Ask Chris: What's The Deal With 30-Year Warranties?

Q. The big wind last night caused some of my asphalt shingles to blow into my neighbor’s yard. My house is only 14 years old, and I understood from the builder that my roof had a “30 Year” warranty and was a “90 MPH” roof. Why is it already blowing off, even though the winds last night were not even close to exceeding 90 mph?

A: Welcome to the great Asphalt Roof Deception. The warranty for your roof (if you can find the piece of paper) no doubt had “30 Years” and “90 MPH” in big letters on the first page, but had you read to the fine print, you would discover that the “90 MPH” wind warranty expired after only 5 years – so you have no warranty at all from the manufacturer with regards to wind blow off, regardless of wind speeds. You must ask yourself, “If the manufacturer limits the wind coverage to 5 years, what is that saying about the real life expectancy of an asphalt shingle?” The answer is discovered by homeowners every day: The actual lifespan of a petroleum based product that is deteriorating from the first day it’s exposed to heat and sun is truly only 12-18 years or so. More or less depending on the peculiarities of the installation and location. If you want something that can actually stand up to the wind and sun for multiple generations, then you must investigate metal roofs, because the wind warranty for most of these lasts for the entire length of the warranty period. And that means real protection for homeowners. Find out more facts about roofing options by downloading our free roofing booklet from our website.

Metal Roofs and Home Values

I was beginning to believe the popular press and their analysis of the current economic downturn to the point that I was researching online information concerning cooking rats. It seemed that would be all most of us would be able to afford to eat soon and I might as well get prepared. After all, driving back from San Francisco last week I heard a long-time “conservative” talk show host, who I had previously considered to be a rational thinker, exclaim with in his most authoritative and conclusive voice that the recent downturn in the economy was “conclusive proof” that “unrestricted capitalism” was an animal destined to inevitably eat its own young – or other such nonsense. He was advocating for some form of increased “government oversight” of the financial system – just like many of the talking heads on CNBC.

What seems to be lost on all of the commentators and many of those with the microphones (and I have not the slightest doubt that these high-profile voices and authors either make their money investing the savings of others, have their own investments in “the market,” or comment professionally on the goings on therein. Either way, their reputation, industry, or nest egg is their biggest concern, and often there ends their objectivity) is that the adjustment of real-estate and stock values IS A GOOD THING. This is the free market working! Why aren’t the politicos making noise about the fact that places like Southern California are witnessing dramatic increases in housing sales (66% increase this year over last)? And this with no government action - except talking?

Since any product or service or asset (roofs, houses, stocks, cars) are ONLY worth what someone is willing to pay, how in God’s name can the government do anything useful since it produces NOTHING except OVERHEAD for businesses and wage-earners? If they prop up home prices, isn’t that just the collective tax-paying citizenry pouring the fruits of its labor into artificially holding up the price of something for which demand does not actually exist? And where will this maneuver lead, except to more schemes of similar deception? The market is at work right now re-valuing many parts of the inventory of goods and service to bring them into equilibrium with demand, and that’s a very good thing.

Anyway, I can hear you asking, “What has this got to do with the price of roofs?” The answer is just this: Metal roofs – or any construction material for that matter – will find a place in the market based on value. If the consumer of roof products sees the value of metal (long life, lightweight, attractive, fire-proof, ecologically friendly, and highly resistant to winds and weather), then its place in the market is assured. Regardless of the particular price of homes today as opposed to 2 or 3 years ago.

All of that to say that all of the stuff that’s filling the headlines today will be old news tomorrow and that owners of homes are best served by a focus on purchasing products for their homes that solve problems for the long-term. We all know that the long-term is never that far in the future, and that the house that you’re occupying today will still be a desirable home 5, 10, and 20 years from now. Quality improvements today, like a metal roof, will only make your home better and safer now and in the future. Isn’t that what we’re all after?

Let those politicians and talking heads continue to spout – they won’t “fix” anything. Especially a bad roof!

Ask Chris - Is Now a Good Time for a New Roof?

Q: My house needs a new roof, but with all of the bad economic news I’m wondering about the wisdom of spending money on my house right now. Is it a good idea?

A: If you’re not planning to move – it absolutely is a good idea. The maintenance needs to be done regardless of anything else, and if you’re staying in your home it makes even more sense to upgrade to a permanent metal roof and eliminate this major maintenance concern for generations to come. If your house isn’t going to be for sale anytime soon, then the best advice is to put on the best roof your budget allows regardless of what the headlines say today.

Ask Chris - Do I Need to Tear Off My Old Roof If I'm Re-Roofing with Metal??

Q. I know we’re going to need a new roof soon, but I’m worried about tearing off my existing roof in the winter. Will that definitely be necessary?

A. Probably not if you upgrade to metal. Metal roofs typically weigh less than half the weight of disposable roofs like asphalt shingles or wood shakes. Most of the metal shingles, shakes and tiles are specifically designed for installation over existing materials, so the odds are very good that choosing a beautiful new metal roof to replace what you currently have will entail a small amount of preparation and an installation directly over top. And then you can enjoy the other benefits of a quality metal roof, for many, many years to come. Call or visit our website for more information about this topic and others.

Ask Chris - Is Winter a Good Time to Replace a Roof?

Q. I know it’s time for a new roof, but a roofer I spoke to said winter isn’t a good time to replace mine because it won’t “stay down.” Is that true?

A. Yes – in regard to asphalt shingles. They rely on a thin layer of glue to keep rows stuck to one another and require exposure to a certain temperature for the glue to activate. This is a problem in the winter and may in fact void a warranty. Metal roofs however, besides being better looking, longer lasting, and much greener, don’t rely on a glue to stay on the roof but are mechanically fastened. So they can be installed at any time without compromising their performance or warranty coverage. Visit our website for a useful booklet of roofing facts and many photos of our beautiful range of metal roofs - all of which can be installed year round.

Have a burning roofing question? Post it in the comments section and Chris will answer it in a blog post.

Houses as homes and other musings

Hard to imagine anyone not taking notice of the turmoil in the stock market, but I wonder if the sudden focus on value of assets might prove to be a good thing for the construction materials business. The leveraged, short-term, disposable society we've developed may be forced to begin viewing things like houses as homes and not just inventory - much like the rest of the world already does.

I heard someone say recently, "We've decided to build homes intended for generation, instead of building for the next tenant." While this has been the mindset of other parts of the world for eons, it's only now coming back into vogue in North America. Metal roof materials fit this new paradigm wonderfully. Since metal roofs have life spans that can be measured in generations, it's fair to say that a properly specified and installed metal roof can last for the life of the building on which it's installed.

While it's true that a (very) few other materials can make the same claim, none of them have the properties of metal that make it so ideal for re-roofing existing buildings. The lightness and rigidity of metal allow its use to cover or replace all other roofs. Plus, metal gives the most options to owners when it comes to stye, color and texture. No other roofing material even comes close.

Finally, and unlike asphalt or wood roofing, metal isn't deteriorating rapidly from the day its exposed. The sun and wind that destroy these lesser roof options are easily handled by a metal roof. This means that owners with a notion that homes should house generations will find that metal roofs fit the bill. Measured against such long-term performance, it becomes quickly apparent to anyone with a long-term eye on value that metal roofs are the most valuable of all.

More questions? Download a free copy of my booklet, "What Every Homeowner Needs to Know about Roof Replacement," on our website.

Thoughts from Chris - "40 Year Shingles" and other lies

Since I've been focusing exclusively on selling metal roof materials for many years now, it's become common for me to be accused of exaggerating the poor performance of asphalt shingles - the most commonly used roof material in North America. My presentation materials, website and blogs contain many photos of badly decomposed and failing asphalt roofs that had lasted only a fraction of their "warranty period" and in fact many such photos can be found on many, many websites.

I started noting and photographing the real performance of asphalt shingles in the early 90s, so this is hardly a new phenomenon. What is new, however, is that the contractors who specialize at installing asphalt shingles are now saying the same things I've been repeating for nearly 20 years. I was very, very gratified recently to read promotional material by the owner of one of the most prominent roof contracting companies in the region. He wrote an open letter to potential customers in which he states clearly that "properly installed" asphalt roofs have a life expectancy of 12-20 years! Easily inferred from this statement is the fact that improperly installed asphalt shingles have a lifespan shorter still. It should be noted that the shingles to which he's referring have "warranty periods" of 30, 40, 50 years and even "lifetime" warranty periods!

I've been saying for years - as have many other people in the roofing industry, I hasten to add - that there is NO RELATIONSHIP between the lifespan of these asphalt shingles and the printed "warranty period" on the wrapper. Even this most recent disclaimer by an "insider" doesn't stop for one minute the ongoing, deliberate misrepresentation of the life expectancy of these products by many people in the industry. They're still sold as "40 Year Shingles," yet there's not an honest person in the business who will say that they will actually last 40 years! I'm stunned this practice continues. I predict a hungry lawyer somewhere will collect enough signatures one day to commence a very large and very public class-action suit against some manufacturer with deep pockets that continues to sell these oil-based products with these completely meaningless and deliberately misleading warranty periods. The shame of it is that the typical roof purchaser still believes that they're buying a "40 Year" shingle and that someone is promising them a lifespan close to 40 years. I'm sure there's a better description of the practice than "deliberate misrepresentation," but I just don't know what that might be.

I think this issue is more relevant than ever now that housing has transitioned (again) from a get-rich-quick scheme back to a place where they are homes for this generation and those to come. Regardless, I at least have confidence that a properly installed metal roof CAN last 40, 50 or more years. In fact, I own a property built in 1957 with a metal roof - and those metal shingles are still performing well today, 51 years later. Now, that's a "50 Year Shingle"!

Thoughts from Chris

Something that never fails to astonish me is the surprise expressed by people when you inform them that our metal roof assemblies are significantly lighter than an asphalt shingle roof.

In asking a lot of prospective customers lately why they wouldn’t have anticipated that, I learn that the appearance of our metal roof systems looks so much more substantial than asphalt shingles that they just assumed that the metal roof would be a heavier material.

My own sense is that the word “steel” connotes a solid, tight, heavy material, and the people unfamiliar with stamped steel products don’t realize how light this material can be and still provide outstanding performance.

The fact that metal roofs are so remarkably strong for their weight means that it can be installed over most roof materials without compromise. In fact, I believe that the biggest part of the roofing business for the next few years will be replacing the millions of “30, 40, and 50 Year” asphalt shingle roofs that were installed in the last 15 years or so. This will mean that metal will rise to the top of the list of homeowners who need to replace their rapidly decaying asphalt shingles, but want something permanent, better-looking, and more earth-friendly.

Its light weight means that upgrading to metal will mean most homeowners won’t even have to remove their old asphalt shingles as metal is easily installed over top. Another benefit of this “over comp” installation is the fact that our land-fills are spared the added burden of accepting the old asphalt shingles. A “green” benefit as well!

Check out the photos above as an example of how easily metal can be installed over existing asphalt shingles…and what a huge difference in appearance results!

Ask Chris - When Should I Replace My "30-Year" Roof?

Q. My house was built in the late 90s and it has a "30 Year" asphalt shingle roof. We've had some blow-off problems, but we won't have to replace it anytime soon, right?

A. Actually, we've just re-roofed a number of homes that were built in that period - all with "30 Year" roofs. No matter what the name implies, the real lifespan for most asphalt composition roofing is about 10 or 15 years, so you're probably approaching the end of the service life of your roof, and those blow-off problems are certainly evidence of that. If you're planning on staying in your home, you're going to be facing a re-roofing decision soon and certainly before those 30 years are up! You can avoid a similar problem in the future by upgrading to a quality metal roof. Not only will it offer superior resistance to high winds - no more shingles littering the lawn - but it also means you won't be re-roofing in another few years. Our metal roofing materials come in an array of styles and colors, so it's certainly worth your time to investigate.

For a more thorough discussion of advertised and actual service lives of a variety of roofing materials, get your copy of our homeowner's guide to re-roofing, available for download on our website.

Ask Chris - Why Are Metal Roofs So Uncommon?

Q. When I look around at the roofs in my area, I don't see very many made of metal. Why is that?

A. Many roofs are chosen not for their long-term performance, but for their price and convenience. If you're considering replacing your roof and value things like long-term performance, beauty, eco-friendliness and durability, particularly if you're planning on staying in your home, the normal roof replacement choices (i.e. asphalt composition, concrete tile) may not be at the top of your list after a bit of investigation. I highly encourage you to learn about the features and benefits of quality metal roofing and remember to ask lots of questions about any material you're considering. After all, even a cheap roof costs thousands of dollars.

Oh, and once you start learning more about metal roofing, I bet you'll be surprised to discover that many of the beautiful roofs in your area actually are metal!

Fantastic article discussing homeowners going green with their roof choice. Here's an excerpt:

"The metal roofing industry's product are already environmentally friendly as most metal roofs contain more than 25 percent recycled content. This level of recycled content allows metal roofing to be included on listings of 'green' and recycled content products. In addition, metal roofing is 100 percent recyclable. Traditional roofing products, such as asphalt, contribute 13 billion pounds of waste to U.S. landfills annually. Many metal roofs can be installed over an existing roof, without tear-off and disposal."

That's right, folks. It says 13 BILLION pounds of waste result directly from traditional, violently unfriendly roofing material. Makes you think!

Read more here.

Ask Chris

Q. We've been following your series, and although we have no plans to move and need to do our roof soon, wouldn't a really nice metal roof just be too expensive?

A. With the rapid rise in oil prices over the last couple of years, the fact of the matter is that the nice metal roofs are closer in price to cheap roofs than ever. Even I was shocked recently to discover that our beautiful, permanent Sierra Metal Shake could be had by a customer for less than the petroleum-based asphalt roof they were considering from a major national building supply chain! You may be more than surprised at the affordability and value of the new generation of metal roof products. I encourage your to visit our website to learn more.

Ask Chris

Q. I'm thinking of re-doing my roof before winter. How much time do I really have?

A. If you're really intent on doing something before winter gets here, you should probably move now. Winter may seem far off, but anyone who knows what they're doing is going to get busy really quickly. Another critical consideration? Just about all product lines, including metal, have a lot of upward pressure on prices, so the sooner you choose something, the better chance you'll have at getting it at a good price. We've got a lot of great inventory that's still available at our special summer pricing and you're likely to be pleasantly surprised at the many benefits and affordability of a good metal roof. It's certainly worth your time to learn more if you're planning on a new roof for the winter.

Ask Chris

Q. We're considering re-roofing with metal, but we don't want something too bright and shiny. Can we get a metal roof that doesn't look like, well, metal?

A. That's the thing about metal - it's so versatile! While you can get shiny or brightly colored metal roofs, there's also an array of subtle shades, textures and styles available, some of which replicate the look of other traditional roofing materials. In fact, you've probably admired roofs around town that are actually - and you didn't even know. Take our new Sierra Metal Shake. Not only does it offer the many advantages of metal (green factor, high fire-damage resistance, low maintenance and more) but it's now available in three distinguished colors that will compliment many architectural styles.

Ask Chris your roofing questions in the comments section and we'll post his answer on our blog!

Ask Chris - Do I Need to Tear Off My Old Roof?

Q. I've read in your Q&A series that metal roofing can go over the top of most existing roofs, but the roofer I spoke to recommended tearing my old roof off. Why is that?

A. If you're considering another asphalt roof, then I agree with your roofer. That's because asphalt deteriorates more quickly as you pile up the layers. Metal, on the other hand, isn't affected by what's underneath it to the same extent. Because it's so rigid and lightweight, going over most existing roofing with metal is in fact a very good idea. Not only do you save yourself the expense and mess of the tear-off, it's also far more environmentally friendly as you're keeping that material out of the landfill.

Got a burning roofing question? Ask in the comments and we'll post Chris' answer on our blog!