R.L. Roofing Employees Pose for Picture on Roof
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Michigan Roofing Company Gifts Roof to Youth Shelter

A simple act of charity can mean more to the ones giving than the ones receiving. That’s the case for R.L. Roofing Service foreman Jonathan Hodges and his company’s work on Michigan City’s Anthony Adams House, an emergency shelter for homeless and troubled youth.

A Michigan City News-Dispatch reporter was onsite covering the free roof installation when Hodges asked a seemingly innocent question, “Isn’t this going to be a place for homeless mothers?” After being informed he was working on a roof for a planned youth shelter, Hodges put his face in his hands. “I didn’t realize that,” Hodges said. “I’ve had my own experience with being homeless. I was a ward of the state from the time I was 5 years old. I lived in different foster homes when I was growing up, so I know all about kids being neglected. This really does hit home.”

Jason Coleman, another foreman at R.L., was more than happy to volunteer his time and skill to give Michigan City kids a secure place to call home. Like Hodges, Coleman also had a troubled youth but found a way out in the roofing business. “I used to be one of those kids,” Coleman said. “I started this job when I was 16. I was one of those teens who was at risk; but Rich (Leslie Sr.) gave me a chance, and I’ve been here ever since.”

The 14-man crew spent a day on the shelter ripping up all previous roofing, replacing any rotted or damaged decking, installing high quality underlayment, and placing brand new shingles. By Monday evening the crew was sweeping up the completed job.

Though R.L. Roofing Service took the lead by volunteering their time, labor, decking, and nails, the roof replacement was a group effort. La Porte Seamless Gutter provided new seamless gutters and downspouts, roofing manufacturer GAF supplied the shingles and roofing accessories, and City Lanes provided a free lunch to the crew.

R.L. Vice President of Operations Rich Leslie Jr. couldn’t have been more pleased with his guys. “They really stepped up and were extremely excited to do something for the community. They’re not getting paid for this. They’re taking money out of their checks this week just to be able to give back to the community that we all grew up in and love.”

The shelter’s founder Candice Nelson was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support. She had hoped to have the shelter operational by Summer 2019, but major roof leaks delayed its opening. Nelson called GAF, who pointed her toward R.L. Roofing. With the new roof, Nelson hopes to have the shelter open by the end of summer 2020. “I feel so blessed,” she said, shaking her head as she watched the roofers work. “And as I’m blessed, I will be passing it on.”

Roofer and homeowner give thumbs up
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Vancouver Roofer Extends Holiday Spirit with Free Roof

If you’re reading a news story about a roofing company, chances are the story isn’t flattering. The roofing industry is notorious for scammers and sticklers, but the truth is the good roofing companies easily outnumber the bad roofing companies you constantly read about.

It’s a breath of fresh air when one of the good guys is recognized, like Vancouver-based Ibex Roof. Ibex continued the fading holiday spirit by offering a free roof installation to La Center resident Kayla Marshall.

Ibex had recently participated in a fundraiser to help a Washington girl battling leukemia. The fundraiser involved roofing companies purchasing ‘bundles’ of roofing material with all proceeds going to help the girl. Ibex purchased four of the bundles but instead of adding the material to their normal stock, Ibex decided to put the bundles towards a free roof for a local resident in need. “We (Ibex Roof) bought three or four of the packages and we were just going to install it, but then we decided to do a roof giveaway in the month of December,” said Sam Etter of Ibex Roof. “We wanted to use this opportunity to give back to the community.”

Ibex posted the free installation contest to their Facebook page right after Christmas 2019. The company picked one contestant at random, La Center homeowner Kayla Marshall. “Her roof was really old and nasty and so it worked out really well,” Etter said. “Her whole thing was that she had kids and she had been debt free up until this point.”

Marshall’s roof was in poor condition and in need of replacement, but Marshall had been forced to redirect all income toward paying off debts and living expenses for her two little girls. The contest came at just the right time. “We were excited to win a roof because we had just got done paying off some bills and we are a one income family with two little girls, so every dollar saved is helpful to us,” said Marshall. She plans to direct the money saved on the roof to other necessary repairs around the house.

This was Ibex’s first time to give away a new roof, but the company seems to enjoy giving. “Kayla was super appreciative throughout the whole process. Everything ended up going as smooth as possible.”

Choosing a Roofer with a Good Reputation

It can be difficult to separate the good companies from the bad companies but looking for a roofing company that gives back to their local community is one of the easiest ways to secure a great roofer and to affect change in your community.

solar panels on roof
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Austria Commits to 1 Million Solar Panel Installs by 2030

Roofs have been a part of our lives ever since our earliest ancestors crawled into caves, but it’s taken hundreds of years to get roofs to work for us. The latest trend in roof technology is not new shingles, or new metal, but green-conscious roofing components like solar panels and green roofing. Once an empty, unused space, the roof is now on the forefront of fighting climate change and urban issues like quality of life and the urban heat island effect. Whole countries are making use of roof space, including Austria.

Austria’s new government recently pledged a goal of 1 million roofs outfitted with solar panels by 2030. The nation has pledged to source all electricity from renewable resources by 2030 and to become completely carbon neutral by 2040.

The government and the new laws are led by a coalition of the Austrian’s People Party and the Green Party. The Austrian People’s Party is led by Sebastian Kurz who appointed a super minister for changes in energy, infrastructure, and environmental standards. The roofing and solar panel program has already been fixed into the new government with an agreement that runs from 2020 to 2024.

Austria’s new climate minister Leonore Gewessler believes in the power of solar energy to reverse decades of damage from fossil fuels. “Photovoltaics in general and the 1 million roof programme in particular will add substantially to these goals in a world where mobility is to be switched to electric driving and also fossil heating systems have to be replaced speedily during the next decades,” said Gewessler.

Austria’s pledge comes with others to make use of their roofs for renewable energy and higher quality of living. In 2019, New York City passed Sustainable Roofing Laws, which require solar or green roof installation on new roof constructions or large-scale roof replacements. In 2016, Denver, Colorado voters passed the Green Roofing Ordinance which requires all new roof builds and replacements over 25,000 sq. feet to require a green roofing component like reflective roofing, planted roofs, or solar panels.

The pledge also lines up with the Solar4Buildings effort, which calls for solar panel installation on all buildings in the EU. Jasmin Duregger of Greenpeace Austria applauds the efforts by the new Austrian government but recognizes solar panels won’t fix everything. “Energy demand is still rising,” said Duregger. “Only an effective energy-efficiency law can guarantee that we not only cover rising energy demand with solar power, but also replace and phase out fossil fuels.”

Roofer lays shingles
By Roofing Guides 0 Comments

Colorado State Team Heading to Roofing Alliance Competition Finals

The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) and its sister organization the Roofing Alliance recently announced the five finalists in its 2020 Construction Management Student Competition. Eight colleges participated in the year’s sixth challenge. The five finalists were picked based on their written proposals. Colorado’s own Colorado State University and their Department of Construction Management qualified as a finalist.

The annual contest is meant to encourage a new generation of construction managers and innovative thinkers in the growing roofing market by requiring professional and thorough roofing proposals.

What is the Construction Management Student Competition?

The annual competition was formed out to test groups of college students on their roofing knowledge, project management skills, and presentation skills. This year’s competition is submitting a quote and bid package for a new roof system at the Ford Center. The Ford Center in Frisco, TX, is home to the Dallas Cowboy’s world headquarters and houses the team’s indoor practice facility.

The roof was originally designed and constructed by KPost Roofing and Waterproofing of Dallas, TX.

The competition requires the different teams to fully research the facility, review the plans and specs of proposed construction, and resemble an accurate price quote along with a bid proposal package. The tools and skills learned for the competition helps mold a new generation of construction professionals and is judged by the Roofing Alliance.

The five finalists will meet at the Roofing Expo in Dallas to present their proposals to the Roofing Alliance. The winners will be announced at the NRCA Industry Awards ceremony.

The Construction Management Student Competition finalists to present at the expo include:

Auburn University, The McWhorter School of Building Science. Team Captain: Rachel Nemecek, Faculty Advisor: Lauren Redden, Team Mentor: Kyle Thomas (Thomas Roofing Co.)

Clemson University. Team Captain: Brad Smith, Faculty Advisor: Dr. Dhaval Gajjar Team Mentor: Nicholas Hotze (Guy Roofing Inc.)

Colorado State University, Department of Construction Management: Team Captain: Brendan Phelan, Faculty Advisor: Nick Rubino, Team Mentor: Kent Nelson (Front Range Roofing Systems LLC.)

Texas A&M University Team Captain: Tyler Stivers Faculty Advisor: Lance Simms, Team Mentor: Mark Standifer (King of Texas Roofing Company.)

University of Florida, School of Building Construction. Team Captain: Tony Centro Faculty Advisor: Jim Sullivan, Team Mentor: Rob Springer (Springer-Peterson Roofing + Sheet Metal, Inc.)

If you are in the Dallas area you can see the roofing expo and the student competitors at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on February 5, 2020. You can learn more about the student competition by visiting the Roofing Alliance website at RoofingAlliance.net.

new shingles on roof
By General Information • Roofing Tips 0 Comments

9 Tips for Choosing Asphalt Shingles

There are dozens of different asphalt shingle styles, cuts, and varieties. You have plenty of material to choose from but how can you whittle your list down to a more manageable situation? Let’s learn nine tips on choosing asphalt shingles.

  1. Environmental Factors

Environmental factors play the largest role in your shingle’s lifespan. You must choose a shingle that matches your environment, or you’ll replace your roof every few years. Lots of hail? Choose an impact resistant shingle. Is it cold? Choose a thick shingle.

  1. Sun Exposure

How much sun is your home exposed to? If you live in a high-sun state you might be better off with a cool, reflective, or light-colored roof. Energy-star certified shingles are the best at dealing with high sun exposure.

  1. Color

You can match the trim on your home or complement its paint color. Grab sample boards or use new software to see what your home would look like with several different colors. The roof might be up there for multiple decades, you better like the color.

  1. Cut

What type of cut you’d like can help narrow your shingle options. You’ll need 3-tabs for a uniform cut, dimensional shingles for more variety, and a luxury shingle if you want to mimic the sawed-off look of wood shake.

  1. Depth

The thicker the shingle is the more depth it provides. Triple-laminate asphalt shingles are among the thickest which means they create the most depth and shadows. Depth is necessary for regal style homes.

  1. Warranty

There are several different shingle warranties, but you must choose a shingle with the right warranty for your house. Look into upgraded warranties for more confidence in your roof’s lifespan. Warranties have lots of fine print so take your time when researching them.

  1. Brand

Like any other products shingle brands range in quality. Talk to your local roofer about different brands of shingles, what they like to install, and why. Many shingle brands are comparable but there are differences.

  1. HOA

If you’re in an HOA double-check on what type of roof materials you can install. Your HOA might have a pre-approved list which can drastically shorten your shingle search.

  1. What Can Your Roofer Do?

Here’s the truth – most major shingle brands are comparable. They all have their drawbacks and benefits, but one major brand is not head and shoulders above the rest. Rather than reviewing brands, ask your local roofer what they’re certified to install. Choosing a certified roofer to install your shingle will give the best overall product.

Use these tips and the help of your local roofing contractor to choose your perfect shingle. The above tips are helpful but it takes a roofers’ local knowledge to be certain you picked right.