(Editor’s note: This article originally ran on August 23, 2022.)
A local company is taking an environmentally friendly approach to extending the life of a roof.
“The environment is important to us as a company. We saw this product as a great way to save our customers money and keep millions of tons of asphalt shingles out of landfills,” said Russell Beckum, one of the co-owners of Roof Savers Georgia in Martinez.
Beckum, Allen Childs and Larry Hogue have more than 20 years collectively in the roofing industry and employ the eco-friendly Greener Shingles method, which is applied to shingles to keep them useful longer.
Greener Shingles is a United States Department of Agriculture certified bio-based product.
Greener Shingles uses a patented oil safe for people, plants and pets and extends the life of shingles instead of creating more waste. In contrast, with older methods, Beckum said approximately 11 to 15 million tons of old shingles go to landfills each year and can remain in the environment for 300 years.
Therefore, Greener Shingles delays millions of tons of shingles going into the landfills each year. Childs added even the “Greener” part of “Greener” Shingles means that their method is more ecologically sound.
Roof Savers Georgia has four employees who work to apply the product to area roofs. So far, they’ve done about 150 roofs.
It amazed me the first time I saw just one roof of old shingles, along with other materials that come off of a roof such as fiberglass and polyester underlayment, being hauled away to our local landfill,” Beckum said. “With all the roofs that are replaced each year just in Augusta, think about what ends up in our landfill here.”
Not only does the vast amount of shingle debris clutter and use up land which could be used for other purposes, but the burning of the debris causes further harm.
“Asphalt shingles going into landfills and being burned at the landfill or in our neighborhoods cause pollution by releasing contaminants into the air which can leak into the soil and water. With Greener Shingles Roof Rejuvenation, none of this is a concern,” Childs said.
The eco-friendly aspect of the product was a main selling point for them, Beckum said.
“Yes, it did lead us to use it. Roofing shingles can be recycled, but roughly 95% of used shingles go to landfills,” he said. “The Greener Shingles bio-based product is eco-friendly and not polluting the environment.”
Not only were the co-owners concerned with using a more environmentally friendly method to help the Earth in general, they specifically were determined to use a product in their business that was more sustainable and would not cause harm to their employees and customers.
Childs said, “Instead of using asphalt shingles that are petroleum based, Greener Shingles is a soybean-based product which keeps our employees safe. Asphalt shingle installers may be exposed to construction dust and sealants, and older roof shingles dating back to the 1970s may have asbestos.”
Not only are there ecological and safety factors to consider, but the company says the process basically makes good economic sense.
According to GreenerShingles.com, “If treated early enough you can extend the lifespan of your roof shingles much longer than originally estimated.”
Beckum said, “(The oil) extends the life of shingles for five years. It can be applied three times for up to 15 years.”
“It is a bio-based asphalt shingle rejuvenator which revitalizes the shingles to like new,” he said.
Childs said, “This is a good alternative for people who want to replace their roofs completely.”
The process Roof Savers LLC has, if they determine they are able to go with the Greener Shingles method for a home, only takes a couple of hours.
Beckum said Greener Shingles is a spray application versus removing the shingles and replacing them. Childs said he ran across the concept of roof rejuvenation about two years ago and eventually wanted to test it out to see how viable it was.
There is a whole process that is started before application of the special patented oil from Greener Shingles even begins.
According to MyRoofSavers.com, “Before treating, Roof Savers will offer to perform a tune-up of your entire roofing system with the focus on re-sealing chimney flashings, seal down loose shingles, nail down pop up nails and seal, replace dry rotted pipe boot collars, paint turtle backs and inspect and clean gutters.”
Beckum said they then will do a soft wash of the roof to remove dirt, moss and algae stains and, finally, if all is sound with the roof, the next step is for them to apply their patented rejuvenator.
For more information, go to MyRoofSavers.com or GreenerShingles.com.
Ron Baxley Jr. is a correspondent for The Augusta Press.
