Homeowner Association Relies on Malarkey Roofing Shingles for Enhanced Granule Adhesion  

50 squares of Malarkey’s Vista AR shingle were installed to replace another manufacturer’s shingles that had suffered severe granule loss.

Faced with reroofing three adjoining condominium housing units in the Battlecreek Commons neighborhood of Salem, Oregon, Winter Roofing Project Manager Alex Alarcon had a reliable choice in mind.

“In my experience, when I go and look on the roof, Malarkey’s shingles – even old ones – we find after 20-25 years are still holding strong,” said Alarcon. “That’s one of the reasons we prefer Malarkey: longevity.”

In many planned communities like Battlecreek Commons, homeowner associations or property management firms make decisions that impact the shared property in the community. Condominiums, apartment buildings and attached townhomes for instance, often share roofs, walls, walkways, or other amenities. Decisions on these shared resources often impact more than one homeowner, so making a reliable choice in materials is especially important.

To replace the previous roofing shingles from another manufacturer that suffered severe granule loss, nearly 50 squares of Malarkey’s Vista AR shingles were installed. The Vista[Symbol] shingle line features Nexgen polymer modified asphalt, which provides exceptional performance in severe weather conditions and improved granule adhesion due to the asphalt technology. The Sienna Blend color was selected for its versatility to match other residences and structures that are part of the Battlecreek neighborhood.

The pliable, polymer modified asphalt also “makes handling and installation easier for the crews on the roof,” said Alarcon. Malarkey specifically developed the Nexgen[Symbol] polymer modified asphalt for these attributes. Using a proprietary blend of polymers, the innovative asphalt adapts to installation in warm weather, while still being flexible on cold winter days. This product feature additionally protects against heavy winds.

Alarcon is a true believer in the Malarkey shingle. With 19 years’ experience in architectural drafting and design, he sought out Winter Roofing for work on his own barn and home. Pleased with the contractor’s craftsmanship, and the quality of the Malarkey shingles on his own property, Alarcon soon joined Winter Roofing as a project manager, which additionally provides decking, siding and other carpentry work to complement their roofing services.

Prior to the Battlecreek project, Alarcon also visited the Malarkey manufacturing facility in Portland, Oregon, calling the shingle production process, ‘impressive and complex.’ At the Portland facility, Malarkey runs a full asphalt shingle production line, polymer modified asphalt mixing station, and fiberglass manufacturing plant controlling all the quality aspects of the shingle manufacturing processing. Malarkey’s Portland facility maintains a Green Circle certification for diverting more than 90 percent of its waste from landfills.

The project took less than a week to finish, said Alarcon, even though his crew was spread among a few other jobs in town during the same period. Utilizing The Zone technology on the Vista[Symbol] AR shingles, contractors and installers have a nailing area that is 1 ¾” wide, to improve nailing accuracy and expedite installation. Apart from a few low-to-steep slope transitions, Alarcon said the roof designs were straightforward. Malarkey offers the OmniSeal line of low-slope roofing products that feature a self-adhering membrane and cap sheets that match shingle color blends, such as Sienna Blend.

To resolve Battlecreek Commons’ search for a dependable roofing shingle, residents relied on Winter Roofing’s expertise to select the right product for the job. Project Manager Alex Alarcon’s experience and trust in Malarkey Roofing Products helped deliver on the request. The reliable Vista[Symbol] shingle utilizes innovative polymer modified asphalt to retain roofing granules, and resolved the issue experienced on the previous roofs at the Battlecreek Commons’. Engineered to perform, Malarkey Roofing Products have continually worked towards developing quality, dependable materials for more than 60 years.

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in the Sept/Oct 2017 issue of Architectural West magazine.

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