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From my experience, shingle warranties have caused more disappointments and mis-trust between contractors, manufacturers and homeowners than any other aspect of this industry. Many homeowners hear terms like “25 Year Shingle” or “Lifetime Warranty” and conclude that they will have that roof thing covered for a long, long time. Maybe not quite 25 years, but it should be pretty close…right? Not necessarily. When you start reading the fine print on shingle warranties, you will discover that there a lot of conditions and criteria that need to be met before your shingle warranty is actually valid. Furthermore, you may be quite surprised as to what you are entitled to regarding compensation. Today’s read will cover the gist of shingle manufacturerer’s warranties and what the expectations should be if you need to make a claim.

Wind damaged roofs are one of the most frequently used insurance claim categories for homeowners in Southern Ontario. The cost to repair these damages are typically thousands of dollars. Unresponsive roofing contractors and repair lead times after a major storm can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety for homeowners who experience substantial wind damage. Many homeowners are left wondering if they could have done something different to avoid this stress.

As you gather estimates for your upcoming roof replacement project, many items should appear similar from quote to quote (laminate shingles, replace vents, install ice shield, etc…) However, one item in particular has caused debate for years. Which valley technique should I go with? One reputable company says closed cut valleys are best. Another reputable company claims open metal valleys perform better. With valley sections often being the most vulnerable area on your roof and the most likely area to fail, this can be confusing and frustrating for homeowners. This article will attempt to offer insight into the pros and cons of both systems and hopefully help you make a confident choice.

One of the most overlooked aspects of a quality roof system is the proper material selection for the hip and ridge caps. Beyond valleys, hips and ridges face some of the harshest conditions on your roof. Cap shingles typically face more UV exposure and wind than any other area. They are also one of the only areas on your roof where shingles are not laid flat (The other is in a closed valley application) They are bent to form and fit the contour of the hip or ridge line. The stress from this forming along with the extra wind and sun exposure make cap shingles one of the first failure points on your roof system. Today I’d like to take a look at the options for cap shingles. Specifically, which options will enhance your roof assembly and which ones will undoubtedly cause premature failure.