plate may include a top surface, a bottom surface, a fastener opening for receiving a fastener, a plurality of openings formed in the top surface, and one or more cavities positioned between the top surface and the bottom surface, the one or more cavities being in fluid communication with the plurality of openings so that the liquid coating can flow through the plurality of openings formed in the top surface and into the one or more cavities to seal any voids created by the fastener.

An exemplary shingle includes at least one coated shingle sheet defining a headlap portion and a tab portion each having opposed upper and lower surfaces. A first line of adhesive is adhered to one of the upper surface of the headlap portion and the lower surface of the tab portion, and includes a first thermally activated adhesive material. A second line of adhesive is adhered to one of the upper surface of the headlap portion and the lower surface of the tab portion, and includes a second thermally activated adhesive material having a minimum activation temperature less than a minimum activation temperature of the first thermally activated adhesive material.

A multi-layer cap shingle for installation along a ridge, hip, or rake of a roof includes a forward exposure area and a rear headlap area. The multi-layer cap shingle includes at least two layers of shingle material, a top layer and a bottom layer each having opposed edges. The layers are bonded together with patches of lamination adhesive adjacent their opposed edges. The bottom layer is configured with a deformation-absorbing mechanism such as a pair of slots extending from a forward edge rearwardly inboard of the lamination adhesive patches. When the multi-layer cap shingle is bent over a roof ridge, the slots of the bottom layer of shingle material narrow in width to account for the fact that the bottom layer must bend around an arc of slightly smaller radius than the top layer of shingle material. As a result, the opposed edges of the bottom and top layers of shingle material remain aligned and both edges of the top layer are laminated to the bottom layer to increase wind lift resistance of the installed multi-layer cap shingle.

A hail resistant roofing system and method includes a roofing substrate such as a shingle or tile or membrane having an array of exposed upwardly projecting features. The features may rise to sharp points and may have side surfaces that are angled relative to the plane of the roofing substrate. The features are spaced and arranged so that a large hail stone capable of damaging the roofing substrate will always impact one or more of the exposed features. This can break up the hail stone into smaller benign pieces or can redirect the energy and direction of the hail stone so that the impact is absorbed without damage to the roofing substrate.

A plurality of granules comprising ceramic particles bound together with an inorganic binder, the inorganic binder comprising reaction product of at least alkali silicate and hardener, wherein the ceramic particles are present as at least 50 percent by weight of each granule, based on the total weight of the respective granule, wherein each granule has a total porosity in a range from greater than 0 to 50 percent by volume, based on the total volume of the respective granule, and wherein the granule has a minimum Total Solar Reflectance of at least 0.7. The granules are useful, for example, as roofing granules.

A method of forming an asphalt mixture can include mixing a bio-source material and a bitumen source to form a bitumen mixture. The bitumen mixture can be mixed with a catalyst to form the asphalt mixture. Particles can be added to the asphalt mixture to form a roofing-grade asphalt mixture. In an embodiment, the bitumen source material can have a softening point of at least approximately 93° C. and a penetration distance no greater than approximately 25 dmm. In another embodiment, the roofing-grade asphalt mixture can have a softening point of at least approximately 104° C., a penetration distance no greater than approximately 12 dmm, a viscosity of at least approximately 3000 cps at a temperature of 204° C., or any combination thereof. The asphalt mixture can be applied to a base material to form a roofing product. The asphalt mixture can be applied as a pavement product.