The scramble to get ready and out the door is one thing, but once the kids and I are on our way, I find that driving them around can be quite enjoyable. I can sip a hot coffee while we chat, sing songs and point out rainbows, buses, ambulances and weather outside. When it is raining, my daughter always says, “Good thing we have a roof to protect us.”

She has been infatuated with roofs lately. When we see new construction, she is quick to point out whether the homes have roofs yet, and when she sees a roof she likes, she talks about why she likes it. It got me noticing the many different roofs as well. I talked to Brian Hasegawa, of Aluminum Shake Roofing, to hear his thoughts. Hasegawa recommends the company’s Country Manor Shake (CMS). If you are in the market for a new roof, here are some reasons you may want to consider CMS:

FUNCTION

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Weather considerations that affect us most in Hawaii are heat, wind and water. The CMS has been touted as the “coolest roof on the market,” according to Hasegawa, due to its installation and use of a FoamGuard insert that makes heat transfer inefficient. Plus the coatings are made with infrared-reflecting pigments, which Hasegawa says allow the panels to stay as much as 50 degrees cooler than conventional finishes.

The panel itself is also designed with a four-way interlock and stainless-steel fasteners. “As the wind speed increases, the roof is subjected to a negative (upward) pressure,” Hasegawa said. “The roof panel actually gets tighter and tighter as the wind speeds increase.”

One issue with metal roofing is the potential for rust.

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However, CMS “is formed from 95 percent recycled content and is warranted by the manufacturer to never lose impact resistance with age,” Hasegawa said. “In effect, it is warranted not to corrode in Hawaii’s tropical marine environment.”

STYLE

Although CMS offers the strength and durability of aluminum, the product itself and the installation results in a look that resembles natural wood. “There are eight shakes with deep, realistic grain formed in each panel, alternately thick and thin, long and short, and with a unique sidelock that is virtually impossible to detect,” Hasegawa said. “We install the product with a ‘consistently inconsistent’ stagger to give the appearance of individual wood shakes.”

INCENTIVES

Because CMS is Energy Star rated, it may qualify for federal tax credits. Plus, the manufacturer is offering a $500 discount, matched by Aluminum Shake Roofing, for roofs purchased during the month of November for U.S. military veterans.

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Have a comment or question for Joanne? Email thefixisinhawaii@gmail.com.