Defective CertainTeed roof shingles/shangles

Anyone out there with CertainTeed Horizon shingles from the 1990's? Just had a reputable roofer certified in CertainTeed installation look at our roof which is 12 years old and has been deteriorating badly - curling, pitting, cracking, our gutters have thick muck in them from deteriorating so badly. Apparently, these were a defective shingle from the manufacturing company. The company is supposed to be a good one and we bought them with a 25 year warranty and had them installed professionally and correctly with proper ventilation, etc. Now, the claims procedure is a fiasco and all they might give is a prorated amount. That is not going to offset my 10,000 bill.

What is going on here? We don't mind paying for upkeep and maintenance of a home. However, this item has been listed as defective and only now are people starting to notice the problems. We have to pay for a new roof twice within 10-12 years.

Anyone hear of this problem or what they might suggest?
What good is having a warranty if the company will not stand by a defective product? If we had the product and it stood up for a reasonable time, that would be one thing, but this didn't even make it half way through!

I read an article a while back on the average life of 20 year shingles from a particular manufacturer in various climates. The average varied from 5-8 years on the gulf coast and florida to ~20 years in alaska and upper Michigan. It should be obvious from these numbers that the manufacturer is not honoring the warrenty. He couldn't stay in business if he did.

All asphalt shingles are defective in the sense that they will rarely last the warrenty period. They get away with this because most people will have lost the paperwork or moved before the shigles give out.

Just a followup....The problem is not just that the shingles didn't last the full 25 years. The problem is that the shingles have been documented to be defective from the manufacturer. There are cases where people's shingles are falling apart after 3 years on a 25 year shingle. This is a 100 year old company which we think unfortunately made a bad shingle and should replace the shingles on a roof. Wondering if anyone out there has had problems with this shingle and what they did about it.

I am not familiar with the Horizon. I have the Independence which is packed 4 bundles per square. There is at least one grade higher which is 5 bundles per square. It is a bit alarming to learn of your problems. Thus far, my shingles ("Shangles") seem to be extremely durable in 2 1/2 years of observation.

The roof on my house had Certain Teed shingles for 13 of a 20 year warrantee. The shingles were as your were crumbling.
The company wanted us to have a Certain Teed dealer to inspect the roof and repair or reroofed. I did not find this out until my house was reroofed with Elk shingles. He wasn't going to tell me and loose a job. He said I would get a couple hundred dollars back. I have yet to send the pictures, paper work and shingle sample to them. I'm waiting to see if the roofer took pictures of the roof. I took a few pictures but none of the front. I will let everyone know what amount comes in.

Several readers have written asking about "documentation" of the problem as stating in the original post. I was trying to state that when doing searches on the web, there were readers "documenting" the same problem with their shingles. If you are having a problem contact Certainteed on their website and ask for a claim packet. We need to reroof our house so have decided to just go ahead and reroof before winter.

It doesn't matter; neither CertainTeed, nor any other shingle manufacturerer, nor any other building material supplier, nor most other component manufacturers will EVER warranty ANY item beyond it's replacement cost. That is; they might pay for the shingles themselves, but not the labor. No one does that.

The CertainTeed Company came up with a form to sign and promise to keep my mouth shut about the settlement before I get any money. As the Elk contracter said I would get a few hundred back, the few ryhmes with what I am getting back. It is a pity that this company gets rated as the #1 manufacturer. The new roof is on and I will keep an eye on it.

Hi--my CertainTeed New Horizon shingles are in a terrible state...after only 12 years crumbling & curling. This will be the 2nd time for a new roof..yikes. I'm glad I did a search..I hope I have some recourse. I just wish that I didn't have to send in 2 shingles. I know nothing about removing & replacing a shingle. Did everyone get swift response from CertainTeed & reimbursement for confirmed defective product?

Same problem here ! I have called the contractor and supplier and was told that CertainTeed is now handling all of thier own claims and problems. My name was sent to CertainTeed but I have yet to hear a word from them,it's been 6 weeks. My Shingles are only 6yrs. old and have excessive grandular loss and are starting to curl at the edges. I will request a Claim Packet on line and see what happens.I live in Minnesota and the shingles are Black,anyone else from this area?

I installed 30 Year Certainteed Horizon Shangles on my new home in Minnesota in 1993. I just finished re-roofing my houses after only 12 years.
My brother Installed the same shingles (different color) the same year. He had to replace his after only 10 years. While re-roofing my home I talked to several people with premature roof failures. The common link? Certainteed Shingles. Certainteed agreed to pay their warranty claim if I sign a form holding them harmless and allowing them to deny that there was anything wrong with the shingles. If these shingles were not defective then they must be manufacturing a line of shingles that are vastly inferior to others. I have seen 20 year shingles in Minnesota that have lasted 25 years or more and were still in better condition than the ones I just tore off.

Paul,
Do you have proof in writing from CertainTeed? Just wondering if maybe a call to the States Attorney General would be worthwhile. If they don't listen to one person maybe if we stick together in MN we can get some sort of satifaction. I know of at least one other house in my neighborhood that has the same problem. Or maybe better yet a call to Eye Witness News (channel 5 ).What is your opinion?

My law firm is currently investigating CertainTeed shingles based upon complaints of deterioration and curling we have received throughout the country. We will seek to have CertainTeed reimburse customers for the cost of replacing their roofs. If you have CertainTeed shingles that have failed, please contact me at (612) 605-4098 or: halunen@halunenlaw.com.

I have contacted Mr. Halunen and I urge each of you to do the same. He is a practicing attorney in MN and may be of help to you. I have also contacted the MN States Attorney Generals office, they are interested in our problem and will contact me for more info.

Looks like I'm not the only person with the same problem. I also live in MN, and had Horizon shingle install in 95. Now I'm trying to file a warranty claim.

I built my house in 1997. since day one I've had problems. every time there is a strong wind of gusts over 30-40 mph I lose shingles. They've never seeted properly. Ive been on my roof a half dozen times a year for eight years. I'm hoping to hear from them soon

I had these shingles installed in fall 2001 and have had and still have problems loosing some whenever there are strong winds. Two years ago I filed a claim with CertainTeed and they did pay for repairs and also to have the entire roof hand sealed however with no admission of problems in the product. I continue to have the same problem and now don't know what my next plan of action should be.

My daughter in Billings, MT, just had her first effort at a claim turned down by CertainTeed. No question from inspector that shingles were defective; roof is 9 years old. CT turned her down because she is the second owner of the house, and the warranty, they, belongs to the original consumer.(so they warranty a person, not a product?)
Others in her neighborhood are also having trouble...

I once again urge you all to call Mr. Halunen ( see his post above )and tell him about your problems . He IS working on getting this solved,I will let his office tell you about the plan. This is good for all of you , not just us in Minnesota. There will be no charge to talk to him. Good Luck, Everyone!!

I had the Certainteed Horizon shingles fail after 1.5 yr. This was in about 1998. I sent shingles in, filed the paperwork and was reimbursed, albeit not without some snippy phone calls on my part. Reimbursement was just for the cost of the shingles, which of course is a drop in the bucket compared to the labor. I had a really crappy roofer so the shingles were the least of my worries, since the roof leaks were everywhere! The workmanship of the installation was the biggest problem, and then the shingle failure was secondary. Without the leaking problems, I probably wouldn't have noticed for a couple more years that the shingles were losing the granules at a rapid rate. I'm in Minnesota too. What is that about? Did we get some defective stock here or what?

I have CertainTeed Hallmark Tiger Paw Shingles that were put on Nov. 1992. I contacted CertainTeed about the same problems. Several people in my neighborhood are experiencing the same. Does the State Attorney General get involved with such problems? I am ready to hire a lawyer.

Linhughes- I am just an ordinary citizen that lives in MN. Please go back 9 messages and contact Mr. Halunen , his firm is working on a Class Action Suit against CertainTeed for this exact reason.There is No charge to you,the Law firm will tell you what you need to do. I contacted him in Nov. but they still need to hear from more people that have this problem. You do not need to be in MN to be added to the complaint list. Good Luck to you.

I have the Certainteed Independence "Shangle" which is now about 3 years old. I am not a roofer, but certainly able to evaluate the aging of shingles. Mine thus far are showing no signs of aging at all. Right now, I am most pleased. We have had winds of at least 70 mph and no damage to the shingles. I hope this good experience continues and wish it could be so for you.

I have CertainTeed Horizon, 25 year, fiberglass, Class A shingles in Greystone. They were put on my roof in April of 1994. I live in Northern Kentucky.
A few of the shingles recently blew off my roof.
The roofing company told me that I will need a new roof soon. They showed me the cracked and pitted shingles. They suggested that I contact CertainTeed.
I had no idea this was such a huge problem.

Is there anyone out there who lives in North Texas and is having any issues with CertainTeed shingles blowing off due to inferior adhesive? If so what have you heard from CertainTeed and are they going to fix it? Thanks

We also have Certainteed Horizon Shangles on our 16 year old house and have been experiencing shingle loss since 2003. Shingles appear to be brittle with inferior adhesive. We replaced a new area of shingles every year since then......very disappointing since the shingles had a 30 year warranty. I have not contacted Certainteed yet. Am waiting for reponse from attorney listed above. Let's stick together and maybe for once the "little guy" can win!

We installed CertainTeed Hallmark shingles to our new home in 1992. In 2000 and some years before we had started noticing excessive gravel in our gutters. In 2005 I stained our entire cedar home and discovered curled shingle edges, excessive gravel missing and a very defective looking shingle. We were sold on the fact we were purchasing the top of the line at that time from CertainTeed. A 30-40 year shingle, as we were planning to sell our home in 10-15 years, which is now. I had the original roofing contractor send a sample of our shingles to CertainTeed in October 2005. When we returned to Wisconsin from Forida in April I had received no reply. When I called they claimed that they had replied in October, which I doubt, at least we never received a reply. During the phone call they said they had just sent a reply yesterday, but I believe the reply I finally received was sent after our conversation. We have had a cash offer plus a low rebate, which the rebate was increased with more phone calls. They haven't come close to paying for the shingles. My position, they did not sell us a 30-40 year shingle as suggested, they simply sold a shingle with a prorated warranty. The shingles are defective, they know it, I know it, but they do not want me to tell or they will not own up to the facts. I believe this is false advertising, because we had not planned to spend $12,000 to reroof our home in 14 years. We have received no reply from the above lawyer, Clayton Halunen. We need to move forward as our home is a class A home on 35 acres in SW Wisconsin and it is for sale. Very poor advertising for CertainTeed.

MadBadger - I have been in contact with Halunen and Assoc. and they are proceding with a ClassAction suit,possible yet this or next week. If you contacted them recently,it may take a while to get a reply. The reply,if done thru e-mail will come from Matt Nolan, just so that you will recognize the name. Don't give up !! Try contacting them again either by Phone or e-mail, they have been easy to comunicate with, just very busy. Good Luck to all of us.

I am from MN. I built my house in 1995 and installed Horizon shingles on the roof. About 3 years ago I noticed excessive gravel in my gutters. Today my shingles look like sh__. I am just starting to investigate. I hope Certain Teed will stand behind their product. I will let you know how I turn out.

I noticed last year that our shingles were starting to curl. This spring went on roof and they are all blistered and curled. I had an adjuster for the insurance company come out to verify that it was not hail damage. He suggested contacting CertainTeed for their warranty. I did that and am in the process of starting a claim. The roof is only 10 years old and I am not sure what line of CertainTeed shingles are on it, but I am worried about the results I am going to have. I have some shingles so bad that the roof is leaking. I want to replace them, but I am afraid that replacing them will hurt me in the claims process. I also contacted the lawyer from MN. I am also in MN!! Coincidence that we are having problems in MN? I think not, sounds like a plant had problems in our area!

We are in the same predicament as all of you. We live in SE Iowa and the shingles were professionally installed in 1994. They are curling, pitted and cracked. They look like they've been on 30 years!!! It is somewhat comforting to know this is a widespread problem but discouraging to read that CertainTeed is not very cooperative. I have left a voicemail with the attorney named above and just called CertainTeed. The rep was surprised to hear of a problem and acted like I was the first one to complain. He directed me to the website to complete a claim form. Any suggestions for getting results would be very much appreciated.

I live in Rochester, NY and have the same problems as described above. My neighbor three doors down just had to have his replaced and was told by Certainteed that it was just age.

My roof was re-tabed by Certainteed in 1993 and my shingles are now curling and every year I replace 3-6 shingles at various parts of the roof after they have blown off. I filed another complaint last year and the representative came out and told me that because Certainteed had paid to have the shingles re-tabed there was nothing more they could do.

My neighbor and myself are contacting the attorney for the class action as well as our state attorney general.

We also have the same problem!! We live in NW Ia. and had these shingles installed in June of 1998. They have been coming off for about 5 -6 yrs. now. I have contacted the company and filled out the complaint form, sent in pictures of the roof and sent in shingles. We did hear back from the company and they said they tested the shingles and found no defects. I emailed the lawyer from MN and hopefully will hear something soon. I am also going to contact our state attorney general. My husband is in the process of writing a letter to the company letting them know we will not settle for that!! Will keep you posted on what we find out.

Same story.
In Minnesota, installed in 1994, they blow off, gravel all over, curling like Buckwheat's hair.
Anyone have a contact at the State's Attorney General office?

Purchased our home in central Iowa from my wife's grandparents in 2000. Had an addition put on the house that same year and we did NOT re-roof because it was known to be only 7 years old at that time and was in OK shape. Now the Certainteed shingles applied in 1993 are curling badly...in many cases as much as 1/4 of the shingle length is curled back on itself. Unfortunately, nobody can find a roofing receipt or document in our grandparent's files. Do we have any recourse at all without detailed proof-of-purchase?

My Friends,
I have spent some time reading your problems.

Please find and read the warranty for Certainteed shingles and also read the piece of propaganda called The Life Cycle of my New Roof. When the Gov't legislated asbestos out of shingles they were never able to find an alternative. All the companies are now boasting about Architectural Shingles. This answer is a bad one. They are only multiple layers of the same inferior product.

I read the above literature they printed and decided to believe every word. It was written by lawyers whose daily work is to defend the company from its customers. A profit earned the way the shingle manufacturers in America earn it is a felony.

When the contractor came to your home and told you his plan and his price, did he show you the warranty and the life cycle? Did he say that you needed to know all the information available about the product he was about to install on your home and take hard earned dollars for. If he had, would you have given him or anyone else the job to do? Probably not. This is why the slow process of losing marketshare will ultimately bring their downfall.

Alternatives to asphalt are out there and they are getting more and more conspicuous on the skyline. Metal roofing costs more and offers so much more that it reminds you of the old days when you spent money and got value. Metal roofing is appearing on schools, public buildings, malls, rural and urban homes and the numbers are growing. You must ask yourself why. Smart money is magnetically attracted to value and ROI. Every company in
America wants a piece of your paycheck. Don't give it up so easily. That's not consolation for those of you who made the mistake and are paying and are stressed every time you look up there, but it is the truth.

Wouldn't it be better to see a beautiful aluminum roof protecting your home every time you pull up, instead of asphalt. Drive around town or even in your neighborhood and see the cycle on the roofs detracting from the market value. The coatings on metal roofing are truly durable and the texture and colors will add to your home's value. Think about that around the time you are looking to sell your home.

Thanks for your time to read my opinion.

Our law firm, Halunen & Associates, is preparing to file a class action lawsuit against CertainTeed on behalf of customers who have shingles that have prematurely curled, cracked and deteriorated. This lawsuit includes individuals that have owned, own, or acquired homes or other structures from 1987 to the present and includes the following CertainTeed brands: Horizon, Independence, Hearthstead, Hallmark, Woodscape, CertainTeed, Sealdon and War-Sealdon.

Currently, we have identified class representatives in 8 states and are prepared to file in those states. We anticipate filing our first action the week of July 10, 2006, in Pennsylvania, the state in which CertainTeed is headquartered. Following the Pennsylvania filing, we will file cases in each of the following states: IL, IA, MI, MN, MT, OH, PA, and WI. If your state is not listed here, we would be interested in hearing from you. For more information on becoming a class representative or for more information about the lawsuit please contact Matt Nolan at nolan@halunenlaw.com or call at (612) 605-4098.

it's been my experience that this whole shingle thing effects the industry as a whole these days.in my opinion if it's at all possible you would be much better off with a professionally installed metal roof or retrofit metal re roofing system. i am a metal roofing contractor located in the central pa area.i have been involved in the metal roofing industry for about 11 years.since then i have fabricated many different applications of metal roofs. these have been anything from affordable mobile home roofing / re-roofing projects to beautiful barn roof restorations and also to high profile standing seam roofing fabrication projects like 7 springs skier services center in somerset,pa.to high end residential site formed standing seam roofing. the metal i use comes in 12 beautiful colors and is covered by a 25 year paint performance warranty. underneath this paint is a substrate with a 20 year corroision warranty. for the roof of a life time you just can't beat metal~ email:keithbaker1@earthlink.net or phone: (814)224~4268.thanks,keith.

I hope that reading my findings above about Certainteed shingles will help you in future roofing decisions you will need to make. The past is past and stress over it is the only thing that will come from it.

While you are stressing, check other roofing alternatives. Research them and go with the tried and tested.

In a message above $12,000 spent on a roof after only 14 years is a sum large enough to grab anyone's attention. I'm sure your numbers are significant enough to warrant anger. Loss of trust is the disappointment. The necessity to investigate to such a high level and to question the integrity of an American Corporation and their products and performance is a psychological downer.

The stories are grim and ALL the money spent returned NO Value, just disappointment and heartache.

Stay cool and get MAD. Corporate America deserves a profit, but we don't deserve a _ _ _ ewing in the process.

Just because your neighbor is installing asphalt, doesn't mean you should. Tell others and help the shingle manufacturers lose even more market share. The figures today are coming in at about 75%.

Ask questions. Grill the vendor/contractor. Ask him for copies of warranties. Read the SMALL print and read it again so you know that when a dispute occurs that the fine print is their position. Lawyers wrote the words to protect their clients, not their clients customers.

Thanks again for the time to read this over and hopefully it will help because richie cares.

Just had an inspector to look at my roof today in MN. Likely Certain Teed shingles. Only 14 yrs and going to pot. How have people remedied this situation?

To update everyone as to how CertainTeed treats their customers. On July 24, 2006 I received another letter from CertainTeed. The envelope was postmarked July 21, 2006, but the letter was dated June 1, 2006?????? The Supervisor of the Roofing Products Group informed me that when our installer sent in the claim form, he had negelected to list the date the shingles were applied. Therefore the computer had used an installed date of 8/05 and the claim date was 10/05. I have always maintained that the shingles were applied in 1992, they have reduced the amount offered on the release form by $1,100. We had been in a disagreement over the amount allowed before the reduction and now they treat us like this. This is a company that has such a problem they do not know where to turn or else they would not have accepted the fact that a claim was being filed 10/05 for shingles applied in 8/05. I have an outdated estimate to replace our roof for $12,000 and have received at the most 10 years of satisfactory service. They continue to state I have a 30 year shingle. In my opinion I had a 10 year shingle, with a $12,000 bill looking me in the face. Any suggestion out there?

We live in Iowa and had our house buile 12 years ago. During a recent rain we had a leak and when our roof guy looked up there he confirmed what everyone else has said. The 25 year certainteed shingles had to be completely replaced because they were crumbling. I looked around the neighborhood and many of the houses are in the same shape. We will have to spend a great deal to replace our roof, but will do so because of the leak and then deal with certainteed. If the firm mentioned above cannot bring us satisfaction I will sue them myself. If I did business like this with denial of responsibility, I would be out of business, as maybe they should be.

There seems to be no new postings about concerns of all our disgusting CertainTeed shingle issues.. Has everyone decided to join the class action suits as they are filed in your particular state or what is the thoughts at this time? I have made no real decision, but am completely disgusted with the settlement offered by CertainTeed. Can one expect more from the class action suit?

Hi Madbadger
I have joined the suit in MN and feel it is about our best option at this point.The more we can get to join the better our chances will be. I have been in contact for the past year with Halunen and Associates,and I am named in the suit. Please join the cause and we will see where it leads us.

We have had problems with our CertainTeed shingles but thought it was more of an installer error. We have had quite a few shingles blow off in strong winds. Thought it was weird that they didn't seem more glued down. Our roof was done in 1998. We have noticed a lot of the granules get washed out in the rain too. Now we had a hail storm in August and our insurance company has paid to replace the shingles. By the way, we are also in Minnesota.

Currently, Meshbesher and Spence in Minneapolis is looking into the viability of a lawsuit on this. Their URL is meshbesher.com. If you can take photos of your roof and save out a few whole shingles, that is the kind of evidence they'll need to go forward.

CertainTeed is offering a pittance for most roofs and nothing for many and only after they make you jump through hoops and agree not to sue.

I notice above that another law firm is looking into the viability of a lawsuit. I question the reason when there is already one law firm Halunen and Associates from Minnesota that have already filed a class-action suit in PA and if not already, are filing in several states including Minnesota and my home state Wisconsin. It would appear to me that the more member numbers filed in each state would be more impressive than diluting the numbers with several groups. Maybe what I read above is an individual lawsuit. I had suggested that forcing CertainTeed to defend each individual lawsuit may place more of a burden on CertainTeed and make them reconsider the insulting offers they are offering. They have allowed us some variances from the original offer, but it does not allow for more funds for labor and materials to replace our deteriorating CertainTeed Shingles. I'm just looking for the best option, so we do not need to take $12,000 from our retirement savings. I don't think they care.

I just checked out Meshbesher.com and found nothing relating to CertainTeed. Is there something special that I need to look for?

My house has "Celotex Dimensional III Architectural" shingles that were installed in 1993. They have the exact problems as stated above. They are supposed to be 30yr shingles. In the process of finding a replacement product/warranty info. I discovered that Celotex sold their shingle divison to Certainteed a number of years ago..nobody seems to know how many years ago. I still have a few shingles and a wrapper from the shingles and it says "Celotex". I wonder who actually made them or if this was an industry wide problem for this time period or if it still is a problem??

so if not CT, then what brand...or are you all basically saying these types of roofs only last 10 years or so irregadless of HWO makes the shingles...?

I just found this thread after doing a google search for defective Certainteed shingles. I also live in Minnesota. I had my roof professionaly installed in 1995. Same story as everybody else, my shingles are curled up, deteriorated and falling off. I contacted the contractor who did the original insatallation, he came over took pictures and samples, and filed a claim form on my behalf. Last week I got a settlement offer/waiver of liability from Certainteed for a lousy $267. That represents the prorated value of the shingles, no reimbursement for the labor or to have them replaced. The low estimate I have for a new roof is $5000. I will contact the lawyer listed at the top of the thread and add my name to the class action if it's not too late. Good luck to all of you dealing with this.

Same problem as all the other posts.We built our house in 1997,southeastern Mn.I sent CT the sample shingles,,they responded back,with a settlement of $515 ,and that includes the $50 removal fee. What a joke,I contacted the law firm above.Was wondering if anyone has heard if the lawsuit is progressing or what is happening?Anyone else get a better offer after the first insult of a offer from Certain Teed? Thank you

I live in mid-michigan, and I too have recently submitted a claim to CT via their claims package and I'm awaiting their response. After reviewing many problems documented in this forum and others, it appears that most claims result in a very smail compensation return. My 25 yr shangle are 9 years old with much cracking that was noticed at the 8 year point.

Going with a 50 yr metal roof this time. Bye bye asphalt/fiberglass shangles!

I live in the Chicago area. My 25 year roof lasted about 9 years. It crumbled and curled like it was 50 years old. I filed a CT claims package and they "awarded" be $840.00. I have not accepted it yet as I am still fighting it. They also offered me a rebate on new shingles but this was after I had to replace the roof as the roof leaked and ruined my ceiling in the family room. The roof was $8000 and the interior cost was $3000. After I complained a second time a CT rep sent me a letter and tried to blame it on hail. He sent me a printout with all of dates for hail in my area in the last 10 years. Ironically my community (Naperville) was not even on the list. I recently made a third attempt to get this resolved with a different person but have not heard back yet. All 3 of the roofers who inspected the roof knew exactly what the problem was....inferior product. One of the roofers told me most of his business is replacing defective CT roofs.

I live in VA. I've had shingle problems for the last two years and my house is only 10 yrs old was not expecting to replace the roof after only 10 yrs!!! I'm just wondering if I have Certainteed Shingles. Boy metal roofs are looking more and more attractive to me the more I read this forum. I'm wondering if anybody else in VA is having this same problem.
Thanks,
Carlee

I am a consumer protection attorney practicing in the Minnesota twin cities area. I urge you to contact me if you have defective Certain Teed shingles. The Certain Teed company is breaching an express warranty if it sells a "30 year" shingle that last less than 10 years. I can help you, please visit my website: consumerlawtwincities.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Minneapolis attorney

Same deal here in Indiana. My mother got a couple hundred $$ from Certainteed to replace her roof (peeling, pitted, tons of 'gravel' in her gutters). Now our 11 1/2 yr old roof is doing the same. Both are Certainteed.

I live in MN, house was built in 1996. Sounds like I am having the same problems: shingles are curling, losing grit, totally deteriorated where rain drips from the dormers. Can't believe a 25-year warranty shingle could look this bad. I am planning to call CT's customer service. Does anyone have information on the status of the class action suit in MN?

Hi,
I just had my insurance adjuster at my house, who told me that I have CertainTeed Horizon Shingles that are defective. He gave me this website, and said he thought there was a class action lawsuit I should get in on in MN.
Can anyone bring me up to date on that? I don't want to go through the hassle of some I have read, and then only get a couple hundred $ toward a roof. I think it should be REPLACED---is that a possibility?? Thanks!

Our 25 yr. shingles on our 12 yr. old house are also failing (granules sluffing off) but they're GAF, not Certainteed. A couple of roofers told us to file a claim when they bid a new roof for us. However, another (very reputable) roofer said the roofing companies typically cover interior damage but don't provide much compensation for the roofing itself.

He also said a 25 yr. roof failing after only 12 yrs. tells him there's inadequate ventilation. We only have gable vents now. Yes, he included additional venting in his quote but then so did every other roofer who bid our job.

Does anyone know if the roofing company can blame inadequate ventilation for the shingle failure if the ventilation was installed in accordance with the building code at the time the house was built?

All asphault shingles will generaly fail well before there "rated" life. Aparently this is inherent in the materials/design/manufacturing, because it seems to be the same for all manufacturers.
A manufacturer cannot advertise a realistic, life expectancy for a 10 year shingle, because his competitor advertises 30 year life for the identical shingle. A manufacturer cannot afford to stand behind his 30 year "warrenty" because he would have to triple the price of his shingles and (you guessed it), his competitors would not up there prices.

I don't have a lot of sympathy for the manufacturers, they, collectively, got themselves into this position. The only way out of this situation would be some kind of industry wide agreement to offer realistic warrenty times, and stand behind those shortened warenties. But that would probably run into anti-trust, price fixing laws.

This problem is really only a problem for people without much knowledge or experience with asphalt shingles. I know when i buy a 30 year shingle that I am going to get 8-12 years life out of it in this climate. I actually bought a 40 year shingle, mostly because of it's looks, but I might get an extra year or 2 out of it.
I'm planning on replacing my roof in 10 years, If i get a couple more years than that, great. I won't try to sue the manufacturer because I know I won't get a significant amount out of it.

I think what I just said was the problem is not with the shingles, but with the customers !! FLAME ON !

Our GAF shingles were only five years old and began curling and blowing off in moderate wind. Everyone else in the neighborhood has the same shingles, but didn't have that problem. I have four roofers and one building inspector out to look at the roof and told me it was probably a run of shingles that were defective. They also told me GAF would never honor its warranty and I would never see any money. I still went ahead with the process and filed a claim & sent them all the information they needed. They sent me a check to cover labor (which many shingles manufacturers won't do) and a certificate for the same type of shingles - no questions asked. I upgraded and got the nicer looking shingles so a few hundred dollars came out of my own pocket - but at least they honored the 20 year warranty my shingles had. I was impressed!

Well, I am having my roof with Horizon "Shangles" repaired for the 5th time since new in July of 2000. After yesteday's 30-40 mph winds (MN), I lost more shingles. I am the only one in my neighborhood - probably the only one with this junk product installed. Anyway, here is the website page of the law firm mentioned above where you can join the class action suit online http://www.halunenlaw.com/news/2006/11/21/certainteed-shingles-class-action-lawsuit/
The attorney that called me back said it could take 1-3 years and it is a nationwide CAL.

I am just beginning to deal with a Certainteed roof. Roofing company told me I have a warranty problem. Contacted Certainteed on Friday june 15, 2007. waiting to hear back. Bad thing is that I am the second owner of 12 year old house. Guess I will wait and see.

Well I too can be part of this thread. I am getting my roof replaced as we speak. I had the roofer get me to shingles this morning and sure enough Certainteed. Is it to late to get on the lawsuit? I live in Iowa.
Jeff

same here have independence roof 8 years old and have very bad pitting-my understanding is its due from being an organic shingle

As I'm reading all of your postings, I too am in the same postion regarding the Horizon Shangles. Our "shangles" are 10 years old and are starting to look terrible. "lhelv" have you heard anything back from Certainteed yet? We are not original owners. I'm on the website and I guess my next step is to send the shingles per their specifications? Any info. you could provide would help. Thank you.

Wow! I live in Western WI and am in the middle of a roofing mess similar to all of the above. Two contractors have told me we need a total roof replacement on a home constructed in July of 2000. We have been blaming some of the problems on shoddy construction by Wick homes,and have actively pursued them, but as I see from reading your postings we have another problem entirely! Yes, I have Certainteed Shingles, and stumbled on this doing a google search...Anyway, problems are similar, failed shingles, execessive loss of granules, curling, etc. Wick is coming to "fix" their issues, but what else should I do?? ANY ADVICE APPRECIATED!! thanks.

In reply to the person from Western Wisconsin from a Southwestern Wisconsin resident. We have been dealing with CertainTeed for several years trying to get them to improve their offer for our claim against them. The best offer I can receive from this company is a $25.00 per square coupon toward replacement with their shingle and a cash settlement that amounts to about the same per square. As you will find that does not come close to paying for your problem. You will need to start a claim and then send a sample of your shingle and a picture. They will require information as to when the shingles were applied and etc. If your shingle was installed in 2000 it may have some warranty left. Find a distributor and have them work with you as they should know what the warranty is on your particular shingle. Another option is to join the Class Action suit that has been filed in Wisconsin, but that will probably take a three year or more wait for any settlement if there is one. I would be interested to know what line of CertainTeed was installed on your home, as I am considering what shingle to put back on our home. You can read my issues on this sight under the madbadger user name. If you have other questions leave a message or e-mail address and I can reply to more personal questions.

I received a email from the lawfirm stating that it was not a class action yet and they did not know if or when it would become one. They told me to settle with Cettainteed. I have a copy of the email but the attachment was a .pdf and I cannot get it to copy and past ontom here.

vanlaere22 and all others,
I recieved the same e-mail,the Class Action is NOT dead ! The email only stated that "If" this did not get 'ClassAction" status from the courts then we would be on our own to file suit or file a claim against CertainTeed. The suit is in the Discovery Stage as I type, you can go ahead and file a complaint with CertainTeed, BUT do not accept thier offer of settlement.Keep track of any and all offers made by CertainTeed BUT DO NOT ACCEPT the offer unless you are willing to accept thier terms. I am named in the suit and will file with CertainTeed,but only to get in writing thier lousy offer of compensation. PLEASE,not settle, if you do, you WILL NOT be apart of the ClassAction. If you have quetions or concerns please contact the Law Offices of Halunen and Associates in Minneapolis. This is the second e-mail I recieved in Sept.

Dear CertainTeed Owner,

The e-mail sent on August 31st has caused a few misunderstandings on subjects that must be clarified in order to allow a clear and active dialogue between individuals involved in the CertainTeed class action lawsuit and our firm.

The first and most common misunderstanding is that we no longer wish to represent individuals who were not listed in the note and that we are no longer acting in their interests with regards to CertainTeed. Although the previous note could very well have been interpreted as to say that we no longer represent the individuals other than those listed on the note, what was meant to be conveyed was that we do not yet represent individuals other than those listed on the note. Once we obtain class recognition, we can and will legally represent you. We believe it is highly likely that we will obtain class certification. Furthermore, we believe that it is highly likely that everyone receiving this e-mail will likely receive compensation for their CertainTeed shingles.

The second most common misunderstanding pertains to our suggestion that each individual file a "claim" with CertainTeed. This should not be interpreted to say that you should accept any money from CertainTeed, as this would disqualify you from the class. However, filing a claim could strengthen your case when you need to prove that you are or were once an owner of CertainTeed�s shingles.

The third misunderstanding is that we currently represent only the individuals who were listed on the note. In actuality, we currently represent any individual who has signed a retainer. We decided to only list a small number of those individuals in order to conserve space on our note, which was a mistake on our part. Currently, we represent all individuals who have signed a retainer. Once we obtain class status, we will represent all individuals who qualify as part of the class.

Lastly, many individuals did not receive the list of shingles mentioned in the note. I will attach that list along with this e-mail.

As a representative of Halunen & Associates, I am sorry for any inconvenience or misunderstanding that has resulted from the note and will do whatever it takes to clear up any further confusion. Feel free to contact me at my information below.

Very Truly Yours,

Jared

Jared Rudolph

Legal Assistant

HALUNEN & ASSOCIATES

220 South Sixth Street

Suite 2000

Minneapolis , MN 55402

p. 612.605.4098
f. 612.605.4099
infocenter@halunenlaw.com

I hope this clears up any misconceptions for you.

I have followed this thread with interest since 2005. We have Certainteed "Shangles" installed in 2003. I inspected the roof yesterday. The roof is shedding the very fewest granules of any roof I have seen. No problems at all with curling nor damage in the 90 mph winds we have sustained. I did find a few moss spots about the size of a pencil eraser. These were in areas that are in the direct Sun most of the day. Not visible from the ground. I am very pleased with my roof.

In 2 weeks I will replaced my 1989 Certainteed Horizon Shingles. There is barely anything left up there. They have been junk from day one. I figured calling Certainteed would be a waste of time. Should I now? Are they doing anything? Do they prorate 18/25 off the original cost? Someone let me know before I just tear them off and throw them away. I'm not getting Certainteed again!

Hey Harley_dude,
Welcome to this not so happy club !If I were you I would contact CertainTeed and file a claim,but don't expect much in the way of compensation. Contact the law office listed in my last post and join the Class action suit. You will still need to replace your roof at your expence, but at least you may get something out of the suit. Do not accept any offer from CertainTeed unless you feel it is a fair offer and ,Yes,they do prorate everything. Just hang on to any offers you recieve to use in the suit.You will also need to have photos of your cuurent roof from ground level and save a couple of the shingles removed from your roof.
I wish you the best,I had my 9 year old roof replaced in July ( I definately did NOT use CertainTeed Shingles this time ).

Can anyone tell me where this is right now? What is happening with the class action lawsuit against this company? We have sent in the defective shingles to the company but still trying to get a contractor to come and give estimates on a new roof. This is so frustrating and now bad weather- praying the roof last through the winter.

Hi becky_ia
Weare at a stand still right now,waiting for all of the discovery stage stuff to get done. You can follow the progress of the suit by going to this link and scanning down the lefthand side to view all stories,than scan down to the CertainTeed update.
http://www.halunenlaw.com/PracticeAreas/CertainTeed-Class-Action-Lawsuit.asp
I hope this helps you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Halunen law firm

Hi, I was up on my roof this past week to clean off some leaves and couldn't believe the condition of the CertainTeed shingles I had installed in 1990. So I found the receipt of installation and learned I have a 25 year warranty. Doing some research on line brought to this website. So my question is what should I do to get involved in this Class Action or should I first contact CertainTeed?
Thanks,
Bill

spiderwa, I would suggest filling out the warranty claim paperwork with CertainTeed and having it documented. I also found this page after doing a web search. I had my CertainTeed Sealdon shingles installed in 1997 and noticed cracking, curling and pitting by the end of 2006. I submitted my warranty claim to CertainTeed and was offered $597.88.

I sent an email to the Haulunen Law Firm last week to gather information about the class action law suit but they have not replied back. I also sent information to an attorney in Iowa that is also considering a Class Action Suit. They at least sent an immediate reply to my email suggesting that they would contact me. Haven't heard from them either.

Either way, for $588 I am not going to accept CertainTeed's offer. I have had estimates from $12,000 - $16,000 to replace.

Good Luck,
Brad

I'll proceed as suggested.

Thank you,

Bill

I am in the process of getting quotes and paperwork for my Certainteed Horizon shingles which were installed in Aug of 1994 when my house was built. For the past 4 years I would lose a shingle when the wind would blow hard. Until this year I figured it was the wind, but I am finding curling shingles and I plan on looking closer to see if any are cracking. When my house was built, the builder, my former co worker said I should get more than 25 years out of my roof since it has a 6/12 pitch on part of it and 12/12 on the other part of my roof. I haven't got any bids yet but for 50 squars of shingle on a steep roof I bet it will be a bundle to replace. I am sending my information in for the class action suit as soon as I can get the information available and contact Certainteed. I am preparing a letter and plan to send it certified mail. I used their webpage and received no response from them.
Dennis
Western PA

Autumn Brown Custom Sealdon (incl. in the litigation) installed 12 yrs. ago failed on the south side but not the north. Therefore, CertainTeed claims sun did damage and will reimburse me $260 prorated for shingles only. I do not intend to sign off on C's non-disclosure form because I want to be eligible for materials and labor reimbursement once the class action comes to a close....maybe 5 more years but worth waiting. Meantime, I have to roof the crumbled areas before I start getting leaks (and hope the underlayment is not damaged). Out of pocket, loan, or house insurance....who cares? if the class action brings a giant to his/her knees for blindsiding the consumer.

I believe i can help most of you get a brand new roof with a 30 year shingle. Labor and material payed for. I'm a home owner in Ramsey Mn and I went through the same troubles with my Certainteed shingle. for any one interested I can be contacted at (763) 286-7987

Two major roofers in Rochester MN readily admit these Certainteed shingles are defective, and will do the paperwork, take the photos, and mail the shingle samples to the company, and the company will reimburse the homeowner. My Certainteed Hearthstead shingles were installed by one of the same professional roofing companies in Nov. '94. I will get a small settlement - perhaps $400 - they say. Plus, if I have Certainteed shingles put on again, I will receive an additional settlement of around $25 per square. I'm just collecting information on this now.

Correction to May 1 posting: The total estimated return would be more like $545, according to the roofing company in town. ($15 per square, plus $200). I think I'll wait out the class action lawsuit.

Sign up on the Halunen website to become part of the class action suit. infocenter@halunenlaw.com It's easy.
(scroll up about 10 entries+ for more from the attnys.)
I understand the discovery process will continue into the summer, the state litigants have been consolidated into one group, and the discovery is now centralized in Philly. CertainTeed has made some admission that the process of making 3 tab shingles changed in 1987 (like replacing asbestor with paper?), but even so they contend the warranty is prorated after 10 years and it is clear in the warranty that labor is not included, that homeowners knew this. It will be up to the judge to decide if the discovery process leads to the verification of a class action. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE YOU MUST ALSO COLLECT 3 SAMPLES OF THE WORST OF YOUR SHINGLES AND KEEP THEM STORED IN A COOL DRY PLACE. ALSO TAKE DIGITALS FROM EVERY ANGLE INCLUDING FROM THE BOTTOM UP. YOU WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE SAMPLES/PICS THE ESTIMATOR TOOK BECAUSE THEY WERE SENT TO CERTAINTEED. As CertainTeed and IKO salespeople become more aware of the failed roofs, they are beginning to tell customers some of the downside with 3 tabs and encourage purchase of fiberglass....which means of course we are dealing with a whole roof rather than partial replacement. $$$ for everyone but us who thought 25 years meant 25 years. j

According to my insurance adjuster and a roofing guy, the product CertainTeed is currently putting out there is still sub-par. I bought their shingles in 2006 to put on my detached garage, thinking they had solved the problem. I have their crappy shingles on my house, installed in 1996. Guess what---the new ones are deteriorating already. The adjuster and roofing guy said they are taking shortcuts in how they are making their shingles. I am staying in the lawsuit - they need to be held accountable. They've offered me a pittance for the ones on the house - not worth it!

Does anyone know if Certainteed made the Independence shangles in both fiberglass and organic versions in 1994? Does anyone know when they stopped making the Independence shangles in the organic version? I have a roof made with the organic Independence shangles that is falling apart now.

We live in southern WI and have the same problems with our roof installed at the end of 1997. The roof is crumbling and curling. Is it too late to join lawsuit?

Register w/Hulinen and Associates using this link to the registration form.
http://www.halunenlaw.com/forms/class-shingles.php
DO NOT TAKE ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIR SHINGLES FROM CERTAINTEED. They will not pay labor for new installation. Keep sample shingles. Lawyers are still in process of discovery.

Add another very angry customer in NW Illinois. Our certainteed roof was installed Aug, 2001. Not even 7 years. I have not had problems with the shingles blowing off but the premature failure is severe. A total "do-over" which I can not afford to do.

The warranty contains a "SureStart" period where the company will replace/repair plus labor within a short period. Yep ~ they get ya' coming & going. My "SureStart" period was 5 years ~ but look at their "normal wear" information on their website. They tell you that loss of the gravel and curling are NORMAL wear! So I just kept watching the roof. (Shoulda done a web search before 5 yrs.) My contractor is coming to remove samples tomorrow. Yes, I will have him remove several for my keeping, too, and I am e-mailing the class-action people as well. There are MANY homes in Galena, Il with crumbling roofs. Most have taken the company's pittance. This really is a crime.

My roof was installed in 1998. with 25yr CT Heartstead.
I still have extensive gravel in my gutters each rainfall.
In my valleys I am getting some curling and some shingles have bare spots in this valley area,.
Its been 10 years after install.
My questions are these:
1.Should I file a claim for the damaged areas? The damaged areas are probably 3 squares. I am reluctant to file a claim with CT because even if they pay, it will only amount to less than $100.
2. Must you submit a sample shingle? I dont wont to tear off a shingle at this point because I dont have a replacement to put in its place.
3. should I just right it off, meaning that I got 10 years of wear so far and have 3-? more years before the entire roof needs replacing, should I just realize that I got/will get about 13 or 14 years and the industry avg is 15 years, and not worry about it anymore?
4. Should I fill out the class action form and be added to the suit.
5. I kinda want to do some repairs to the damaged shingles myself like put some asphalt roof cement on the bare spots on the singles themselves. would this be a bad idea OR should I not do this unless/till CT looks at it or what.
Thanks.

We live in Minnesota. Our CT shingles were installed in 2001 and look terrible. Our skylight is leeking and has damaged our ceiling, perhaps it's the shingles that have casued the leak rather than the window itself. We put a different kind of shingles on our attached garage the same year and they are fine and look great. I've talked to CT and they want the shingle and pictures, etc. Has anyone had luck collecting on this?

bjeanettek, the number of shingle failures in our little town of about 4000 is incredible. Everyone I have spoken with that has reached a settlement with CT has said "do NOT accept their first offer". It seems as you keep moving up the chain of command the settlement gets larger.

Your roof & mine were installed the same year, so check your warranty (on CT's website) for your particular shingle. The "SureStart" warranty where they will pay replacement AND labor (but not tear off; metal or disposal) will be either 3, 5 or 10 years. Hopefully you are in the 10 year SureStart! You would then have more bargaining power for a replacement & labor settlement.

I spoke with Hallunen Law firm (the MN class action people) yesterday. Class action suits have been filed in 13-17 states so far. As of yesterday, they are petitioning the courts to classify/combine the suits as one nationwide suit. They are awaiting a decision.

You can add your name to the class action suit by calling Halunen Law or file online at their website. He recommended that you submit a claim to CT & also get your name on the class action suit. And keep all records of CT communications. If CT offers you an acceptable settlement ~ fine, just notify Halunen to remove your name. But if you accept a CT settlement you are not eligible for the class action suit. This is the course I will take, but I will not settle for just pro-rated single vouchers on a 6 1/2 yr old roof. If they pay labor ~ OK, maybe. I am currently at the stage of mailing the shingles & taking pictures!

Here is a link that might be useful: Class action suit

Hi,
Found this site by looking for info on defective shingles. Live in Minnesota. We had the roof replaced in 2001 using a "Sealdon". (25 yr) The roof is showing a lot of wear, wondering if the shingles were defective. Is this the one that has had the class-action law-suit? Does anyone have a phone # for the company that makes these? I am not sure where to begin. Thanks for any info.
You can email me direct if you wish. dsmith252@charter.net

Hello~I am not sure if I should be thankful or dread the fact that I found this information about this shingle company. We had our home shingled with the New Horizon shingles in 1999, our contractor came back in 2003 and resealed every shingle per the instructions of Certain Teed. On Father's Day a tree fell on our house and put a hole in the roof. Then on July 10th we had another bad storm and it blew countless shingles up. I have documented all of the damage with photos. Now our insurance company is saying the shingles can be matched and replaced but are limiting the claim to only part of the roof. I guess I need to join in on the class action law suit because I have had three contractors tell me these shingles are no longer on the market.because of the defects. My insurance adjuster tried to send me to a lumber company that filed bankruptcy and no longer exists....the "shingle expert" from their claims office did not believe me when I told them about the lumber company. In the meantime, I have a hole in my roof, bad shingles on my house and an insurance adjuster who is dragging his feet! Good Lord, what frustration! I've battled with Certain Teed in the past and guess I'd better suit up as it sounds as though I am in for another battle...nothing anyone can afford to do in this day! All suggestions are appreciated.

Jules sorry for your situation, but for heaven's sake don't take any money from Certainteed. One thing at a time. Homeowner's should cover fixing the hole in your roof caused by the tree. All weather boards will do. You will need to redo your whole roof if the criteria for the class action fits your roof. If it was wind damage, it won't fit the class. If the shingles were like curly fries, it may.
Link: http://www.halunenlaw.com
There is a description and form you can fill in to describe your shingle problem before the tree fell.

Can anyone tell me how to get a claims form from CertainTeed?

Yikes! My eleven year old CT barn roof is in shambles....I used the high dollar locking shingles too. Am I to late to join the class action suit? Thanks Pat.

Wow! I heard the segment on KSTP the other night and it caught my attention because I thought they were featuring my roof. The CertainTeed Seladon 25 shingles were installed in 4/97 and have been losing granules for 8 years; I find them by the handfuls in the gutters. They are now curled and crumbling with many bare spots. My neighbor has the same problem with theirs. The roofs were replaced at similar times due to damage from a hail storm.
Rochester, MN

We built a new home back in 2002 in Hudson WI. Over the last 5 years we were constantly finding shingle graduals all over our back deck. For the first couple of years I just thought it was "normal" shedding from a new roof � but when is a roof no longer new, and when will it stop shedding?

About a month ago a home two houses away from ours, that was our builder�s model home when we bought our lot, had the roof stripped and replaced. Out of curiosity I stopped and asked one of the workers why the new roof? He said that it had been hail damage. I thought that�s funny, I don�t remember any hailstorm in our area that was bad enough to damage a roof, was it way back before we built ours? He said that the roof on the house between ours and this one was looking tough as well.

A few weeks later one of my adult sons was going up onto my roof to shoot some pictures of our landscaping that he had helped us put in over the last few years. I asked him to "shoot some pictures of the shingles as long as your up there".

Then I caught the tail end of the segment on KSTP the other night. Tonight we downloaded and printed the pictures he had took � holy smokes! There were huge black cracks that are totally void of the colored granules. Then I found this website.

All of a sudden everything is becoming so much clearer! I then dug out our "homeowners manual" that we got from our builder � sure enough � Certainteed "New Horizon Shangle" (250 lb)

We�re screwed � Help!

We have over 4,500 sq feet of house under this roof with 4� overhangs � it will cost a mint to strip and replace this roof. And there is no way I�m going to put asphalt shingles up there again to fail prematurely.

Anybody know anything about these new rubber tile roofs?

We are currently getting proposals for a new roof. After reading all the info I am concerned that all the roofers in our area are using certainteed shingles. They are recommending the landmark shingle. Does anyone know anything about the certainteed landmark shingle?

I had the carriage house shingles installed on my house in 1995. They are still as good as new. No problems at all. I live in Iowa with cold winters and hot summers.

Another one for this seemingly endless list.... I just replaced my roof after obtaining several estimates in the fall of 2007. I was informed I had a defective product from CertainTeed. Org. roof put on in fall of 1995. We bought the home in May of 2002. Roof was in bad shape for past 18 months, but had to save up to replace....expensive repair....I should have been a roofer!

Now have new roof at a cost of 9 grand and just today mailed in the claim forms to CertainTeed. Got plenty of pics and sample shingles....even made doubles of everything in case i had to "re-submit" the claim..... I have the same problems as described above...I have never seen a shingle look like this, and I used to work for a roofing company while in college... the shingles are literally "melting" away, and this was only after 10 years for a 25 yr rated product.

Sounds like the best thing to do is keep pestering the company until the initial offer is doubled or more and then if half way decent, swallow your pride and take it....I will see how far I get with their "claim process", but if not reasonable I will look to add my name to the class action suit....

Not trying to hold them up for a new roof(with labor)...but 50% or more of the materials would be a reasonable offer....not the $300-$500 offers I have been reading about.

I assume this action is still open to additional home owners in WI? ...one more thing, I am the second owner....anyone in this position have any kind of luck, or does the company hide behind that as grounds for denial.

any input or update would be appreciated.

Signed
-Grumpy in Green Bay

This is from the Halunen website:
"Updates:
As of October, 2008, the CertainTeed class action continues to collect evidence for the states that have already been transferred to the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where CertainTeed is located. We have filed for a national class certification, which would allow this case to proceed on a national level rather than state by state. Though we expected a hearing by the end of the summer, we have postponed this hearing to begin possible settlement negotiations with CertainTeed. A settlement could result in the lawsuit being completed as soon as the next six months. If the settlement does not offer a fair outcome, we will proceed with the litigation process and reschedule the class certification.

We continue to review and analyze documents we have acquired from CertainTeed and have assembled a case that, we believe, will effectively substantiate our claim. As they are being reviewed, it is becoming increasingly evident that CertainTeed knowingly produced shingles that were deteriorating prematurely. Furthermore we have obtained experts who will support our claims that CertainTeed�s shingles are defective and would not be expected to endure normal wear and tear.

To participate in this case, you must verify that you have CertainTeed�s organic shingles. While many customers may have been experiencing problems with their fiberglass shingles, those claims are outside the scope of this lawsuit. A list of CertainTeed�s organic and fiberglass shingles is found at our FAQ."

I also spoke with CT tech center this week re: our claim. It is taking 4-8 weeks for them to respond (via letter) after you send in your documentation. Hmm, wonder what I'll be offered. Guess I'll find out in a few short weeks. *sigh*

WE too are having a problem with the shingles on our cabin. It was roofed in 1998. This last weekend we were cleaning the gutters and noticed a large amount of stones in the gutters. On futher investigation notice the shingles were curling and had bubbles in them. When we touched the bubbles the shingles fell apart. So a 25 year shingles is junk after 10 years. I am in the process of filing a claim with Certain Teed. I noticed in the warranty they will not cover the tearing off of the old roof. What is the sense of putting on a new roof without taking the old roof off. So at the owner expense you have take off the old shingles. If you already have a problem with the roof, let's compound it by leaving the old shingles on. Wish us luck on our warranty claim. Gboensch In Mid Michigan

Sadly, I am now a part of this happy club, too. We installed 30-year shingles in 98 and the roofer just told me they were defective. They are curling and an inordinate amount of the composition has come off.

I am also saddened to let all you Iowans know that the AG's office has no interest in helping us because it's a defective-product issue. Sigh.

I am really concerned after reading all of your postings and experiences with CT shingles. Fortunately, we have not yet replaced our roof after storm damages this year. Our insurance company has already paid us for replacement, but we just can't decide who or what to go with. We have obtained several estimates/quotes from contracors/roofers. We think we have decided on a very respected roofing company. However, we have not signed a contract and would like as much information on the product materials as possible. We have found that each contractor uses certain manufacturers. However, we want to make a good choice.

Here is the dilemma: what type of roof to get?? I am seeing three years of postings about the many problems with CT shingles ... and some with GAF. I have heard locally that Atlas shingles have also deteriorated prematurely. I read comments about none of the asphalt shingles being much better than the others.

Our current roof is a 3tab installed by a previous owner. (The age of the roof is 17 years.) We did not see any significant wearing prior to the hail storm this year. We only had granule loss but it was significant. In waiting while many neigbors replaced their roofs, we ended up losing many shingles in Hurricane Gustav this August. Again, we have watched other neighbors replacing major home damages in addition to roofs.

After yet another hurricane (Ike), we considered upgrading to a metal roof, but eventually thought it would be cost prohibitive and thought we would settle for an architectural shingle with a 30, 35, or 40 year life. Now we are faced with reconsidering again.

Does anyone out there have any positive experience with your replacement roof after the CT failure?

Do any of you with other roofing experience have more to say about other manufacturer products, including metal roof options?

I am almost mentally exhausted trying to find the right answer. Any additional input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Mercruise

Mercruise, I looked and looked and looked all over the internet for complaints about CertainTeed's Grand Manor top-of-the-line shingle and couldn't find any. It's a product that's been out since the early '90's, so it's had plenty of time to exhibit any tendency to fail. We took the gamble and installed it this summer. The roofers were impressed with the quality.

Hello Everyone

I also have Certainteed shingles on roof. They are the Sealdon 25 Nickle Gray. They were put on roof Summer 2002.

I have experienced sometimes excessive granules in gutters and downspouts. Roofing contractors have said this is somewhat the norm.

I have not seen many posts regarding Sealdon 25 Shingles. I am wondering if this shingle is ok or do others have problems with this shingle?

I have not experienced curling or deterioation. Is this something that I should expect? Should I become part of the class action lawsuit?

Looking forward to your posts

JKat

awmo3,mercruise, We have grand manors on our build installed 10/06. Time will tell but i am very impressed with the construction of the shingle. 5-ply and a 425#/per square make it a heavy shingle with a 50 yr warranty. I believe the life span is dependent on geographical location despite mfgr warranty claims, but we are very happy with the asthetics as well as the build of this shingle. There are other mfgr's that come closer to resembling slate, but that wasn't what we were after. Awesome roof, imo.

JKat, I too have Sealdon 25s and they are crumbling beyond what they should be doing. I've just read through these postings and am trying to decide what to do. There is a lawfirm in my area (Milwaukee) that is filing individual lawsuits--the Techmeier Lawfirm. Options as I see 'em: 1) Apply for compensation from Certainteed. 2) Contact Techmeier. 3) Contact the above named Class Action Suit with Halunan. I'm inclining toward 3) because they're already partway down the road.

The whole thing is so disheartening. Not to mention disgusting. Not to mention EXPENSIVE.

We purchased our 12 y/o home in Maryland from original owner in August 2007 and had very bad roof leakage during late summer of 2008 after heavy rains. Called a company that had done other work for us to check the roof and they informed us that almost all of the shingles were cracked, warped and de-granualated. Our contractor took video and still photos of roof and we filed a claim using the still photos + shingle samples with Certain Teed. They denied our claim alleging that the warranty was not ransferred to us from the original owner within the "transferability" period,therefore, Certain Teed is not liable for any replacement shingles.

We are researching Maryland law Re: merchantability since it is clear that shingles are from Certain Teed and are defective because they did not last any where near the 25 years they were warranted. We are looking to join a class-action or to get referrals to a Maryland law firm specializing in this type of case.

Suggestions are welcomed.

I am so sorry that everyone is having such a horrible issue with CertianTeed shingles. I am a Maryland resident. I've finally saved up enough to get my badly needed roof replaced. The roofer uses this product. He's using the Landmark 30. Has anyone have any issues with this shingle or are all their products defective? Please advise. What about the gaf shingles? Please help.

I work for a company in Minneapolis specializing in roof replacement. Most every roofing company "carries" a brand / manufacturer of roofing materials, because they receive special pricing / volume discounts and other spiffs for carrying that brand. Of course, nobody wants to carry a product that will fail early, or cause problems for their customers. Anyway, over time, I've worked for companies that carry different brands, and all the manufacturer's reps make compelling arguments why their brand(s) are the best - from experience, I have my own personal preferences of what shingles are the best, and why. I'd be happy to discuss my unbiased opinions with anyone who cares to write to me. Side note: There are many current events effecting how shingles are made, and resulting quality of those products (example: mergers, acquisitions, consolidating production plants, etc...). Best regards from MN.

I installed approximately 58 squares of CertainTeed Horizon Shangles in 1996. Curling and loss of granules began almost immediately, with shingles wholly failing by 2002. I contacted CertainTeed who asked for pictures and details which I provided. They stated "MY" dilemma was likely due to insufficient roof pitch. About 75% of my shingles are on a 4.3:12 pitch, with the remainders all on steeper roofs. Some of my roof has a 14:12 pitch (gambrel knee wall)and it too failed like all the rest. Every pitch in between likewise failed. North exposures seem to fail first, and paradoxically south fares the best.

After dealing with the CertainTeed rep, who basically stated they would pay pennies on the dollar, I decided just to drop the pursuit and tell anyone who would listen of my poor CertainTeed experiences. Run from CertainTeed.

Coincidentally, I consider myself mechanically able. The shingles were installed in the mid west, in 70 degree temps, on new decking, with 15 lb felt, and with the assistance of a roofer with over 27 years experience. I've never had a previous roof I've installed fail, and have actually marveled at how long some of my Owens Corning roofing has lasted. Should have stuff with Owens Corning in '96! I just put 79 squares of Owens Corning on my new home...hope I'm not back on this forum in ten years with further sad tales!

I have the CertainTeed "New Horizon" fiber glass shingles. It looks like the discussion so far concern mostly the "organic" shingles and they are the ones being included in the class action lawsuits. I have made the official claim to CertainTeed concerning my shingles that are showing deep vertical cracks and a lot of grannule loss. They claim the shingles are not defective. Is there anyone out there that knows about any legal action for the shingles that I have? Thanks....grumpy

Hi Bloggers,
I work for a contracting/roofing company in Minnesota. We see cracking, curling and extensive wind damage to the Certainteed organic shingles all the time. If you're looking for a contracting company to replace your roof who will go above and beyond your expectations, please contact me at newlifecontracting93@gmail.com. If damage is from a recent storm we can get you the new roof for the cost of your deductible or less.
newlifecontracting93@gmail.com

Here is a link that might be useful: New Life Contracting Roofing Information

I have Certanteed New Horizon asphalts that are failing after 4.5 yrs. Does anyone know of a group suit in the NW WI area or somewhere I can get more info?

yes, I live in Mn. and can help you enter a lawsuit where the attorneys are suing for full replacement costs. Email me for more info.

post the name of the law firm please
thanks

The prior owners of my house had new certainteed shingles installed in 2002 and they are failing. At this point I believe my options are (1) to either contact my insurance company, open a claim and hope that they will cover it. worst case they say no and I have a claim against my insurance history. My other option is to pay for the replacement myself and join the class action law suit in hopes of recouping some of the cost. For those who understand "insurance score" better than I do, do you think that I�m better off starting with option 1 and hope that the insurance company will cover me?

My home owners clearly states that they are not respnsible for defective materials used in the remodeling or building of the home or for any damages caused as a result of the defective materials failing.
Check your policy but I bet they are pretty much all written that way.

Just got a call this morning 7/05/09 for a roof I put on in 2003 that is falling off. New horizons.

Certainteed won ~ I settled w/ them. Was it a "fair" settlement for a 6 1/2 yr old (Sealdon 30 yr) roof? Probably not ~ but I had to replace it & did not have the money to do so without a settlement. And in searching the "progress" of the lawsuit I found 10+ pages of "continuances". I caved & settled.

My advice: file a claim w/ CT following their website instructions; sign on to the class action suit; then keep re-negotiating with CT until they say that is their "final" offer. Yes, the final offer WILL be just a pittance of your costs.

THEN write a letter to the CEO of CT. Keep it complimentary; add a touch of humor; detail their final offer & tell him what you think would be a fair settlement & ask his help in the matter. It made a big difference in the settlement offer. Like I said the fair thing to have been done on a 6 1/2 yr old roof that was experiencing problems for several years before I reported it would have been to honor the "SureStart warranty (full replacement costs). That didn't happen, but they did sweeten the deal a bit more and I couldn't wait.

When the CEO's representative says "this is the final offer" you have 1 year to accept. BTW, that offer was made by telephone (& I almost didn't answer the call!). They then followed up in writing. By following the above I think you will have exhausted all possibilities & then can then better decide whether to accept CT's settlement or stay in the lawsuit. Nothing to lose.

Good luck to all of you ~ this is a sad deal from a company who has been the world leader in building products.

I guess I'll put in my 2 cents worth.
My Dad had his Certainteed shingles installed 12 years ago, and now they needed to be replaced. Very bad curling and deterioration was present. After posting on another forum, I was informed of the class action lawsuit against CT involving its organic shingles. After checking the invoice for the roofing job from 12 years ago, it turns out that my dad has organic shingles. We were going to file a warranty claim, but it says on the law firm's site that we'd be ineligible for the lawsuit if we accept a warranty payment. I would think CT would LOVE to make a warranty claim payment so they could pay for the shingles only, while the lawsuit covers full replacement costs, including labor (assuming the lawsuit is successful).
Sadly, we didn't know about any of this until he just had his roof redone by a contractor who uses Certainteed shingles. He installed Landmark Arcitectual shingles. Now we just have to hope they won't break down after 12 or less years.

Yes, we also have the defective certain teed shingles. We put up a Wausau Home in 1996 after we lost our other home in a tornado. We were told by a building dept. manager at Menards already in 2000 that we would need to replace our roof soon. We have managed to put it off until now but it can no longer wait as a dark spot appeared on my living room ceiling. Our shingles are cracking and curling and our gutters are filled with shingle grain. It also looks like we repaired the roof with different colors of shingles. What is the best way to go about this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

My advice is to sign up for the class action lawsuit that is in progress at the following link: http://www.halunenlaw.com/news/2006/11/21/certainteed-shingles-class-action-lawsuit

Even though I have settled w/ CT I still follow the class action suit. Here is the latest update from Halunen:
August 19, 2009

Dear CertainTeed Customer:

We have been engaged in settlement negotiations with the CertainTeed Corporation for over one year in an attempt to obtain a fair resolution for consumers injured by the company�s defective organic shingles. We have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the company that sets forth the terms of a settlement that we believe to be in the best interests of consumers based upon an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses relating to liability against the company and damages.

We now intend to submit the matter to the Court for preliminary approval. This should happen in the month of September. Should the Court give preliminary approval to the settlement, then the parties will provide notice to consumers nationwide, to advise them of their rights under the settlement and to give them the opportunity to either participate in the settlement or not to participate and pursue their own remedies. If you decide to participate, you will be provided with information on how you would need to submit your claim in order to receive compensation under the settlement. As previously instructed, please retain any and all information about your shingles, including photographs, shingle samples, receipts from any repairs, and a signed statement from a contractor stating that the shingles are defective CertainTeed organic shingles.

Below, please find preliminary details on how the proposed settlement may affect you. Please be aware that these details are not finalized, and changes may occur. Because details are not yet finalized, our office will not be able to make individualized calculations for consumers.

1. If you have or had CertainTeed organic shingles and are covered under a valid CertainTeed warranty you would receive $74 per square�$34 per square for material costs, pro-rated based on the date of installation and $40 per square for labor costs, not pro-rated for the first ten years from installation and pro-rated thereafter.

2. If you purchased a building with CertainTeed shingles, but do not have a valid transferrable warranty you would receive $34 per square pro-rated based on the date of installation.

3. If you have resolved your warranty claim with CertainTeed since August 1, 2006 you would receive 20% of the difference between the amount you received in the warranty claim and the amount you would have received under the settlement.

We do not have more specific details available at this time, but we will let you know if this information becomes available. Because we have had literally thousands of consumers contact our offices to report their defective CertainTeed shingles, please do not make further inquiries to our office at this time. We will not have any further information for you until the Court approves the proposed settlement. If the Court does not approve the settlement, then class certification briefing will resume.

We understand that you may have many questions about how this process will work; please understand that this is all the information we are able to provide at this time. We will provide you with updated information and more details as soon as they become available. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Thank you,
HALUNEN & ASSOCIATES

had certainteed shingles installed by professionals in 1997. most of the grit has plugged the gutters and the ashphalt has also deteriorated how do we get compensation?

Bear-2009:
Read the post I made just 2 entries above yours. Go to the website at the link I posted and follow the instructions there. Better hurry--the case is looking like it's about to be settled.

I am a Executive Service Writer for a Contracting Co. that is dealing with replacing Certainteed Organic Shingles and mold remediation. I can discuss your options with you! I do not represent Certainteed and will not try and talk you into signing any waiver or putting their product back on your roof. I work for a Master Elite GAF/ELK Installer. We can offer a 20 year (MATERIALS AND LABOR) Transferable(once) warranty on our GAF/ELK shingles and the GAF/ELK shingles are treated to be be resistant to the black marking fungus that is so noticable on some other brands. It's not an issue of "IF" the Certainteed Organic Shingle will deteriorate or fail, but "WHEN". I see Newer 3 yr old Certainteed Organic Shingles every day, that are already showing the signs of Curling and Buckling. This usually occurs on a side of the building that has a Southerly exposure in our Market (Minnesota). The Certainteed New Horizon is less noticable in its deterioration due to it's design, but will show the same effects over time. Also the Certainteed Sealdon 20/25/30 Organic shingle is very easily blown off or torn in moderate winds when it doesn't seal properly. If you are missing singles or have a deteriorating roof that you suspect is an Organic roof, call me for a FREE Inspection and Consultation. We may be able to get your roof replaced for as little as 10% or less which may be refundable. Call Buck at 651-503-1177 or E-mail schott@pclink.com. Reference "Shingles" and tell me when the best time is to contact you!

September has passed, but HALUNEN & ASSOCIATES hasn't sent me any more info on the lawsuit. They said it would be done in September if things go as planned. Has anyone heard anything further about it, now that it's October?

Any news from Halunen & Associates in regards to the class action lawsuits now that is November? Thanks

Received this on 1/29/10

Dear CertainTeed Customer:

We are pleased to report that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has granted preliminary approval of the proposed settlement agreement with the CertainTeed Corporation. The agreement now needs to go through one final approval process before consumers can begin receiving payment under the settlement. During the next six months, the court will review any objections to the proposed settlement agreement. If there are no delays, the final approval hearing will take place this June, and the court may issue an order shortly thereafter.

The court has appointed CAC Services Group as the settlement administrator. The company will be responsible for to providing notice and information about the settlement to consumers. CAC Services Group has created a website, www.CertainTeedShingleSettlement.com, where you can:

� Find answers to Frequently Asked Questions

� View a copy of the Notice of Settlement

� Download claim forms

� See information about the final approval hearing

� View the terms of the settlement agreement

� Enter your name and address to receive a paper copy of the notice and claim forms

You should automatically receive a paper copy of the notice and claim form in the mail within the next 30 days if you have provided us with your mailing address. If you do not receive notice in the next 30 days and would like a copy, you can enter your information on www.CertainTeedShingleSettlement.com, call the CertainTeed Settlement Hotline at 1-888-898-4111, or write to the Settlement Administrator at:

CertainTeed Shingle Settlement Claims Administrator

1400 Union Meeting Road

Blue Bell, PA 19422-0761.

You may also print out a copy of the claim form and notice directly from the settlement website. If you choose, you may begin submitting claims to the Settlement Administrator from this point forward. In the Notice Package, you will receive detailed information about what kind of claim form and documentation to submit; you can also view the claim form and submission information in the Case Documents section of the settlement website at www.certainteedshinglesettlement.com/casedocuments.cfm.

Consumers will not be able to receive payment unless they submit a valid Claim Form. Please note, however, that claims will not be processed unless the Court grants final approval. Additionally, claims will not be handled by our offices, or by any of the affiliated attorney offices listed. Therefore, please do not submit any documentation or shingle samples to our offices. This information should be sent to the Claims Administrator at the above address.

Sincerely,

Aurora Thome

Legal Assistant

Halunen & Associates

The details on the CertainTeed class action have also been posted on a website called Top Class Actions. They break down the settlement:
http://www.topclassactions.com/open/521-certainteed-organic-shingle-class-action-lawsuit-settlement

Check it out. It looks like you could get up to $74 per 100 sq. feet of roof if you have damage.

Here is a link that might be useful: Top Class Actions CertainTeed Shingle Settlement

I have read all of the above posts here about the Certain Teed shingles that have more than likely been considered defective to say the least! Not only that, but certainly read by home inspectors, builders, roofers, and people working in the insurance sector as well. My question is this: To the people in the home service industry that know the importance of a good quality job. What brand of shingle by manufacturer, style, weight factor and other things should one consider that will stand up as being a good product? This so far has not been mentioned, and I too along with many others I am sure would like to know.

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Looks like the lawsuit is dead..

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