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The Truth About Roofing Shingles: Why They Don’t Last Like They Used To?

The Truth About Roofing Shingles: Why They Don’t Last Like They Used To?

Regarding our homes, the roof is one of the most critical components. It protects us from the elements, keeps us warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and is a crucial factor in the overall aesthetic of our homes. However, one thing that many homeowners may need to realize is that the roofing industry has fallen prey to the concept of planned obsolescence.

In the past, roofs were built to last for decades. The shingles were thick and durable, able to withstand harsh weather conditions and resist wear and tear. You may be asking, “why don’t they last like they used to? In recent years, most shingles on the market are designed to have less granule retention and show signs of wear and tear quickly into their lifetime.

The reduced granule retention makes shingles more vulnerable to hail, which results in more claims and higher insurance rates for homeowners. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that insurance companies are paying out more claims for hail damage. So roofing manufacturers make billions, insurance carriers make billions, and roofing contractors take a small piece of the pie. At the same time, homeowners end up paying for it.

So, what’s the solution? The answer is modified asphalt impact-resistant shingles. These shingles are specially designed to be more durable. They resist hail damage, meaning they can last much longer than traditional shingles. This is not only good for homeowners, but it also helps to reduce the number of claims made to insurance companies, which can help to lower insurance rates for everyone.
In conclusion, the concept of planned obsolescence has affected the roofing industry, and homeowners are paying the price. The good news is that there is a solution, and it’s available in the form of modified asphalt impact-resistant shingles. If you need a new roof, consider this option and speak with a professional roofing contractor to learn more about its benefits.

Brooke Sumner Avatar
Michael with Brookens was wonderful to work with in maneuvering a roof replacement due to hail damage. He was very attentive and knowledgeable. I appreciated his patience in answering all of my questions. The office staff was also great to work with! Would highly recommend!
Brooke Sumner 12/09/2022
Randy Zielicke Avatar
Chuck stopped by and offered to do a roof inspection. After I confirmed that the company was local in Appleton, I allowed him to go on the roof. He confirmed we had hail damage and provided a report to what he found. The insurance adjuster could see it from the ladder before going on the roof.
Chuck was great to work with and always professional, and very friendly. He helped us with our insurance claim, pick the right color shingle and gave us some job addresses that had our shingle choices installed that we coud see what the roof looks like completed.
The team of roofers arrived before 7 a.m. and were here to get the job done. Our 3 bedroom house with a 2 car attached garage and our 2 car garage in the back yard was completed by 12:45 pm. 5 3/4 hours to complete the job and do all of the cleanup. The roofing team did an awesome job. They new roof is perfect.
Brookens Construction is good company and I would absolutely recommend them to family and friends!
Randy Zielicke 11/11/2022
John Nelson Avatar
Brookens Construction did a roof replacement for me in June of 2022 . I met Barry who did a lengthy inspection of my roof then showed me the damage,Barry met with the insurance adjuster and got this project scheduled. A job well done from Barry to Don the project manager and his hard working roofing crew. Everything was done with Quality workmanship and materials. I was very pleased how the roof replacement went and hired them to do the roof on my mothers house. Thanks to Brookens
John Nelson 8/29/2022
Bk Shuffle Avatar
Brian McGuire was the salesman who came to our house the day after a hail storm. He was awesome and provided a detailed pdf report. The install crew was great. Cameron, the Project Manager, was on-site for the duration of the work and then performed a detailed review and walk-through of the finished work. Cameron was a great communicator abs kept us informed. Lastly, Ashley Cox was an office contact as we had questions leading up to the actual days the work was performed. Her responsiveness to our email questions went way above expectations (emailed back once at 8am on a Sunday morning). The entire experience with Brookens was terrific and would highly recommend them.
Bk Shuffle 8/26/2022
Gary Keller Avatar
We initially met with Aaron and everyone we dealt with from that point on was very professional and timely. Tyler and Norman were amazing to work with, and I can’t say enough on how Norman’s crew did installing our new roof. They tore off and installed 50+ square of roofing on a complicated roof line in just under a full day because of rain in the early morning. Constant communications and follow up has been above and beyond what I typically see from businesses today.
I highly recommend Brookens construction.
Gary Keller 8/10/2022
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