[Heyblue]

I have been talking to contractors about replacing my hail-damaged roof. One, who has excellent references and has been in business many years, is touting Owens Corning shingles and in particular Duration Dimension and Duration Premium. However, I understand there were problems with these shingles when they first came out. Also, in Consumer Reports 2009 ratings of 18 laminated shingles Duration is ranked 16th and Duration Premium 18th. The magazine did not explain their low ratings (ironically, another Owens Corning shingle, the Oakridge, is rated a “CR Best Buy.”)

The contractor invited me to look at a couple of homes with newly installed Duration and Duration Premium roofs. They look great (particularly their dimension appearance) and he claims he hasn’t had any problems with the Durations.

Would appreciate hearing from anyone with info or experience with Duration. Other recommendations?

 

[Slyfox]

I totally disagree with the roofers/contractors who stick them selves on selling one brand of shingles, no matter what manufacturer their stuck to.
All manufacturers have had their problems from time to time with certain brands they offer, but all in all Owens Corning is as good as any on the market.

The most important step in hiring a contractor is you feeling confident in them.
Second most important, you and your family will be the ones looking up at this roof for the next 25 - 30 plus years, not him, so you pick the look you can live with.

 

[MJW]

It really depends on your location. The quality of the shingle depends on where they are made. I agree that the installer should be number one, but the quality of materials should be number 2. Up here Certainteed Landmark are the one of the best quality, very easily. In other parts of the country, they are said to be one of the worst quality.

Is the Contractor the guy who will be doing the job? If not, I would only believe half of what they say. Most are using OC right now because they are on clearance prices. After that, they will switch to IKO probably. Stormers are known to be this type.

 

[apkole]

The OC Duration shingle hasn't been on the market long enough to establish a credible track record. For the contractor to say that he's not had a problem may in fact be truthful. However, if the shingle has only been on the market for less than 5 years, how much does that tell you?

The shingles we install have been on the market much longer, and have a performance track record that means something . . . .

 

[Ed the Roofer]

CR may just be a popularity report.

I don't know anyone who really knows how they come up with their ratings.

Products that should be at the bottom of the barrel in general mass opinion amongst professionals will rank highy with CR.

Take an example:

Professional Painters abhor Behr Paint from HD.

They would all choose SW, BF or Pittsburg and a few others, but CR has Behr right at the top of the pecking order.

The Oak Ridge shingles have been around for a long time and I believe the 30 year version are a decent quality, but I have seen spider webbing cracks within one years time on the 50 year versions.

Tamko Heritage is a highly reputed line without large volumes of detractors for their longevity, so thay could be a consideration too.

Same goes for Certainteed LandMark series too.

I still shy away from Timberlines from GAF, since they merged or bought out ELK and hear-tell that the weights of the 30 year architecturals hjave dropped to around 220 pounds per square, which is in the 20 year 3-tab class for weight.



Also, go look at homes the contractor did 5-10 years ago rather than brand new installs and see how they are weathering with time. Did he do them right so they still look new after 10 years or so? Mine do. But, that is due to following the specifications and even more so, upgrading the Intake and Exhaust Ventilation Systems on all of the homes that I contract for.

Ed

 

[Slyfox]

The OC Duration shingle hasn't been on the market long enough to establish a credible track record. For the contractor to say that he's not had a problem may in fact be truthful. However, if the shingle has only been on the market for less than 5 years, how much does that tell you?

The shingles we install have been on the market much longer, and have a performance track record that means something . . . .

The durations new style self sealing strip has not been around but 1 year here, but the remainder of the make up of the shingle has been time tested and proven.
Also OC did not design the Duration because the former style failed,
the former style is still in use today and had a well established quality record.

Many of Certainteeds line of shingles were re-vamped or revised during the 90's and 2000's due to all their product failures in the 80's and 90's so other than their Presidential Shakes and Land Marks were still waiting on the call for their improvements.

Tamko also did some changes in the 90's, but again, is was to improve on what was all ready quality materials, not to re-vise failed ones.

Gaf is getting bad feed back right now because they bought out ELK,
which Elk was not a failing business due to poor quality tho, they held their own for many years and the sale to Gaf was simply a profit making venture.
Gaf did not revise/revamp their products during the merge of the companies, other than changing wrapper design.
(atleast from what I have read on their website and in news letters)

Don't get stuck looking for perfection in an unperfect world,
find a quality contractor you feel confident in, let them help you choose a quality material and make sure evrything from the estimated cost too the coverage of his guarantee is in writing.