Thanks Doug and Mary for adding a beautiful new (Dark Bronze) standing seam roof to your home in Hudson, Ohio! This is incomplete but snow has fallen since the end of this workday so figuring it’ll be covered tomorrow when we finalize everything and get the gutters on. Old Man Winter has returned!
STRONGSVILLE OHIO ADDS A KASSELWOOD METAL ROOF!
Thanks to Ron and Linda in Strongsville, Ohio for adding a gorgeous KasselWood metal roof to their home!
Before and after shown here. (Color: Aged Cedar)
WESTLAKE OHIO ADDS A KASSELWOOD METAL ROOF!
Thanks to my friends Tom and Sue for adding a permanent Kassel and Irons metal roof to their Westlake, Ohio home (Color: Aged Cedar)
GIBSONIA PENNSYLVANIA ADDS A NEW METAL ROOF!
Thanks to Richard and Joyce in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania for adding a new Classic Metal Roof! There’s nothing more reflective than a beautiful 
white roof!
MOUNT LEBANON PENNSYLVANIA ADDS A METAL ROOF!
Thanks to Ellen and Greg of Mt. Lebanon PA! They’re the proud owners of an Edco Arrowline “Enhanced Slate metal roof!! I’ll be returning soon as this photograph doesn’t come close to doing this house or roof justice, but the weather in early December was what it was. Update coming soon!
MANY NEW METAL ROOFS IN OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA!
From Edinboro, Gibsonia and Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to Cleveland, Wakeman, Amherst, Westlake, Berea, Hudson, and Hinckley Ohio we’ve been crazy busy and we’re loving every minute of it! If you keep up with our posts, please forgive my inability to keep up with adding photos of each job. However, if you’re a FACEBOOK user, it’s been quick and easy for me to post almost every job there and you’re welcome to LIKE us there.
METAL ROOFING LOW INTEREST RATE LOANS
Metal roofing loans in Cuyahoga County in Ohio can be a steal right now through the county’s H.E.L.P. program. At 3% below market rate, interest is almost non existent. Qualification is easy and approval happens within 7 – 10 days. Local banks are able to provide more details on this wonderful home improvement loan program. What a great way to afford a new metal roof! Please see the link below for more information about this never before seen program.
Cuyahoga County Low Interest Rate Loan Program
The Most Common Asphalt Shingle Roof Problems
Asphalt shingles are still a common roofing material in the United States, but the truth is, they’re far from being the most reliable option available. Although you’ll frequently find them in residential neighborhoods, homes with asphalt shingles face many potential hazards you can avoid by using more durable options, such as metal panels. Check out the helpful summary below to learn about the common asphalt shingle roof problems homeowners experience.
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles have been around since the 1920’s. Years ago, asphalt shingles, also called organic shingles, consisted of a heavy felt-like material that was saturated with asphalt, making the shingles water resistant. The shingles were then coated with adhesive asphalt and stone like granules that were ingrained within the shingles. Organic shingles contain at least 40% more asphalt than the fiberglass shingles that are made today, which provided more weight, durability, and resistance to wind. Back in the day, you could get 30 – 35 years out of an asphalt roof.
Starting in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, the composition of the asphalt shingle has changed dramatically. In an effort to keep the overall cost of asphalt shingles down, primarily due to the rising cost of oil, the heavy felt paper was replaced with a lighter weight fiberglass material. Fiberglass became the very popular because the material is far less expensive, easier to produce, and easier to work with. The fiberglass mat is then coated with a mineral filler which adheres to the mat to help make it waterproof. A final adhesive coating is used with additional ceramic granules that are embedded into the mat. A significant amount of the granules consists of limestone, which attract airborne algae, which leads to granule loss and the dark streaking you see today.
Lifespan of Asphalt Shingles
Today, asphalt shingles last between 14 – 17 years on average. The significant decrease in the life of the asphalt shingle is due to the cheaper materials and the lack of oil and asphalt content. In addition, the longevity of the asphalt shingle will depend upon how it was installed and where they have been installed. Shingles found in cooler locations will have a longer lifespan than in warmer climates. The average lifespan in hotter locations like the southwest is typically 14 years, and here in Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, the average lifespan is approximately 15 – 17 years. However, before asphalt roofing surpasses the 10 year mark, it typically falls victim to issues such as shingle granule loss, cracking, splitting, algae streaking and other signs indicating your asphalt roof is beginning to break down.
Seemingly Small Problems
Extremes in temperatures will have a major affect on the life of asphalt shingles. Warmer climates will limit the life of a shingle. Asphalt shingles that are exposed to extreme temperature changes within a short period of time will lead to premature splits, cracks, and other damage due to the intense expansion and contraction of the shingles. Splits, cracks, and other damage that are left exposed to the extreme temperature changes can lead to water getting into those areas and creating further damage.
Shingle granule loss is what it sounds like—the panel is literally beginning to deteriorate. Although it isn’t always noticeable at first, a clear sign of shingle granule loss is looking in your gutters and finding them filled with granules. To see what is happening with your asphalt roof, get on a ladder and inspect the first couple of rows of shingles. A roof showing significant granule loss will have uneven granule coverage, including areas where you can begin to see the fiberglass pad underneath. Your gutters will most likely contain a large amount of granules too. Look for splits, cracking, and curling within the shingles. If you are starting to see significant signs of these issues, it is probably a good time to have your roof inspected to understand the overall health of your roof and avoid any further damage.
Factors That Affect the Life Expectancy of Asphalt Shingles
- Color of the roof – A darker color absorbs more heat, which shortens the life of the shingle
- Slope of the roof – Higher pitched roofs tend to last longer
- Multiple-layer roof- An asphalt roof installed over an existing layer of asphalt will have a shorter life
- Installation – Poorly or improper installation will shorten the roof life
- Attic ventilation – An unventilated or poorly ventilated attic will reduce the life of the shingle
- Trees near the roof – Trees blocking the sun from reaching your roof can lead to algae and fungus forming on the roof, causing the roof to breakdown prematurely
- Harsh climate – Severe weather, harsh winters, hot summers, along with extreme temperature changes can cause an asphalt roof to age quickly
How To Avoid Them
So, now that you know the common asphalt shingle roof problems, how can you avoid them? The best method for side-stepping these issues is by choosing a better material from the outset. For instance, high-quality metal roofing can protect your home for more than 60 years without a problem. A major benefit of metal roofing for your home is its energy-efficiency. Metal roofs receive a finish of Kynar 500 coating, which reflects UV rays and greatly reduces the indoor house temperature. By using less electricity on cooling the home, you’ll see lower energy costs throughout the hot summer months. Plus, the Kynar 500 coating will resist chalking and fading, so your roof will maintain it’s color and beauty over the life of the product.
However, if you want reliable performance, always choose a metal roofing expert with years of experience and happy customers. With a professionally installed metal roof, you’ll rarely need to perform any maintenance, and you will have a roof that will protect your home…for a lifetime!
HEY CLEVELAND AND NORTHEAST OHIO…. READ THOSE ROOFING WARRANTIES!
If I tell you that I’ll warrant your toaster against manufacturing defects for 30, 40, 50 years, or a “lifetime”, do you think your toaster will last for 30, 40, 50 years, or a “lifetime”? Notice, I didn’t say I’d warrant your toaster’s serviceability for a “lifetime”.
Time and time again, I’m told that someone has replaced their roof with a 30, 40, 50, or “Lifetime” asphalt roof. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the only thing that’s “Lifetime” about an asphalt roof is that you’ll be replacing it over and over again…for a LIFETIME. What’s really covered for those time periods? Do you know? Well, if you’re like me and want to know what you’re buying, you’ll research expensive purchases pretty thoroughly. Most people don’t, unfortunately. They’re the ones who keep buying asphalt roofs and wonder why they’ve failed “prematurely”. The thing is, they haven’t failed prematurely in most cases, they’ve just failed against a homeowner’s unrealistic expectations that they’d last 30, 40, 50 years, or a “Lifetime”.
Asphalt roofing warranties will typically tell you that most things that can happen to an asphalt roof (blow offs, failure to seal, granule loss, streaking, etc.) are only covered for a VERY limited period of time, and often pro-rated during that time, or immediately after. What IS covered for 30, 40, 50 years, or “Lifetime” is manufacturing defects.
When’s the last time you used a warranty for a “manufacturing defect” to get a replacement for anything you’ve purchased? Yep, that’s what I thought. We’re too smart to be fooled by asphalt warranties that have been used as marketing ploys for years by the asphalt roofing industry. Metal roofing warranties really mean “lifetime” when they say it….your lifetime, and even then, many are transferable to the next owner. Please call me and I’ll send you an asphalt warranty and our metal roofing warranty and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about once you compare and contrast the two. An excerpt from one of the major asphalt players appears next to this post. Unfathomable that they say “lifetime” and “15 years” in the very same sentence, no? And later in the warranty, it tells us that the algae warranty is pro-rated after the first year. Tricky stuff!
INSURANCE COVERING YOUR ROOFING COSTS??
It’s amazing! There are about 15 homes that directly surround me on my semi-circle type street. Some of us have received settlements for a complete roof replacement (and then some) and others haven’t! Yet all have seen the same weather issues (excessive wind/hail), all built our homes 12 years ago within months of each other, and we all need new roofs. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky ones and will be replacing my ugly asphalt roof (that needed to be replaced 2 years ago, after only 10 years of service) with a metal roof, of course. I plan on staying in my house for the long haul so it makes perfect sense to never replace my roof again, as will be the case with a Kassel and Irons “KasselWood” roof. So if you’re in doubt about whether your roof will be covered based on your neighbor’s experience, don’t hesitate to call your insurance agent and file a claim if you’re constantly replacing blown off shingles or believe your roof has been hail damaged, regardless of the age of your roof. It may be worth it in a BIG$$ way!