If you’re a homeowner that lives on Lake Erie, the Portage Lakes, or any other body of water, your home probably takes a lot more abuse from the elements than the average home. While metal roofing is the perfect choice for all homes, it’s an especially logical choice for a home that sustains a great deal of wind and sun exposure. We see it everyday – shingles torn off and badly curled from the excessive exposure to the elements these homes sustain. Metal roofing will never curl and can with stand hurricane force winds. Coupled with the energy savings a metal roof provides and the decades of beauty they’ll provide you with, metal roofing is the smart choice for lakefront homeowners. Call today for your free estimate!
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE ROOFER?
That’s a loaded question because if you do have a favorite roofer, it’s because you’ve probably used them once or twice before. Do you realize that if you put on a metal roof the last time you roofed, you wouldn’t have to do it again in your lifetime? Do you also know that you would have saved anywhere between 20 – 40% between your last roof and the one you have to do today if you had done a metal roof the first time? And do you know that your roof would look and protect your home and family as well as it did the day it was installed? Metal roofing is a no -brainer if you’ll be staying in your home for another 10 years. Call and let us show you how it makes sense with a free estimate. You won’t be sorry…promise!
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!
STREAKED ASPHALT ROOFS – ONLY 8 YEARS OLD!
Lots of streaking going on, and we don’t mean the clothe-less type. These photos were taken in Highland Park, an Avon, Ohio community. Clearly, the “algae inhibitors” didn’t do much good. Since approximately 1/2 the view of all homes is the roof, think of how much nicer these once beautiful homes would look with no streaking. Metal roofs never streak, of course. Not now, not 50 years from now.
Common Roofing Scams and How To Avoid Them
Each year, homeowners are targeted by less than reputable roofing companies, who do the bare minimum, fail to address any of the problems, leaving trusting families with poorly installed roofs that fail prematurely, or have ongoing water issues and repairs. Keep reading to learn how to avoid the most common roofing scams.
Door-to-Door Scammers
Roofing door-to-door sales are not common in the industry, but they are common roofing scams that unreliable individuals practice. Homeowners should always partner with reliable roofing companies they find—not the other way around. If a roofer comes to your home, you should be immediately skeptical. Two common signs that show the salesperson at your door is a scammer is if they mention your insurance, and if they arrive soon after a storm hits your local area. “Storm chasers” is a common term used for salespeople who listen to the weather bureau to find out which areas have wind or hail damage, knowing that insurance companies will allow for roof replacement in those areas. The “storm chaser” essentially blankets the area hit by storm damage and looks for unsuspecting homeowners in need for roof repairs, while also offering free roof inspections. Because they know how insurance companies work based upon the overall square footage of your roof, the salesperson will determine the cost to install the cheapest roof possible to maximize their profit. The trusting home owner is left poorly installed roof, and in many cases, the fraudulent company is no longer in business to help when roof problems begin to occur. Of course, these aren’t the only signs they’re scammers, but both tactics are prevalent among door-to-door roofing scammers.
Dodging the Scammers
For many people, the idea of getting a brand-new roof for free is appealing, especially if their roof was damaged or are convinced their roof needs repair. What can be easier, a problem solved, little or no money exchanged, and you have a new roof… right? Wrong. Roof scammers or “storm chasers” have no incentive to do a quality roof installation, and there is no way to hold them accountable when issues occur because they will most likely be long gone when problems do arise. Because the roof is cheaply installed, it is not unusual to see their roof needing to be replaced again in as little as 5 – 7 years.
So, now that you know the most common roofing scams, let’s break down the best tactics to avoid such situations. Unfortunately, scammers exist in almost every industry, and roofing is no exception. Thankfully, tactics for avoiding scammers are fairly straightforward. To put it simply, do your own research instead of taking the word of an uninvited stranger at your door. When the salesperson insists your roof is damaged and can be repaired cheaply, say no and stand your ground. After saying no to the salesperson, ask friends and family for referrals or research roofing contractors online. No matter how you hear about a company, research customer reviews, check their Better Business Bureau rating, and ask for examples of previous work. A reputable roofing contractor will be happy to provide you a list of references for you to see the roofs they have installed and obtain feedback on the quality of their work. You shouldn’t settle on a roofing provider until collecting multiple quotes, consider which ones address your roofing needs, and holds the most value to you. If your roof was damaged due to a recent storm, be sure to re-read your homeowner’s insurance policy to avoid breaching it in the process.
FREE ROOFING ESTIMATES FOR NORTHERN OHIO!
Don’t forget, we provide FREE ESTIMATES! If you are ready, or thinking about replacing your roof, don’t hesitate to call!
HAIL DAMAGED ROOFS IN CLEVELAND, AKRON, AND SURROUNDING AREAS
Once again, Spring is here with the potential for both wonderful, and not so wonderful weather. Predictions have been made for a rough Spring. Should hail appear during a storm, it’s important to inspect your roof for hail damage. Hail can cause significant granule loss wherever it strikes which leads to direct sun exposure to the underlying asphalt on the shingles it effects. This will lead to cracked shingles over time and the potential for leaks. Have an insurance inspector analyze the damage after a storm if you suspect damage to your asphalt roof.
Metal roofing isn’t subject to hail damage like an asphalt roof is. Corrugated steel panels are dimpled to begin with and standing seam roofs don’t generally show dimpling. Both products are warranted for hail penetration. Kassel and Irons steel roofing is warranted for a lifetime against hail and wind uplift on a non pro-rated basis. You won’t find asphalt roofing manufacturers offering any protection for hail damage in their warranties.
SHAKER HEIGHTS LOVES METAL ROOFING
A beautiful home that’s a work in progress. A Kassel and Irons “Weathered Cedar” KasselWood roof makes for a smart and attractive addition!
OLMSTED FALLS ADDS A NEW METAL ROOF!
A beautiful standing seam roof adds to the charm of this farm house in Olmsted Township. What a difference!