When David and Ruby LeBlanc starred on a Today’s Homeowner television episode that featured an exterior renovation and metal re-roofing on their Cut Off, Louisiana home, they had no idea it would become the best insurance for Hurricane Ida, which would arrive shortly later.
The re-roofing project — and episode — was completed just weeks before Ida hit. The Category 4 storm lashed David and Ruby’s neighborhood for seven long hours, with torrential rain and wind gusts exceeding 180 miles per hour. Country-wide, Ida lasted from Aug. 26–Sept. 4, 2021.
David and Ruby evacuated before Ida hit, but they were on pins and needles waiting to find out how their home had fared. They soon learned that the destruction to the area was devastating. But their new metal roof remained virtually unscathed from Ida’s tremendous force. It saved their home.
“Our neighbor’s garage had exploded. Boats were flung up on the road. It took two hours to clear our driveway alone. All over our neighborhood, homes with tarpaper roofs suffered complete losses,” said David. “But our new metal roof performed wonderfully. There was no structural or wind damage and not a drop of water inside from the roof.
“If we hadn’t replaced our roof when we did, we probably would still be gutting the house all the way down to the framing.”
The Challenge
David and Ruby’s 70-year-old home, located on the Bayou, had been hit by hurricanes before. As a result, the old roof was a hodgepodge of repairs and tarpaper (asphalt) material that suffered leaks and damage.
So, when it was time to re-roof, the owners wanted a change. Metal was the ultimate choice, and as highlighted on the Today’s Homeowner episode, special attention was paid to quality installation for maximum wind-resistance performance and longevity.
“Going with a quality metal roof was more expensive initially, but when you look at how well it performed, the damage it saved our home from and the long-lasting reliability, it was absolutely worth it,” said David.
The Solution
David and Ruby selected Classic Metal Roofing’s Rustic Shingle steel in Shake Gray for their re-roofing project. Installers placed the new roof right over the old roof, using a quality underlayment and foam under each shingle, which lock into place to give the roof superior performance and hurricane resistance.
Installer Middle South Systems reinforced the new roof’s strength by securing each 2-foot shingle with three hurricane clips.
The homeowners were delighted to learn that the beautiful style of their new roof is matched only by its long-lasting reliability, as proven by standing up to Hurricane Ida.
For more information:
Representing the residential metal roofing industry in the United States and Canada, the Metal Roofing Alliance was formed to help educate consumers about the many benefits of metal roofing.
MRA’s main objective is to increase awareness of the beauty, durability and money-saving advantages of quality metal roofing among homeowners, as well as to provide support to the residential metal roofing industry.
For more information, visit MRA at www.metalroofing.com.
