With damaging hail and windstorms increasing in frequency across the United States, homeowners are looking for ways to make their homes more resilient. Installing an impact-resistant roof on your home is a major step in that direction.
GAF, with its ongoing commitment to improvement and innovation, has added a new high-performance roofing product to its premier line of Class 4 impact-resistant shingles. With the highest level of protection against storm damage, a Class 4 impact-resistant roof featuring GAF Timberline UHDZ® with UltraMat™ shingles can provide the durability, performance, and peace of mind that homeowners in severe storm regions need.
Class 4 Shingles Defined
Roofing shingles are evaluated by testing agencies, like Underwriters Laboratory (UL), in a variety of performance categories, one of which is impact resistance. To simulate the damaging impacts of hail, the UL 2218 test protocol drops steel balls of various sizes from different heights onto installed test shingles. The shingles are then examined for signs of cracking or fracture.
To qualify as a Class 4 impact-resistant shingle, the highest rating possible, test shingles must exhibit no signs of cracking after a 2-inch diameter steel ball is dropped on them twice from a height of 20 feet. The GAF Timberline UHDZ® with UltraMat™ shingles have met these stringent conditions and earned the UL 2218 Class 4 rating.
What Makes Timberline UHDZ® Unique?
GAF Senior Product Manager Dan Witte explains the unique benefits of the new Timberline UHDZ® shingle: "We've enhanced the product by introducing a new feature called UltraMat™. It's a high-performance fiberglass technology that strengthens the core of the shingle. We're using a heavier, thicker, more durable fiberglass mat that's engineered for impact."
It's this technology that helps Timberline UHDZ® achieve its Class 4 impact-resistance rating, which is now standard for the entire UHDZ® line. In addition, Timberline UHDZ® is now available nationwide and in Canada.
Since the overall performance of your roof depends on the strength and durability of all of its exposed components, GAF extends this new technology to its TimberTex® Premium Ridge Cap Shingles, which help protect the vulnerable hip and ridge areas of your roof.
As GAF Senior Product Manager Jeff Avitabile explains: "We are manufacturing all of our TimberTex® ridge cap shingles with the same technology as Timberline UHDZ®, with an UltraMat™ core. Not only is it a better, more dimensional finished aesthetic than a traditional flat ridge cap, but now, we have the perfect pairing for Timberline UHDZ® shingles with this Class 4 ridge cap."
With its patented Dual Shadow Line design, the Timberline UHDZ® shingle gives your roof an ultra-high definition, wood-shake look from any viewing angle, at any time of day. Its six distinctive color blends-Pewter Gray, Charcoal, Slate, Barkwood, Shakewood, and Weathered Wood-can make your Class 4 roof the perfect finishing touch for your home's unique aesthetic.
Unsurpassed Warranties
GAF Timberline UHDZ® combines its striking aesthetic with unrivaled warranty protection:
WindProven™ Limited Wind Warranty*: GAF is the only manufacturer to offer infinite wind speed protection on select Timberline Shingles when installed with the required accessories. This warranty is available with the installation of Timberline UHDZ® shingles along with GAF starter strips, roof deck protection, ridge cap shingles, and either a leak barrier or attic ventilation. This combination of GAF products provides protection for your new roof under severe storm conditions.
StainGuard Plus PRO™ Algae Protection Limited Warranty**: This innovative proprietary time-release technology provides powerful protection against the discoloration of blue-green algae, ensuring your roof continues to look great as it ages. For Timberline UHDZ®, it is offered as an unprecedented 30-year limited warranty.
Lifetime Limited Warranty***: The GAF Timberline UHDZ® shingle also carries a lifetime limited warranty against manufacturing defects.
Tips for Choosing a Class 4 Shingle
The following guidelines may help you decide if a Class 4 impact-resistant roof is the best choice for your home:
- Are you in a high risk area for hail and/or windstorms?
- Do the building codes in your state or municipality require impact-resistant roofs?
- Does your insurance carrier offer premium discounts for impact-resistant roofs?
- Are you interested in the potential long-term benefits of a Class 4 roof, such as fewer repairs and increased resale value for your home?
- Do you favor the aesthetic of a high-definition shingle that gives the appearance of wood shakes but with best-in-class durability and performance?
What Are Your Options?
There's an array of choices in the selection of your GAF Class 4 roof. The new Timberline UHDZ® shingle joins two other GAF premier Class 4 shingle products: Timberline® AS II and Grand Sequoia® AS, both of which derive their strength from a proprietary SBS polymer-modified asphalt blend.
GAF also manufactures a variety of Class 4 impact-resistant rooftop accessories, including the Master Flow™Pivot™ Pipe Boot Flashing, Master Flow™ Bath & Dryer Rooftop Appliance Vent, and various Master Flow™ off-ridge attic ventilation products. As Avitabile emphasizes: "For anything exposed on the roof, you would have further peace of mind with a full Class 4 protected system."
Witte elaborates: "GAF is really focused on providing options for impact-resistant roofing. We're broadening the portfolio, the available products, and the particular features you need for your particular climate. Customers have more choices for the product they want to go with and how they want their roof to look."
Protecting Your Investment
For an important investment like a Class 4 impact-resistant roof, GAF recommends working with a Master Elite® contractor. GAF Master Elite® contractors go through rigorous training and certification and are authorized to offer a variety of extended warranties for your roof. They can advise you on the best roofing materials and accessories for your particular location, budget, and code requirements.
Learn more about GAF Timberline UHDZ® with UltraMat™ shingles and find a certified Master Elite® contractor here.
* 15-year WindProven™ limited wind warranty covers GAF Shingles with LayerLock® Technology only and requires the use of GAF Starter Strips, Roof Deck Protection, Ridge Cap Shingles, and Leak Barrier or Attic Ventilation. See GAF Roofing System Limited Warranty for complete coverage and restrictions. Visit gaf.com/LRS for qualifying GAF products. For installations not eligible for the WindProven limited wind warranty, see GAF Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty for complete coverage and restrictions.
**25-year StainGuard Plus™ Algae Protection Limited Warranty against blue-green algae discoloration is available only on products sold in packages bearing the StainGuard Plus™ logo. See GAF Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty for complete coverage and restrictions.
***Definition of Lifetime: The word "Lifetime" means as long as you, the original owner(s) [or the second owner(s) if coverage was properly transferred during the Smart Choice Protection Period], own the property where the shingles and/or accessories are installed. The Lifetime warranty is applicable only to shingles and accessories installed on a single-family detached residence owned by individuals. For any other type of owner or building, such as a corporation, governmental entity, religious entity, condominium or homeowner association, school, apartment building, office building, or multi-use structure, the length of the warranty is 40 years. See the GAF Shingle & Accessory Limited Warranty, GAF Roofing System Limited Warranty and GAF Golden Pledge® Limited Warranty for complete coverage and restrictions.
