Why standard shingles lose to East Texas hail
Tyler sits on the edge of Tornado Alley. Strong storms here aren't an occasional surprise, they're part of living in the area, and hail and flying debris do most of the damage. A standard shingle isn't built to take hit after hit.
When a stone strikes a shingle that can't absorb it, the mat cracks or splits. You rarely see it from the ground. The break lets water in, and the leak shows up weeks later as a stain on a ceiling. Impact resistant shingles are made to take the blow instead of breaking apart, which is what usually leads to those leaks.
Standard shingles aren't bad. In this part of Texas they just tend to wear out faster, because the same roof gets hit by hail and high winds season after season.
How the Steele crew picks and installs a Class 4 shingle
We stick with brands that have a track record in East Texas, not whatever looks good on paper. That means IKO Nordic, CertainTeed's Landmark ClimateFlex and Grand Manor, Atlas StormMaster Shake and Pinnacle Impact, and Malarkey, all Class 4 asphalt lines. If you want metal's staying power without the metal look, Tilcor stone-coated steel is the other direction, and we'll talk through both with you.
The inspector walks your current roof first and marks any hail damage in chalk, so the conversation starts with what your roof has actually taken. Then the crew tears off to the decking, repairs what's soft, lays underlayment and installs the new system to the manufacturer's spec.
Some homeowners see insurance savings after upgrading to Class 4. It depends on your policy and your carrier, so we never promise a number. What we can do is gather the proof your insurer asks for, and we handle that paperwork so you aren't left chasing it.
Keeping an impact resistant roof honest
Class 4 doesn't mean a roof is hail-proof. It means the shingle is far less likely to crack or fracture, so the roof should last longer in storm-heavy areas than a standard one. It still needs checking after a big hailstorm, because flashing, vents and ridge caps are not rated shingles.
The Steele Shield plan sends an inspector back twice a year, and a free roof inspection after any storm tells you whether the roof held up. Not sure whether to upgrade now or wait? We'll look at your current roof and help you decide, with no pressure either way.
