When Choosing Shingle Styles & Colors

• Consider the amount of color and character your roof represents to your home. Roof area usually accounts for 30% to 50% or more of your home's style!

• Color choice should compliment but not necessarily match your homes color. A new roof that closely matches the color of your home's exterior can create a boring, mono-tone effect.

• Examine your house color scheme. I- your home has multicolored brick and/or elaborate exterior paint schemes, consider choosing a shingle with less color variations. A busy exterior with a multi-colored shingle can be over dramatic.

• Consider the overall benefits of a 50- year shingle. When pricing out the cost ratio to the overall life of the shingle, the enhanced shingles can be more economical while creating a dramatic, long lasting Style for your home.

Note: Divide total cost by years of shingle life expectancy.

Benefit: Choosing the best color with an enhanced style of shingle can dramatically add long lasting charm, character and curb appeal to your home.

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When Considering a Contractor

• Look for a company that is not just registered with the Better Business Bureau, but who has achieved a B.B.B. Member status in good standing.

• Ask if the contractor has achieved shingle manufacturer credentialed status. Credentialed companies have passed tests for high standards of application and industry knowledge.

• Get specifics on the warranties of both the workmanship and the shingle manufacturer. A solid workmanship warranty should include fixing any roof problem and covering inside damage repairs.

• Ask for referrals/testimonials/letters of recommendations. A quality company should have these readily available and be eager to pass them to you.

• Ask the owner of the roofing company to make a final inspection of the shingle installation s workmanship before final payment is made. This will assure a quality installation.

Benefit: Your roof is your home's main defense and protection against thunderstorms, high winds, rain and snow. A roof failure in any of these conditions can be very damaging S costly. Choosing the right contractor can mean the difference between 25+ years of worry free enjoyment of our roof or an ongoing and costly cycle of damage and repairs.

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How Do I Know I Need A New Roof?

• Calculate the age of your existing shingles. Usually the traditional builder grade shingle last 16-18 years. If your home is in this age range or between 30 to 36 years you may need a new roof.

• Curling, cracking, copping and unevenness are all signs of shingles are loosing their waterproofing effectiveness.

• Heavy granule loss is another sign of shingle failure. Again, the asphalt has dried and can no longer hold the granules in place. Check the downspout drains, gutters and flower beds for heavy shingle granule deposits.

• Dark staining on the surface of shingles is usually caused by an air borne algae. Although the algae does not directly damage the shingles, it traps moisture on the surface which can lead to premature failure.

• Nailing over your existing one layer of shingles with a new second layer of shingles is an option. This technique allows you to reduce the labor cost of removing the existing shingles. You must have a smooth roof surface (no curling) so be proactive when choosing this option.