It’s coming, so we need to put you on the same page when it comes to the windy weather that is inevitable. This article will explain wind warranties, call volumes and shingle selection to avoid future repairs. I’ve highlighted the topics because it is a lengthy read.
WIND WARRANTIES – WHAT YOU ARE COVERED FOR
First of all, you need to understand that a properly installed shingle has a wind rating that is determined by manufacturer testing. This means that if installed correctly, a 25-year shingle is good until about 96kph. A lifetime, architectural shingle should hold up to winds of 210kph. According to the weather network, there will be an event Sunday/Monday in which the winds will be exceeding 100kph.
IF YOU ARE SEEING LIFETIME SHINGLES BLOW OFF, call the company who installed it. Workmanship warranties are generally 10 years in this industry.
If you are having 25-year shingles blow off, you will not be covered under any warranty. Again, the manufacturer guarantees, with proper workmanship, that these shingles will withstand up to no more than 96kph winds.
We find the product we use, CertainTeed, has an amazing seal on every 3-tab (or 25yr) shingle that glues the tabs down, thus keeping them from flapping, and subsequently tearing off in the event of strong winds.
SEVERITY, CALL VOLUMES AND YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING SERVICE
Last year, we had two major events where winds exceeded 120kph and insurance companies were calling roofers from Western parts of Canada to come here and help repair some of the damage. THAT IS HOW BUSY EVERY COMPANY WAS. We did listen to many complaints of how calls were not being answered. Please understand that the vast majority of roofing businesses are not large conglomerates having call centers or telephone customer service staff of 20 or more people. Our company alone exceeded 1000 calls within the first three days, and then we stopped counting. We literally set higher minimums to reduce the number of calls we received. It might sound crazy, but some jobs were going to be priced that much or more, depending on the degree of damage. Entire roof sides were torn off. We worked around the clock, sun up until sun down. Get home, answer more calls and emails until dropping from exhaustion and sleeping at our desks. At some point we started recommending to some people that they flag any roofer down (in hindsight, probably not a great idea; there were con-artists scavenging neighborhoods). I will leave tips at the end of this article to avoid the scammers.
MOVING FORWARD AND BUYING THE RIGHT SHINGLE
You can read this paragraph if you intend on getting your roof done in the near future, or you can skip to the tips at the end. In terms of the current trend with shingles, 3-tab, traditional, or 25-year shingles (they are all the same thing) is currently being squeezed out as suppliers are making more shelf room for the lifetime (50-year) shingles. When we drop off sample boards, we warn that some colors are discontinued in the 25-year line. Some people say What about metal? Well, what about it? They cover up to 220kph winds vs 210kph 50yr shingles and cost about 3 to 4 times as much. They look odd in a neighborhood that has all shingled houses, BUT THAT’S JUST MY OPINION. You might like standing out, like some commercial or differently purposed building. I don’t like it, but that’s my preference. Some of them are really very creative and beautiful, but… again, the whole neighborhood would have to have it.
TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID A SCAM
First and foremost, if you are shopping for an entire roof, just go with a reputable company that will give you all the facts so you know what you are getting. The best price is really not something you should play with when it comes to your roof. That being said, let’s move on to the things you should consider for the next wind storm:
There’s a lot of info here, but my intention is to disseminate the information because I find there aren’t enough representatives in the industry that are as social media savvy or customer-relations savvy. If I could go on about this industry, I could probably write a book on it but the bottom line is that people want to save on something so important and it makes the scavengers come out. They come out also because there are virtually no standards (no certifications, no trade schools), making it even easier to be a con-artist and it makes this industry pure f**kery, plain and simple! Here are the FACTS. YOU decide.
WIND WARRANTIES – WHAT YOU ARE COVERED FOR
First of all, you need to understand that a properly installed shingle has a wind rating that is determined by manufacturer testing. This means that if installed correctly, a 25-year shingle is good until about 96kph. A lifetime, architectural shingle should hold up to winds of 210kph. According to the weather network, there will be an event Sunday/Monday in which the winds will be exceeding 100kph.
IF YOU ARE SEEING LIFETIME SHINGLES BLOW OFF, call the company who installed it. Workmanship warranties are generally 10 years in this industry.
If you are having 25-year shingles blow off, you will not be covered under any warranty. Again, the manufacturer guarantees, with proper workmanship, that these shingles will withstand up to no more than 96kph winds.
We find the product we use, CertainTeed, has an amazing seal on every 3-tab (or 25yr) shingle that glues the tabs down, thus keeping them from flapping, and subsequently tearing off in the event of strong winds.
SEVERITY, CALL VOLUMES AND YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING SERVICE
Last year, we had two major events where winds exceeded 120kph and insurance companies were calling roofers from Western parts of Canada to come here and help repair some of the damage. THAT IS HOW BUSY EVERY COMPANY WAS. We did listen to many complaints of how calls were not being answered. Please understand that the vast majority of roofing businesses are not large conglomerates having call centers or telephone customer service staff of 20 or more people. Our company alone exceeded 1000 calls within the first three days, and then we stopped counting. We literally set higher minimums to reduce the number of calls we received. It might sound crazy, but some jobs were going to be priced that much or more, depending on the degree of damage. Entire roof sides were torn off. We worked around the clock, sun up until sun down. Get home, answer more calls and emails until dropping from exhaustion and sleeping at our desks. At some point we started recommending to some people that they flag any roofer down (in hindsight, probably not a great idea; there were con-artists scavenging neighborhoods). I will leave tips at the end of this article to avoid the scammers.
MOVING FORWARD AND BUYING THE RIGHT SHINGLE
You can read this paragraph if you intend on getting your roof done in the near future, or you can skip to the tips at the end. In terms of the current trend with shingles, 3-tab, traditional, or 25-year shingles (they are all the same thing) is currently being squeezed out as suppliers are making more shelf room for the lifetime (50-year) shingles. When we drop off sample boards, we warn that some colors are discontinued in the 25-year line. Some people say What about metal? Well, what about it? They cover up to 220kph winds vs 210kph 50yr shingles and cost about 3 to 4 times as much. They look odd in a neighborhood that has all shingled houses, BUT THAT’S JUST MY OPINION. You might like standing out, like some commercial or differently purposed building. I don’t like it, but that’s my preference. Some of them are really very creative and beautiful, but… again, the whole neighborhood would have to have it.
TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID A SCAM
First and foremost, if you are shopping for an entire roof, just go with a reputable company that will give you all the facts so you know what you are getting. The best price is really not something you should play with when it comes to your roof. That being said, let’s move on to the things you should consider for the next wind storm:
- If they want to tarp a small section (for example 5 feet by 5 feet), send them on their way. Look for people who are prepared (thus, professional), with shingles, ready to install. You put on a tarp, you pay for a tarp, you still need to fill that spot with shingles and then pay for those shingles. So why not put shingles on in the first place? Who are these guys trying to make money off you twice? Bye!
- Secondly, if they don’t have a ladder, send them packing (nothing, they have nothing to pack). Adios!
- If they want a deposit, tell them to kick rocks. Tell them to deposit some shingles onto your roof first! There was a scam last year whereby people were leaving $50 deposits and then never heard from these door knockers again.
- This one is not a scam but it deserves mention and very close attention. Last year, I had a customer call me for blown off shingles and I gave the information necessary to make an informed decision. It was a corner lot, so it was open for wind exposure (no neighboring houses to provide some sort of wind barrier). Second, the shingles did not have a good tar line seal to glue the tiles down (it was not CertainTeed). Thirdly, it was a 3-tab, or 25-year shingle and was rated for up to 96kph. Lastly, I told him that there is no way you can avoid another blow off in a high wind situation unless you are willing to use a CertainTeed 50yr shingle. Following the repair, the second event occurred about a month later. Winds exceeded 120kph this time and the same shingles blew off. Just for reference, I double-nailed these suckers (meaning, I put twice as many nails than required) on the nail line, as recommended by the shingle manufacturer. The same shingles blew off after the 120kph winds. I understand the frustration this may cause but my tip here is to listen to the information and make an informed decision. The decision to patch up with the same product (a 25-year IKO shingle) or with a 50-year CertainTeed shingle was that of the customer. It was his to weigh the plus and minuses. The minuses were that the repair was in a clearly visible spot, the browns between manufacturers was different, and the texture between the 50 and 25-year shingles was very different. Basically, the choice was between whether it was going to look good (like nothing had happened) and still be vulnerable to future winds, or was it going to look odd but provide the protection he needed until he was ready for a whole roof replacement?
There’s a lot of info here, but my intention is to disseminate the information because I find there aren’t enough representatives in the industry that are as social media savvy or customer-relations savvy. If I could go on about this industry, I could probably write a book on it but the bottom line is that people want to save on something so important and it makes the scavengers come out. They come out also because there are virtually no standards (no certifications, no trade schools), making it even easier to be a con-artist and it makes this industry pure f**kery, plain and simple! Here are the FACTS. YOU decide.
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