WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association [ARMA] is featured in a new episode of The History Channel's Modern Marvels series titled "Secrets of Oil." The episode includes a segment on asphalt shingles -- one of today's marvels, which is used on approximately 80 percent of homes in the United States.  Modern Marvels looks at the ways oil is used beyond gasoline and transportation. It shows how asphalt shingles are made and the benefits they bring to rooftops.

"Asphalt shingles are the leading choice for residential roofing in the United States because they provide quality, durability, versatility and economy," said Reed Hitchcock, Executive Director, ARMA. "Asphalt is the key to the durability of asphalt shingles, allowing them to endure harsh weather conditions all year round in every climate."

For the past 150 years, asphalt has proved the most popular roofing material in North America. Today four out of five homes are roofed with asphalt shingles. More than 12.5 billion square feet of asphalt shingle products are manufactured annually, which is enough to cover more than 5 million homes.
To find out when "Modern Marvels: Secrets of Oil" will air next, visit the History Channel Web site.

For additional information concerning asphalt roofing and ARMA, visit http://www.asphaltroofing.org/.