Time and again, news reports detailing the aftermath of a severe storm have shown that those who survived best were the ones well prepared for the storm. Parents advise their children to take a jacket saying, “It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.” The same could be said to someone who questions the value of a shingle roof system that is highly resistant to wind.

Roofing contractors know that a durable roof is the first line of defense against a storm. We know that even the loss of one piece of roof materials can cause internal damage to a home and its content, which is usually many times greater to repair than the cost of purchasing high-rated wind resistant shingles.

Offering products and services that can reduce any risks that the roof and house may be damaged in a severe storm should be the top priority for any roofing contractor. Loss of shingles can lead to water leaking into the house from above. The results can be collapsed ceilings, water soaked walls, and potential mold growth inside the house, which is a potential health hazard as well. And the longer the leak goes unchecked the more likely extensive mold growth is going to require gutting the entire house by removing all drywall. Welcome to a homeowner’s worst nightmare!

A properly installed shingle roof with newer, high-wind rated products, has a much greater chance to withstand severe storms. As an example, Atlas warrants its StormMaster® Slate, StormMaster® Shake and Pinnacle® roof shingles to withstand winds up to 130 mph. The StormMaster® lines meet the performance characteristics of UL 2218 and are also rated Class 4, the highest impact resistance rating available.

Yes, it’s true that a shingle roof system that can withstand winds up to 130 mph may have more of a front-end cost to the homeowner. However, it is much like the classic advertisement in which a mechanic stresses the importance of buying a new oil filter as opposed to a new engine. He holds up the filter and says, “You can pay me now,” then points to a car with a ruined engine, “or you can pay me later.” That scenario could easily be changed to a roofing contractor showing a very wind-resistant shingle, such as the Atlas Roofing StormMaster® and Pinnacle®, and then pointing at a homeowner that lost his roof and most of his home’s contents. “You can pay a little more now or a lot more later.”