Headaches we have experienced using asphalt shingles

We hope this letter will save someone experiencing some of the aggravation, expense, internal damages and headaches we have experienced using asphalt shingles.

Our home built in 1984, had its roof finished with asphalt shingles. Within ten years we started to experience leaking around flashings resulting in a rosewood chest having to be refinished and stippled ceilings in several areas of our home having to be repainted. By 1995 we reluctantly gave in to the realization our roof needed replacing and started shopping for a new roof. In May 1996 we re-roofed our 11-year-old home using IKO’s “Aristocrat” asphalt shingles which were rated at 25 years (cost $3321.28). Unfortunately, when the roofing contractor ordered the shingles they did not order enough, and the finished roof ended up with a distinctly different colored patch at the front of our very long roof which extends from the peak of our house to the front of the garage. At the time I was assured a year of sun bleaching should rectify the color variation, but if it didn’t, I was to call them to arrange to have it rectified.

One year later our “new” roof still looked “patched,” and a call was made to the roofing company who arranged a meeting with a senior representative of IKO, the president of the roofing company and myself. Following that meeting, I received a letter from IKO telling me the guarantee did not cover “color.” The IKO letter Included an offer of approximately $500.00 so that I could deal with MY problem on my one-year-old, Aristocrat (26 years) shingle roof. Upon receipt of that letter, I contacted the roofing contractor, told them about the letter and informed them they would not be hearing from me again but would hear from a lawyer on my behalf. Boy, did that get things happening! Fortunately for us, the roofing contractor stood by us, and the “color” matter was satisfactorily resolved by November 1997. Unfortunately, we experienced significant interior leaking in December 1997 following a very wet heavy snow. The leaking was so bad it was “raining” from the light in our front entrance, and our front door froze shut! The result to us was more inconvenience, more damage, more shabby cosmetic repairs by a fellow provided by the roofing contractor but at last, it looked like our roofing problems were behind us.

In July of 1998, Northwest Calgary was hit by a severe hailstorm. My husband’s worse fear was the storm would have knocked 15 of the 25 years off the life our “new roof.” That storm obliterated our roof, and the insurance adjuster’s first comment was that the roof would need replacing. During the summer and fall of 1998, it was almost impossible to get a roof installed, and we seriously questioned the quality of work that we saw around us.

February of 1999 arrived with us still in need of a new roof, so we went roof shopping at The Home and Garden Show where we met Ted Rector of Interlock Industries (Alberta) Ltd. Several of Interlock’s competitors couldn’t even be bothered to take the time to talk to us. Those that did speak to us were selling asphalt (paper or fibreglass) shingles. Within a week Ted came to our home, and we had arranged to get a roof to solve our problems finally.

Our new roof tile in charcoal gray is now on our home. We love the look! The installers were a super group of very considerate fellows. Clean-up by Interlock’s installers was very thorough. I wish all of our roofing experiences could have been as pleasant as our dealings thus far with Interlock and its representatives!