Let’s face it, three-tab shingles suck. Back when Ami started roofing in the 1990’s, three-tab shingles were a fairly decent commodity, but over the years, the quality of these shingles has decreased. Three-tabs have a lower life expectancy (usually 20-25 years), poor adhesion, and lower wind ratings.
3-Tab | Dimensional | |
Wind Rating | 60-70 mph | 110-130 mph |
Manufacturer Warranty Years | 20-25 years | 40-Lifetime |
The real kicker is that most three-tabs are rated for 60-70 mph winds, but really blow off in 35 mph winds. If the homeowner files a warranty claim with the manufacturer, the manufacturer will deny the claim, blaming it on high winds, and tell the homeowner to contact their insurance company. The insurance company will come out and pull weather data, which shows the winds never reached 60-70 mph in that area and tell the customer it’s a manufacturer or workmanship issue. The homeowner gets caught in a revolving door, and often blames the contractor.
Who is to blame? Often times either the homeowner or the contractor ends up paying out of pocket to do the repairs, even though it is a shingle failure issue. It’s a bad look for everyone by the time it’s settled, and usually leaves a terrible taste in the homeowner’s mouth about all things roofing related.
We understand that not every homeowner can afford to upgrade to the next level of shingle, especially if they find themselves having to reinstall a roof that they had not planned on having to replace with no assistance from the insurance or the manufacturer. Because of this, at Roofer Chicks we offer some economical options to get homeowners into a dimensional (also called laminate or architectural) shingle. Dimensional shingles are usually rated for 110-130 mph winds and generally have a lifetime warranty on them. Lifetime warranty generally means as long as you own your home, and most manufacturers allow you to transfer that warranty one time in the event you sell your home.
We currently offer IKO Cambridge roofs with a three-tab hip and ridge in the colors of Dual Black and Weathered Wood at a price that is very close to the price of a three-tab shingle. At Roofer Chicks, we firmly believe that everyone wins when we can get a homeowner out of three-tab shingle: the homeowner, the contractor, the insurance company and the manufacturer. Because Roofer Chicks is an IKO certified installer, we can even increase your warranty from the out of the package warranty of 10 years to a 15-year warranty with no additional cost to you. It’s just included!
If price is a key component of your decision-making process, please ask your salesperson for some economically friendly packages! We are here to pick the roof that is best for you.
