Ice and Water Shield Comparison,
How to Compare Ice and Water Shield

by Steve Girardot on 8/20/09

Different ways to compare ice and water shield

The Reese Wholesale ice and water shield comparison chart compares all the different aspects of our different ice and water shields.

Here are the different comparisons and why they are important:

Roll length, size and actual coverage

Ice and water rolls come in many different sizes. Most roofers know ice and water shield comes in 1 sq and 2 sq rolls,but did you know a lot of ice and water shield rolls are not exactly 100 or 200 square feet? Some rolls are smaller and some are larger than 100 or 200 square feet. Make sure you know the actual length of your selected roll so you don't run out of material on the jobsite.

Thickness

Thickness is another measure people use when comparing ice and water shield. A lot of people believe thicker is better. In this case, when you want to stop ice dams, thickness doesn't mean very much. As long as the roll is at least 40 mils thick, it's okay to use. One of the most important aspects of ice and water shield is how well it sticks to your roof deck. If it doesn't stick well and lay flat, you haven't done anything to protect against ice dams!

Surface

Ice and water shield surfaces come in three main forms. The three forms of surfaces are granular, sand and film. Granular, sometimes referred to as mineral, surfaces are covered with granules that are about the same size as shingle granules. Granular surface rolls also tend to be a little heavier than rolls with a different type of surface. A sand surface has a fine layer of sand glued to the ice and water shield's face. A Matte surface, sometimes called film, poly or fabric, has no granules or sand attached to the surface. Surface selection on ice and water shield is important because some ice and water shields can become very slick when water is on their face. In most cases, granular or sand surfaces are easier to walk on when they get wet.

Split Release Backer

A split release backer is a small slit down the middle of the ice and water shield roll that allows you to take the ice and water shield backer off in two pieces. This is important because it allows for a quicker and easier installation. Almost all ice and water shields come with a split release backer.

Warranty

Most ice and water shields come with some kind of limited warranty. You can expect to find a 5 year limited warranty on most rolls.

Reinforced Ice and Water Shield

Reinforcement in ice and water shield are tiny strands of fiberglass built into the base of the material. This gives the roll a little more rigidity. Whether or not an ice and water shield is reinforced should not be a major factor in deciding on an ice and water shield.

Weight

Weight of ice and water shield is important. Like thickness, having more weight doesn't make it a better product. When your comparing weights less weight can actually be better. The lighter the roll, the easier it is the haul up a ladder and onto the roof. I would much rather carry a 32 pound 2 square roll of ice and water shield up a ladder than a 72 pound roll.

High Temp

Some rolls are called high temperature rolls. High temperature rolls are good to use when your roof deck is going to get over 150 degrees fahrenheit . If you're installing a metal roof you want to use a high temp ice and water shield. If your roof deck is plywood or OSB you probably won't need to spend the extra money to purchase a high temperature ice and water shield.

Pricing and Specs

You can find pricing and specs for all of our ice and water shield on our website. Here are the links to our ice & water shield products:

Reese Wholesale's List of Ice and Water Shield Specs

We've made a list of all of our ice and water shields so you can see all the different specs of each roll. To view our list click this link: ice and water shield comparison sheet