A neighbour’s tree fell on our roof during the last big wind / rain storm and damaged seven of the metal shingles. I have installed a plastic tarp to keep the water out in the interim. But I’ve been looking for replacement shingles everywhere and can’t find any. Do you have any idea where I can locate red coloured metal shingles?

From your description the type of roofing you have is a proprietary roof system. This means that the metal shingles are manufactured by one company alone and cannot be mixed or matched with other metal roof systems. The reasons are apparent when you realize that any proprietary system has many unique characteristics that set it apart from all other systems.

For instance, your metal shingles will have a unique profile and a unique way of interlocking with all the adjacent shingles. The beauty of this uniqueness is that the manufacturer probably designed an amazingly well sealed roofing system. As a matter of fact, metal roof shingles have a great reputation for durability and performance in the construction industry. However, the downside of these proprietary systems is that it can be very difficult to find parts when damage occurs and shingle replacement is required. It becomes even more difficult when the manufacturer of the system has gone out of business, which is the case with some of the better known metal, sawdust composite and rubber roof shingle manufacturers.

So, I suggest that you try to determine the brand name of the shingles. Then, do a building supply store and “Google” search for the manufacturer. If the company is still in business, make contact with them for replacement shingles. If the company no longer exists, your last resort is to find a skilled sheet metal tradesperson to attempt a duplicate copy of your shingles. You may anticipate higher than expected costs for this work because it will be a small, labour intensive job that most tradespeople prefer to avoid.   

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This article was written by Steven Cannon, a Registered Building Official and partner in Lynch Building Inspection Services Ltd. of Nelson, British Columbia. It originally appeared in The Nelson Express.

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