Asphalt Roof System Helps Protect Home Against the Elements While Raising Curb Appeal

The Topsail Residence is a private estate in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Its roof encompasses approximately 10,600 square feet. Photo: Reliant Roofing

The Topsail Residence is a private estate in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Its roof encompasses approximately 10,600 square feet. Photo: Reliant Roofing

With the sunshine state regularly experiencing a beautiful and warm subtropical climate, it’s no surprise that Florida ranks second in the United States for tourism, ranking only behind California. However, actually living in this paradise has challenges of its own — extreme humidity, powerful winds and torrential rains can test the limits of any roofing system. To keep pace with Florida’s erratic weather conditions, proper roof design, installation and maintenance are paramount. The Topsail Residence, a private estate in Ponte Vedra Beach, is a testament to how selecting the right roofing system makes a world of difference.

Previously, the homeowners had an extensive addition on their property, which consisted of adding a new two-story section to the home. A short time after remodel, the roof began to leak, causing widespread damage as well as unsightly water spots throughout the home.

The homeowners sought the expertise of Pillar to Post Home Inspectors, who discovered issues with the roof. They quickly recognized such frequent and substantial leaking required immediate attention before other, bigger problems occurred. So, they suggested the homeowners contact a roofing contractor for a further assessment.

“After inspection, the problem immediately became apparent,” says Sean Shapiro, CEO of Reliant Roofing, the Jacksonville, Florida-based company hired to install the new roof. “We found torn shingles, signs of extensive foot and ladder traffic, and leaks.”

The roofing system appeared to lack some of the key components required for weather resilience and durability, according to Shapiro. “In some areas, there was no flashing installed whatsoever, allowing rainwater the perfect leak point to pour into the home,” Shapiro notes. “The problem was just as bad where the second story met the roof below. The water was free to run through every nook and cranny. Every aspect of a proper installation of a roofing system is important, especially something as essential as flashing.”

The contiguous U.S. average annual rainfall is 32.1 inches, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Jacksonville received 65.91 inches of rainfall in 2017 –more than double the contiguous national average, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Living only 22 miles southeast of the city, the homeowners needed a roofing system that would help to protect them against Florida’s high winds and frequent rainstorms. Reliant had the solution — a new asphalt shingle roof.

A new roof system featuring GAF Grand Canyon Lifetime Designer Shingles was installed by Reliant Roofing in 2017. Photo: Reliant Roofing

“The homeowners didn’t feel comfortable just patching the leaks. They wanted protection against future leaks and the area’s common threats: high winds and stormy weather,” Shapiro says. “Therefore, we recommended installing a completely new roofing system with designer asphalt shingles.”

Reliant began by tearing off the shingles on both the older and newer sections of the roof, bringing in two full teams to tackle all 10,600 square feet. Having dealt with numerous high-wind conditions on other roofing projects, Reliant chose GAF Grand Canyon Lifetime Designer Shingles in the color Stone Wood to provide the homeowners with a durable, long-lasting shingle, a key component of a beautiful new asphalt roofing system.

“When it storms in Florida, it storms,” added Shapiro. “We wanted to install a system that could withstand torrential downpours and high winds. Additionally, it was hard to overlook the durability shingles provided at an affordable cost.”

GAF Timbertex Premium Ridge Caps were installed on the hips and ridges to provide leak protection with extra dimensions to complement the roof. Reliant hand sealed every hip and ridge cap shingle and used GAF StormGuard Self-Adhering Leak Barrier to help protect the roof deck. Crews also installed custom counterflashing to address any potential defects in the stucco. Thanks to Reliant’s craftsmanship and the shingles’ ease of installation, the homeowners received a beautiful new asphalt roofing system in just five days.

The new asphalt roof will not only help to protect the homeowners against the elements and restore their comfort of living, but also provide them incredible curb appeal for years to come.

For their work on the Topsail Residence project, Reliant Roofing received the Quality Asphalt Roofing Case-Study (QARC) Silver Award from the Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA).

Each year, ARMA seeks the most beautiful, affordable and reliable asphalt roofing systems in North America. The Topsail Residence showcases how asphalt roofing provides durability and reliability in the face of harsh weather, while also providing aesthetically stunning designs.

ARMA is now accepting low and steep-slope asphalt roofing projects completed in 2018 for its 2019 Awards Program. Roofing professionals may submit multiple submissions, and there is no fee to enter. The program recognizes projects that exhibit innovation, performance and beauty, and which lead the way in roofing breakthroughs, such as advanced weather protection, green roofing or unique system design. The submission deadline is December 31, 2018.

For more information about asphalt roofing systems or to learn more about ARMA’s Awards Program, visit www.asphaltroofing.org.

Be the first to comment on "Asphalt Roof System Helps Protect Home Against the Elements While Raising Curb Appeal"

Leave a Reply