What is a presidential shingle, and should you invest in the upgrade?

Presidential shake type shingles are a luxury class shingle with the look of a cedar shake roof. This is a plus, especially in our Colorado Springs area and surrounding areas since roofers are no longer permitted to install cedar shake roofing systems. Cedar shakes were known to be a fire hazard, but presidential type shingles are rated class A. The industry’s highest fire rating. Presidential shingles give homes a very sophisticated look and can slightly increase the value of the property!

There are a few different classes or types of presidential shingles depending on the shingle manufacturer you choose. You have your normal presidential shingles, you have your presidential IR type, which is an impact resistant shingle and then you also have the presidential TL type shingle. TL is a tri laminate shingle. Tri laminate presidential shingles have three layers and happen to be the heaviest type of shingle available. 

There are a few different shingle manufacturing companies that offer presidential type shingles.

One of Integrity Roofing and Painting’s favorite happens to be Certainteed Presidential Shake. Our team also prefers GAF’s Grand Sequoia line. These two types of presidential shingles are well known in the roofing industry. GAF happens to be the longest running manufacturer in the roofing industry, and you can read further into GAF in another blog written by Integrity Roofing and Painting, your local Colorado Springs roofer! 

Certainteed offers all three types of presidential shingles listed above including the normal shake, the impact resistant, and the tri-laminate shake look. No matter the type of presidential style you decide to have installed on your roof, they all offer a transferrable warranty which covers material and labor costs due to manufacturer defects. The warranty also covers 15 years against algae or streaking along with a 110-mph wind warranty. The wind warranty can be upgraded to up to 130 mph, but does require your local roofing contractor to install using particular materials, such as a certain type of starter and a certain type of ridge cap.

Certainteed’s Presidential shake is your most common presidential type shingle when it comes to this specific manufacturer.

The original shingle to replicate real cedar shakes. It also happens to be the most cost-efficient selection in the presidential series, while still offering that cedar shake type look to give your home that sophisticated look. Presidential shake is a two-piece laminated fiberglass-based construction with a very rustic look. These shingles are available in eight different colors to suit your likes or preferences.

If you are looking for a class four impact resistant option by Certainteed, the Presidential Shake IR is the better option for you.

The Presidential Shake IR gives your roof a little more durability during weather events such as hailstorms which is quite common in the Colorado Springs and surrounding areas. Certainteed’s Presidential Shake IR shingles hold the highest impact resistance rating in the industry. Again, some insurance companies will offer a discount off your insurance premiums by having this shingle installed on your roof. We recommend confirming this with your insurance company as all companies vary. This particular shingle is available in four different color options to choose from.

“Spoke to Teresa regarding a homeowners insurance question about the type and class of the roof Integrity installed for the previous owners of the home we just bought. Teresa not only was able to answer my question, she had my insurance company’s form on file and filled it out and forwarded it to me within a few minutes; greatly easing the transfer of info to my insurance company and saving me $300.00 a year in premiums. Her professionalism and kindness convinced me that Integrity Roofing and Painting will my first choice for any future roofing or painting needs I may have.” – Chuck C. via Google Reviews

Certainteed’s Presidential Shake TL is the industry’s thickest and heaviest shingle. It is made with three layers of material making it the toughest shingle as well. This is of course an upgraded roofing system, but definitely worth the expense. This shingle is available in seven different color options.

The GAF Grand Sequoia line offers two different types of presidential shingles.

Grand Sequoia, and Grand Sequoia Armorshield. The Grand Sequoia shingles have earned the good housekeeping seal.  Grand Sequoia is your most common out of the three available options. This type is available in seven different color options. StainGuard Protection helps ensure your roof against algae that might build up on your roofing system over time. These shingles feature DuraGrip adhesive which helps to prevent shingle blow offs in high wind events. GAF offers a lifetime limited transferable warranty with non-prorated material and installation coverage for the first ten years.

Grand Sequoia Armorshield is the impact resistant presidential type that is offered by GAF.

This type is also manufactured with the StainGuard Protection and comes with the DuraGrip adhesive that the regular Grand Sequoia is manufactured with. Grand Sequoia Armoshield is available in four different color options to suit your liking or preference. As mentioned previously, impact resistant usually helps to qualify your roof for discounted premiums. 

Overall, if you are looking to upgrade your roofing system, Certainteed’s Presidential Shake series or GAF Grand Sequoia’s line is highly recommended.

Presidential shingle roofing systems are an upgrade, so you can expect to see a slight price increase than your average asphalt shingles, but some insurance companies do offer a discount off of your premiums for having an impact resistant presidential style shingle. That might be something to check with your insurance company for further details and information on. Integrity Roofing and Painting, LLC is your local Colorado Springs roofer, in business since 1990. Give us a call for your roof inspection today! 

“Sebastian made the completion of repairing my roof super easy. The IRP team’s expertise got me an upgraded roof and the work was done is one day. Definitely will use them again when the time comes.” – Kristian B. via Google ReviewsWhat