Interlock Roofing?

cyclefitz

Has anyone done any business with Interlock roofing co,......I would like some input from anyone who has had a roof installed by them....Do you think their product is better than conventional roofing material.....I am a plumber so it is out of my scope of work...what is the average life of a fiberglass shingle in the northeast?...thanks

pgriz

We compete against them. The product is decent. Their sales pitch is too high-pressure for my taste, and you have usually no control over which crew or subcontractor ends up doing your roof. Good crew, good results. Bad crew, ... well you know. We've seen some good installations with their product, and also some pretty horrendous ones (which we were hired to repair).

My usual advice has been to find the best roofer you can afford, check the references they give for installations at least 3 years back, make sure you know who will INSTALL the roof, and go with the product(s) they recommend. A local guy who owns the business and who's been doing it for a number of years is usually preferable to the fast-talking slick salesman/woman. Anyone who wants you to sign on the spot, without giving you the time to do due diligence, should be sent packing. But that's my opinion.

pgriz

"The only good metal roof is a solderable metal."

Jim, I'd have to disagree with you. We've installed aluminum shingles, granulated steel shingles, painted steel shingles, and steel panels with locking seams. My crew (which includes two tinsmiths) has installed copper, tern, lots of torch-on and quite a few asphalt shingle roofs. The quality of the roof depends on the quality of the installation, and the care with which the roof is prepared. So, good workmen who know their products and their trade, will give good results no matter what the material is.

I also cooperate/compete with several other local roofers who I respect and whose work I have seen. On some jobs we're competitors, but we also send jobs to each other if we think that a particular job requires expertise that the other one has. That said, there are also some companies that bring disrepute to our trade, and those we'd like to see disappear. However, coackroaches have a way of surviving.

joasis

I have put on a few hundred metal roofs, none soldered, and they are holding up great.

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RooferJim

Then I would ask you this. What are the flashing details if the roof is choped up with skylights ,pipes,dormers,etc ? are the flashings and corners based on caulk or gasket tape ?? are your roofs on the ocean ? when a bird lands or a brach hits the roof does it rust ?

Thanks

pgriz

Each metal system has somewhat different flashing details. We have not had a straight gable-to-gable roof in years, so most of them are chopped up with dormers, valleys, slope transitions, vent pipes, skylights, etc. We use sealants (not caulking) in those places where you just cannot water-proof it otherwise, like around vent pipes and certain metal-to-metal joins. Everywhere else, there is a system of flashings that are specific to each situation. This is the area, in fact, which distinguishes workers in metal from those who are used to working with asphalt roofs - there are many more flashing details involved with metal roofs, and they have to be done right to do the job. This knowledge is ideally picked up during formal training sessions, followed by an apprenticeship or tutoring period.

A number of my aluminum shingle roofs are on the ocean (Atlantic-Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Pacific - Vancouver & Vancouver Island, and Caribbean - Jamaica, Trinidad), with no ill effects. No we did not install these - they were installed by dealers of ours or homeowners themselves.

The cut edges of the steel panels have to be treated appropriately to ensure that rust does not appear. For painted steel, the surface damage must penetrate the paint, the primer, the galvanized (or galvalume) layer before getting to the iron. So while steel panels do rust, usually it's poor workmanship that allows rusting to occur prematurely. With aluminum, rusting does not occur, but other forms of corrosion (such as galvanic) need to be anticipated and prevented.

I have also had DIY customers buy our aluminum roof system and get beautiful results. It's not the material, it's the workman/woman who determine the quality of the result.

Jim, I've been on your website, and see you work with tile, slate and cedar. All of those have details that have to be done right for the system to work. Metal is no different. If your opinion is based on seeing examples of metal roofs leaking or worse, then I suggest that you're also seeing examples of poor workmanship. With the possible exception of organic asphalt shingles, if you install any system with the techniques appropriate to that system, and follow good roofing methodology, the system will work well.

RooferJim

Some good points no doubt. Sealant is just another word for caulking is it not ? We have a full metal shop and on occasion do install metal roofs. This year we did a standing seam 16.oz. copper roof on a high end residential but mostly it is just bay windows and a farmers porch on occasion. How many years will the sealant last untill it has to be recaulked ?
thanks
JB

tinner666

Soldering isn't the only answer, even on copper roofs. None of my detail work here was soldered.


I believe you can blend tin, steel, copper, slate, and shingle roof details for a good job. My dorma side panels were turned up 4" on the walls, and merged into the drip-edge at the top. The valleys had fully soldered locking strips and were also given 3/8" play so they wouldn't pull on the locking strips. After looking at these details on my roofs and others, I left an opening at the bottom of the valleys for any water trapped at the lock-strip to run out. I do the same on steel.

I did solder the flat-lock at the corner of the chimney.



The bottom corners of the dormas and chimney don't need solder. There are no joints there. No sealants there either.

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Frank Slate Roof Repairs, Richmond, Va.

pgriz

Caulking is usually silicone-based, and I would not expect them to have good elasticity or adhesion past 5-10 years, especially under UV exposure. Sealants are usually polyurethane-based, and last between 10 and 20 years if exposed to the sun and longer if not exposed to UV. I am familiar with the sealants from Sonenborn (NP-1 and Sonolastic-150), and we use them on a regular basis. Before settling onto the Sonenborn products we did extensive testing of various products in which we put the caulks or sealants between different thicknesses of metal, and tried to separate them over periods of time ranging from one day to one year (obviously, different samples for each time period). The ones from Sonenborn gave us consistently the best results (greatest elongation before breaking, greatest adhesion, best curing throughout the sealant bead, etc.).

Recently, I've become aware of the ChemLink products and we will be putting these through the tests to see if they are comparable or superior to the Sonenborn products.

However, we probably use only a couple of tubes of sealant on each roof, mainly around vent pipes, and similar openings. Most of the water resistance is carried out by intelligent use of flashings and forming of the metal. I have a patent of a series of flashings with built-in drains or gutters, that perform very effectively in a wide range of conditions.

An example of a really complicated roof that was done with our material and our flashings is the geodesic dome like the one here:

Here's another:

RooferJim

Some great pictures there, thanks for sharing. We also like Sonnaborn as well as Tremco Dymonic. in our counterflashing at a chimney we use Limestone because it looks just like mortor and tools into the reglets nicely. Are those horazontal panel joints just lapped or are they flat locked ? Nice to see you take pride through, thats half the battle.
Best Regards
RooferJim

www.jbennetteroofing.com

pgriz

Our shingles are interlocked on all four sides. The basic 4-way interlocking design has been around since about 1946, and has been used by many companies, including Interlock, Classic, Atco, Metalworks, Permalock, etc. Each company implements the basic design in somewhat different ways. There are also designs that feature top and bottom locks and side overlaps, that date back to the early 1920's. A current manufacturer using this approach is Zappone.

Thanks for the compliments on the photos - we definitely take pride in our work. However, when you are fortunate to have good people, good work is the rule, not the exception.

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Paul
http://www.easymetalroofing.com
http://www.prsroofing.ca

tinner666

Beautiful work pgriz

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Frank Slate Roof Repairs, Richmond, Va.

pgriz

Thanks tinner! I've always admired your work, and a compliment from you is high praise - but the real credit goes to my team who do outstanding work whether or not I'm around. I've been really fortunate to come across the current team members.

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Paul
http://www.easymetalroofing.com
http://www.prsroofing.ca

747

bonjour,I really like the blue roof.

metalroofguy

Interlock is a huge company, and in my opinion they have a great product.
They use alumium shingle based systems that can really last a long time, if they are properly installed. The biggest issue with doing business with them is that you as a customer, have no way of knowing what crew will actually be doing work on your roof. Like any other big business they have good and bad crews / sub contractors. So yes, the product is great, and ultimately it comes down to the quality of work that a particular crew will do. Some of them may be great, others not as great. Good luck!

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http://www.newenglandmetalroof.com

SunshineRoofing

pgriz - what type of product do you sell for these applications near the ocean? I'm near the ocean here in FL, my available suppliers here won't warranty the product unless it's Kynar 500 coated. This drives the price up, and it seems to me others usually get the job using inferior products. Not sure if they're not being honest about warranty length or if I am missing something.

Thanks................Chuck

red_cedar

I have over a period of some years come to appreciate them some. Not with some of their installations but with price. Many times I have priced against them, sometimes winning sometimes losing the jobs.
Most guys this past year have been nothing but low ballers, ruining and lowering the standards in the industry. Lieing salesman and substandard work that will not show itself until the warranty runs out or the underlayment gives way is what is out there.
Metal roofing, whether or not its a solderable metal or not relies on a good installation to withstand the test of time. Most times, details and trim take time.
At least Interlock is not doing jobs for the least amount possible.

I for one would like to see them stay.

pgriz

Kynar 500 is a PVDF paint (polyvinylimidine fluoride), which has excellent UV resistance. It's a licensed product, and the license holders are keeping the price up (good old free market at work - the world wants the performance, so charge what the market will bear). There are some competitors, but none with the market recognition that Kynar has. The real issue in my mind is whether the paint film is continuous (ie, completely covering the metal), or whether there are cracks and other breaks in the film that could allow salt to penetrate to the metal. The field reports are all over the place - some claim damage to just about any metal, while others claim little or no damage. I don't live close to the ocean so I can't give you personal experience or observation. We do have some customers who installed our product close to the ocean, and so far have not reported any problems, but whether that is due to the quality of the product, or just a happy coincidence, I can't say.

As for warranties, most companies use warranties as marketing tools, implicitly promising performance (40-years! 50 years! Lifetime!) without actually promising too much. A well-informed consumer will read the warranty documents very carefully, including all the conditions and limitations, and should ask the appropriate questions. Those who don't do this due diligence are engaging in wishful or magical thinking, but then again, we see time and again people not wanting to know too much lest it cause them to have doubts about reaching their dreams.

As far as losing jobs to people using inferior products, several possibilities occur to me: 1) the customers know and don't care; 2) the customers don't understand, but don't care enough to find out; 3) the customers haven't understood why a better quality product is worth the money.
The first one, you can't do much about. The second one is usually a price shopper (knows the price of everything and the value of nothing), while the third presents you with an opportunity to do an educational "sell". Is your solution genuinely better than the competitions? If so, you should be able to convince those customers who appreciate value. But which customers you go after depends on your setup. Not every customer is of equal value to you.

Returning to the original subject of "Interlock Roofing", it's the quality of installation that will determine the quality of the end result. If that company (or any company, for that matter) wants quality installations, it knows what it has to do to get them. If there is a disconnect between what is promised and what is delivered, then it is usually a signal for management to do something to bring the two in line with each other. However, if the same problems persist year after year, then you can draw the appropriate conclusions.

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Paul
http://www.easymetalroofing.com
http://www.prsroofing.ca

newengland

I suggested a customer use Interlock to install a lifetime repair free, roof to her 100 year old mansard roof 3 family. Roof looks, great, awesome product, but as someone said in a previous threat, you don't know who is going to install it. As the general contractor who was remodeling the interior and exterior accept for the roof of course, I could not speak Spanish which was all accept for one or two of the roofing contractors could speak when they showed up to do the work. One a few could speak English and it was very broken English. They attacked the roof with about 10-12 guys. Had it done in about a weeks time but am still dealing with there horrible customer service since they flashed a window wrong and can't seem to fix it. Flashing is pitched towards the window sill, water puddles there and leaks back into the house. I hate to fix it myself as that would void her warranty on the roof. First attempt by Interlock was a bs excuse that the windows were replaced and someone else caused the flashing to look as it does. Nice excuse but the windows were replacement style, nothing on the exterior was touched.