Part of providing quality service is educating our clients we hope that you find some of the information below helpful in determing how to proceed with your next project. As always if you have questions or need consulting please call us to assist in planning the correct solution for you.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Now is the time to increase your home's energy efficiency, lower your taxes and utility bills and reduce your impact on the environment. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act entitles you to an energy tax credit of up to $1,500 on energy-efficient building materials like insulation and roofing.

You can take the energy tax credit in 2009 and/or 2010 and you'll save money for years to come! According to the ENERGY STAR® program, installing adequate insulation or adding a solar reflective roof can save you money on utility bills. And you'll be reducing your carbon footprint by using less oil, gas and electricity.

CertainTeed cool roofing products form a barrier between the sun and your energy bills by reducing your roof's temperature during the hottest months of the year. And that means lower energy costs (as much as 20%) and greater savings over the life of your roof. Plus, each of CertainTeed's cool roofing products, Landmark Solaris™ (all colors), Landmark™ (Silver Birch, Mist White and Star White), Star White in our CT20™, XT25™, XT30™ product lines, CoolStar low-slope roofing, and our white granule low-slope roofing products when installed on slopes greater than 2"/12" qualify for a rebate under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

Additional Details:
* Tax credit for 30% of the cost of energy-efficient products up to a lifetime cap of $1,500.
* The tax credit applies to the cost of materials only (not installation costs).
* At the present time, this credit is available for 2009 and 2010.
* Homeowner must save receipts and provide a Manufacturer's Certification Statement.
* IRS Tax Form 5695 (2009 version) is the form the homeowner will use to apply for the tax credit.

What are Architectural Roofing Shingles?

In recent years, enhancements to the dimensional shingle have resulted in a new generation of high-quality asphalt roofing products with distinctive, often dramatic, appearances. With these advancements came a new name: architectural roofing shingles. Also known as laminated or dimensional shingles, architectural roofing shingles are among the highest quality roofing products made.

Traditionally, they are composed of a heavy fiber glass mat base and ceramic-coated mineral granules that are tightly embedded in carefully refined, water-resistant asphalt.

Architectural roofing shingles provide a stunning three-dimensional appearance. Some of the most attractive architectural roofing shingles simulate cedar wood shakes. These shingles are quite thick with random slots similar to real shakes. Another unique architectural shingle design imitates the look of slate without the weight issues that normally accompany those materials. These architectural roofing shingles do not require any additional roof support as slate would.

Because of their extra thickness, architectural roofing shingles weigh more than conventional asphalt-based shingles and have longer warranties. Weights run up to about 480 pounds per square (100 square feet of roof area) and can carry up to a lifetime warranty.