The Accent roof shingle
“When you pull in the driveway, you’ll say, ‘Hey, we’ve got a nice roof,” said Shane Riemenschneider, who, along with John Yoder, is a partner at First Choice Exteriors. “If you put on a different type of roof, you’ll forget about it a month later.”
The Holmesville-based company began manufacturing Accent series metal shingles this past winter after investing in the necessary equipment, which took several years to build. Instead of featuring the vertical ribs typical of a barn-sided tin or metal roof, these shingles are made to mimic the appearance of a cedar shake or slate roof and are available in eight popular colors. Every shingle is stamped and formed from metal before being finished with a baked-on, shadow-effect line that makes the cedar-shake detail really pop. Indeed, Riemenschneider said, the look exceeds the expectation of beauty on a home.
“Some people can’t tell the difference,” he noted. “They’re surprised to discover it’s a metal roof and not a true wood shingle.”
In addition to being an attractive product that is designed and made locally, Accent shingles are practical. Contractors and do-it-yourself people appreciate the ease of installation. Accent shingles are lighter than traditional shingles and are the only ones on the market with a built-in nailing flange. That means they are self-contained and feature interlocking edges that do not require clips for installation. They also boast solar-heat reflection, which cuts down on the amount of heat penetrating the inside of the house to keep the interior cooler on sweltering summer days. "Moreover, metal shingles are recyclable and, unlike asphalt shingles, are not toxic to the environment.
Most importantly, Accent shingles are durable and cost-effective. Finishes are comprised of a long-life paint, so the shingles will not fade or show their age. The average life span of a metal shingle is more than 40 to 50 years, and Riemenschneider has seen some metal roofs that have endured for a century.
“No asphalt shingle roof on the market will get anywhere near that,” he said.
An Accent metal shingle roof generally costs one-and-a-half to two times more than a conventional roof but will last four to five times longer, making the amortized cost lower than that of other roofing options.
Although some folks raise concerns about metal roofs being noisy, Riemenschneider is quick to quell their reservations.
“The sound of rain on a metal roof is only a few decibels more than on a conventional shingle roof,” he said. “A whisper is 20 decibels, so rain is not even a whisper louder. Some people like the sound of rain tinkling on a metal roof. It sounds a little different — nicer —but not necessarily louder or disturbing.”
Through the end of June, First Choice Exteriors is offering hefty discounts on Accent metal shingles.
Riemenschneider encourages interested folks to reach out to him for more information. He provides support and advice for people who wish to do the installation themselves. For everyone else he offers a list of reputable contractors.
Established in 1997 and now employing 14 people, First Choice Exteriors manufactures and sells a variety of home-exterior products, including roofing, siding, windows, doors and stone. Three styles of metal roofing are produced in the facility in the heart of Amish Country: agriculture; standing seam metal, which customers can watch being made on the job site; and metal shingles, including the Accent series.
“We offer a variety of products and manufacture them ourselves, so customers get a higher-end product with faster and better service,” Riemenschneider said. “Manufacturing them here helps us save on costs as well.”
First Choice Exteriors is located at 7051 state Route 83 in Holmesville. Hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The phone number is 330-674-7051 and the websites are www.FCExt.com and www.WeaverMetals.com.