Don't leave your Glock out in the sun

[TMan]

In 2005 in a sheer stroke of genius I decided that if polymer was good enough for a Glock (and clones), it should be great for a roof. So at a cost of $32,000 I had a Lamarite roof installed.

Over the last few years I've noticed little pieces of plastic on the ground. Since plastic doesn't grow out of the ground, like rocks do in front of my lawn mower, I figured it must be coming from the roof.

It turns out that the UV rays from the sun cause the plastic to become brittle. Since the shingles had a 50 year warranty, I contacted TAMKO and they had me send a sample of one of the shingles to them. I then got an offer from them to reimburse me the $32,000. All I had to do is sign a release and get it notarized.

With great glee I called the owner of the local roofing company that had helped me with the claim. He said: "don't sign it. Prices have gone up, let me send you a replacement estimate."

He sent me an estimate of $49,000, which includes removable and replacement of the lightning arrestors. I submitted it to Tamko and just got a letter saying that they would pay the $49,000 if I signed a release.

What to be learned here is that UV rays have nasty effects on plastics. So don't leave your polymer gun out in the sun.

Now if I could just win over this pneumonia that I can't seem to shake.

[blueglass]

You could probably do metal for a lot cheaper I would think and it comes with a 75 year warranty I believe. Cedar is a lifetime material also and really looks great on any roof. Should also be a lot cheaper I would suspect as well. Don't know how well asphalt shingels would holdup in your climate but cheaper yet again.

[MLB]

I like the metal roof idea. I wonder if they make an aluminum roof.

[5ontarget]

Lesson learned about some cedar roofing from a friend of mine. There was a house fire in a really nice upscale neighborhood and most had cedar shake roofing. The wind blew spark/ash to the nearby houses and they burned too.
I looked at slate, copper, true standing seam for my old farmhouse about 10yrs ago. They were all about the same price....too much for me. I have a lifetime asphalt shingle on the house now. If only the roofers flashed the back chimney better...
I just put a new roof on one of the barns last summer, boy did that change the look of the barn. Now I have to reside it too. The old wood siding has about had it.

["DoubleAction"]

Jun 7, 2013 21:49:10 GMT -5 MLB said:

I like the metal roof idea. I wonder if they make an aluminum roof.

"Make Shingles and Siding Out of Aluminum Cans (Beer Can Roof)"

www.instructables.com/id/Make-Shingles-and-Siding-Out-of-Aluminum-Cans-Bee/

[blueglass]

You only do a metal roof once in our lifetimes and I do believe the prices have come down a lot since they were 1st introduced to the public. I did one many years ago on a Community center that I built and it still looks like new.

[TMan]

OK, I'm over the pneumonia. However, I'm really busy building new Ham Radio hardware. www.elecraft.com

TAMCO has agreed to pay the full $49,005, but I have yet to receive the check.

I can't go with a metal roof because I have antennas in the attic. Because of the HMOA I can't have a visible antenna so I can't erect a visible vertical that could use the metal roof as a big ground-plain.

[blueglass]

How about Slate as its also a very long lasting material for roofing products. You should be able to find a really good material for a lot less then that figure I suspect. Any savings is better in your pocket then theirs of course.

[TMan]

Slate is probably a good idea if it isn't too heavy. The other thing is that the HOA has to approve of the material. What a PIA the HOA is. I've been waiting for them to complain about my lighting arrestors, but they never have. If they tell me to have them removed, I'll tell them that they better have good insurance because I will sue the snot out of them if my house gets hit again.

I got the check this week for $49,005 from Tamko. My wife has delayed her trip home until the 30th. She will then be home for two weeks, and I'll have them put the new roof on then. First I want to put a skylight over my workshop that is upstairs over the garage.