Oh, Hail! Mother Nature Strikes Again
She did it again. Mother Nature brought her fury down on another home. This time her hail actually split real wood roofing shakes and damaged copper valleys. To even the score, the Heidenreich family installed an impact-resistant synthetic shake roof from DaVinci Roofscapes.
Bold Black Oak
Built in 1987, the Heidenreich’s sprawling Georgia home includes a pool house. There’s also a long, covered sitting area. All were damaged during a 2021 hail storm. The traditional cedar wood shake roofing, which was original to the home, was also destroyed. It was a shame, because the cedar roof had weathered just the way the homeowners liked it.
Fortunately, when Greater American Roofing offered a composite solution for the damaged roof, they also suggested a color the homeowners liked: Black Oak. Oftentimes the color reminds people of natural cedar shingles saturated with moisture and mold for many years. The color tells the story of dark, aged cedar on a home, just like the Heidenreich house.
“The mature, almost black bark color looks terrific against the white brick,” says Al Watterson, vice president of Greater American Roofing. “The homeowner looked at the entire portfolio of colors during the decision process. The bold color pattern of the Black Oak captured him. It accentuates the curb appeal of the house. Especially with the native pine timber surrounding the property.”
Synthetic Select Shake
How did the homeowner and roofer decide on impact-resistant synthetic shake from DaVinci? It happened just like so many other projects.
“I wanted something that would look similar to our old cedar roof,” says Ben Heidenreich. “However, I wanted less maintenance and a longer lifespan. I looked at the DaVinci website and loved the look of Select Shake from the photos I saw. In addition, the warranty, impact- and fire-resistancy are all very appealing.”
When Watterson met with Heidenreich, the conversation flowed easily. Both men were focused on the DaVinci product as a solution to the hail-damaged roof.
“The Select Shake product was identical to the current shake style on Ben’s roof,” says Watterson. “The look was there. The durability was there. The impact-resistancy was there. The low maintenance aspect clearly made it the choice for this project.”
Custom Work from a Custom Roofer
The attractive design of the Heidenreich home means there are several valleys around all sides. The roofing crew carefully prepared to ensure balance and uniformity of the composite shake placements. Many cuts were required for the copper pieces around the shakes for the valley work. Custom double W copper valleys, drip edge, counter, step flashing and dead valley pans were all created by the roofing team.
“The project took 11 working days,” says Watterson. “That includes the back pool house area. We used 82 squares of product. The result is truly stunning. This is our first DaVinci project, but I’m sure it won’t be our last.
“The new roof made such a dramatic change to the home that it’s the envy of all the neighbors. It’s a real showstopper. The homeowner is a real estate broker. I’m sure he recognizes the increase in his home value this new roof brings to his property.”
According to Heidenreich, he is indeed pleased with the outcome. “The Greater American Roofing team did a terrific job on this project,” says Heidenreich. “I’d recommend them to my friends and neighbors. In addition, I’d also tell them to consider the DaVinci product. It’s a great alternative to natural roofing products!”