Nov 3 2010
For years, roofing contractor Paul Trischitta owner of Constitution Contracting in Lowell, MA, thought underlayments, such as felt paper or plastic sheeting under the roofing material, didn't make much sense.
"They've been standard practice with the asphalt shingles we use," he said. "But I just didn't think they did much other than provide some protection for the shingles." Now that he has tried Opus™ Roof Blanket from Propex, an entirely new category of roofing underlayment with a blanket-like surface, Paul considers it a game-changer. "Using Opus Roof Blanket gives my business a way to differentiate itself, especially in an area like ours that has wicked bad weather," he said. It's totally different than 30 lb felt paper, plastic sheeting or any underlayment out there, giving homeowners an added layer of protection."
Constitution Contracting covers all of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, where snow, wind and rain are well above national averages, especially in the winter months. They install about 75% steep slope shingle, 20% low slope and 5% metal roofs. "Opus is perfect for the way we work—we can't let a little rain stop us or we'd never do a job," he said. As an example, Paul and his crew recently installed a roof in the rain and had no problems getting the Opus down and secured. "I can have the peace of mind that it won't blow off in high winds or have rain leak into the house. Even in the rain, the traction is awesome and my crew can feel safe and get more done, as if they're working on a flat roof. You lay it down and work like a gentleman the rest of the day."
In fact, Opus Roof Blanket's surface was independently tested for slip resistance against six different types of plastic sheeting underlayment and 30 lb. felt paper. Opus had the best slip resistance of all the products tested in both wet and dry conditions.
Paul also feels good about exposure if there's a delay in putting down the roofing materials. In his experience, you can't leave felt paper exposed for even half an hour in winds or rain. "It will get shredded," he said. "And plastic sheeting left out in the sun will just get killed." Opus Roof Blanket has a 30/30 guarantee that states it can be left exposed for 30 months and will endure for 30 years after being covered with roofing materials. "This underlayment is in a league of its own--you can see it has more of a blanket-like composition so you don't get the leaks," said Paul. "And don't even try to tear it, it's just about impossible."
Source: http://www.opusroofblanket.com/