We’ve just returned from the International Roofing Expo in San Antonio, the annual showcase for new roofing products from manufacturers worldwide. Along with the hundreds of other roofers in attendance, we were impressed and intrigued by the many new developments on display that we can apply to your next roofing project. New roofing products continue to improve in energy efficiency and durability. That’s good news for you and us too! Here is a review of some of our show favorites that we either already offer or will soon offer at Pro-Home Services.
Solar Roofing Shingles
Are you interested in solar roofing but not too interested in mounting an array of unsightly, high-profile solar panels on your roof? You’re not alone. Understanding this feeling, GAF Energy developed with an innovative solution: the Timberline Solar® system.
We have used GAF products for years and know the company creates quality products with the roofer and the customer in mind. GAF Energy’s solar roofing system is a new roofing product made of flat-laying shingles rather than panels or heavy tiles. The main innovation is how easily they install. The roofer can add solar shingles when they service or replace your roof. If they need to be removed, the roofer can re-install them. With typical solar roofing panel installations, removing and re-installing solar panels is a separate operation that can cost up to $6,000. In this way, the GAF Energy’s new roofing products can save homeowners thousands of dollars down the road.
We were also impressed with the durability of Timberline Solar. Like all GAF shingles, Timberline Solar is built tough. It sheds water well and can withstand winds up to 130 mph. In fact, the new solar shingles carry the same warranty as Timberline HDZ for wind and water shedding.
Other companies showcased their solar roofing systems, but Timberline Solar was our favorite new roofing product for solar operation. It was designed by a roofing company, so the solar shingles organically addressed the needs of the roofer and homeowner. Other manufacturers, like Tesla, had a much more complex installation that could hinder speedy installation. However, it may be a while before Timberline Solar becomes available in our service area. Right now, the company is rolling it out in the most plentiful markets for solar energy: California and the South. However, we’re looking forward to one day offering it to the customers at Pro Home Services customers in the Chicagoland area.
Metal Roofing
The show featured many purveyors of metal roofing. Metal roofing is growing in popularity throughout the country although it has been very common in Europe for years. According to the Metal Roofing Association, metal roofing currently accounts for 18% of the total residential housing market. The organization further forecasts a jump of 19% in the next three years. Some experts believe the renewed consumer interest in metal roofing is heightened by increasing extreme weather and the vulnerability of other roofing materials to the elements.
The price of metal roofing is about $13/sq ft in our service area, making it cost prohibitive for many homeowners. However, even though metal roofing has drawbacks, many people prefer the sleek, classic look of metal panels and look past any disadvantages because of its 50-year+ life span. Manufacturers are responding to consumer demand for more attractive metal new roofing products, and this was on display at the show.
Pro-Home Services has only a handful of requests for metal roofing annually because most people prefer the more common and available asphalt shingles. However, the “standing seam” look of metal roofing, once only seen on farm and industrial buildings, can be quite attractive on a home. We tend to install it for our customers as an accent on a porch, a bay window, or other home features.
Malarkey Smog-Reducing Shingles
It was good to see our friends, Malarkey Roofing Products, at the show, exhibiting their 3M™ Smog-Reducing Shingles. The product has been popular with our customers for years now and is considered green because of its functionality. The granules that comprise the Malarkey shingles use sunlight to activate and chemically convert nitrogen oxide gases into water-soluble, nitrate salts that improve air quality. The result is a roofing system that is not only durable and high-quality but actually “cleans” the air and contributes to a healthier environment.
In addition to new roofing products, the expo included many accessories for residential and commercial roofers to consider and compare.
Perma-Boot
Another new roofing product that caught our eye for our customers was Perma-Boot. Perma-Boot offers a solution to a very common roofing problem: leaking around vent pipes that protrude from the roof.
In typical installation situations, ventilation stacks are secured and sealed on your roof with rubber “boots” that, unfortunately, can deteriorate over time. The Perma-Boot is a gasket-less, two-piece unit tha slides over the existing roof vent boot to make the homeowner’s ventilation stack impervious to weather and animals. It’s a simple, effective solution that is much more cost efficient than replacing the entire roof vent boot (which usually requires homeowners to find matching shingles to cover the stripped area) or resealing the boot with caulk, which is only a temporary solution. If your roof has ventilation stacks, Perma-Boot can fix your leaks and give you peace of mind. Ask your roofer about it!
Roofivent
We were impressed with the Roofivent system for kitchen and bathroom exhausts and its applications for metal roofing. The Roofivent offers an easy-to-install, watertight roof vent. The products are made from polypropylene (PP), which is a rigid, weather-resistant, UV-protected thermoplastic which provides rust-proof durability for the homeowner.
The turbine-powered vents are exceptionally quiet, which is ideal for people who live in ranch-style houses. Attic ventilation is key to the health of your roof and new roofing products like Roofivent protect your attic against excessive moisture, mold, and mildew.
Job Site Protection.
Our priority at Pro-Homes is the safety of our workers and your home and landscape. That’s why it’s good that manufacturers are continually developing new roofing products and different items to help protect our workers and job sites. The show highlighted some great safety items, including the Catch All system for home and landscape protection. The product offers an upgrade on a roofer’s standard tarping system and works seamlessly to shield your home and landscaping from falling debris during installations.
Some of the new roofing products at the show were safety features that can be used by consumers, such as the ladder latch pro. This handy gadget secures any ladder to a roof’s edge without damaging your gutters, gutter guards, or roofing material. It protects anyone from slips and falls by always keeping the ladder immobile, even when bumped or kicked. We use it at Pro-Homes for the safety of our installation installers and we vouch for its effectiveness and ease of use.
It’s nice to know that the roofing industry is progressing with innovations to improve roofing, sustainability, and the safety of homeowners and roofers. We are keeping up at Pro-Home Services to offer roofing products you can proudly install on your roof with our guarantee of quality and durability. If we can help you with an upcoming roofing project, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at (630)790.0800 or moc.secivresemohorp@ofni
