Shingle with melt-blown fiber backing

1. A method for making a lightweight roofing shingle comprising:

saturating a mat substrate, said mat substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;

applying a top asphalt layer to the top surface;

applying a bottom asphalt layer to the bottom surface;

applying a layer of granular material to the top asphalt layer opposite the mat after the top asphalt layer is applied to the top surface; and

applying a plurality of individual melt-blown fibers directly to the bottom asphalt layer to form a layer of melt-blown fibers on the bottom asphalt layer after the bottom asphalt layer is applied to the mat substrate wherein the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers are applied to the bottom asphalt layer when the bottom asphalt layer is in a liquid state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said applying the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers step comprises applying the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers to form the layer, wherein the layer covers the entire bottom surface of the mat substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of applying said plurality of individual melt-blown fibers to specific pre-identified zones on the bottom surface, and retaining one or more zones on the bottom surface that are left substantially free of melt-blown fibers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers are at least one of polyethylene, black polypropylene, a polyamide, polyolefin, polyester, PET, polyamide and any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer of melt-blown fibers has a thickness in a range between 0.5 and 0.8 millimeters.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers absorbs a portion of the bottom asphalt layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of heating the layer of melt-blown fibers to partially melt a portion of the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers after applying the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers directly to the bottom asphalt layer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers may melt into the bottom asphalt coating layer.

9. A method for making a lightweight roofing shingle comprising:

saturating a mat substrate, said mat substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface;

applying a top asphalt layer to the top surface;

applying a layer of granular material to the top asphalt layer opposite the mat; and

applying a plurality of individual melt-blown fibers directly to the bottom surface of the mat substrate to form a layer of melt-blown fibers on the bottom asphalt layer wherein the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers are applied to the bottom asphalt layer when the bottom asphalt layer is in a liquid state.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said applying the layer of melt-blown fibers step comprises applying the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers, wherein the layer covers the entire bottom surface of the mat substrate.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of applying the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers to specific pre-identified zones on the bottom surface, and retaining one or more zones on the bottom surface that are left substantially free of melt-blown fibers.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of individual melt-blown fibers are at least one of polyethylene, black polypropylene, a polyamide, polyolefin, polyester, PET, polyamide and any combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the layer of melt-blown fibers has a thickness in a range between 0.5 and 0.8 millimeters.