SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa | The pun maybe isn't intended by Kevin Kuchel, owner of Kuchel Roofing, Inc., when he says he turned to roofing because his company's previous risk exposure was high.
"Through the roof," is the expression he uses to describe the risk.
Kuchel once built homes and condominiums. He exited that line of the construction business after suffering periods of inactivity during and following the U.S. recession a decade ago.
"We've done all kinds of construction for 25 years," says Kuchel, a Kingsley, Iowa, resident who is constructing two buildings for his roofing enterprise in Sioux City's Yards Business Park. "But we got caught in a financial downturn and our risk exposure was through the roof. We went two years without selling a lot or a condo."
A hail storm swept through Moville, Iowa, in 2008, and it put Kuchel and his crew to work fixing roof units all across the Woodbury County community.
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"We struggled, but once we got through it (the recession), a hail storm in Moville set us up," Kuchel says. "We found that you do a roof one day and you get paid the next. The roofing seemed a lot safer against the elements of the economy.
"It's a great business," he says.
Kuchel, who now has four roofing crews working in the enterprise, advises homeowners to be vigilant in looking for roof damage. When shingles begin to curl or lose their granules, it might be time to contact a roofing expert.
"If you see granular loss in your gutter or in the yard after a rain, you may need to call us," he says.
Wind, hail and the on-again, off-again snow-and-ice cycle of a Siouxland winter can take a toll on what protects you while you're sleeping.
Algae growth, which often appears on the north side of a home, shouldn't compromise a roof, although it's not the most pleasant visually. Newer shingles are often treated with a ScotchGuard product from 3M that prevents discoloration.
"Twenty years ago it was normal to have algae growth," Kuchel says. "It doesn't hurt the shingle, just the aesthetics."
A class-action lawsuit involving one manufacturer of shingles a decade ago is still working its way through the residential community. Kuchel has worked with dozens of homeowners who have settled claims with that shingle maker. Thankfully, he says, those issues in the composition of shingles have been worked out.
"Last year, 60 to 70 percent of our business involved working with insurance claims," he says.
A wind storm the day before Labor Day and two hail storms in Sioux City (June 20 and July 26) have kept Kuchel's crews busy ever since.
The shingles his company uses now feature a lifetime warranty of 65 years. If there is a problem within the first 15 years, the manufacturer will pay replacement costs of 100 percent, including labor. In year 16, the percentage drops to 98 percent. There is a 2-percent drop for each year until year 50.
"They say that nobody can outlive this warranty," Kuchel says.
Again, if homeowners or business operators suspect their shingles are curling or losing their granules, Kuchel advises them to call a roofing expert. His firm, like most others, is happy to provide an estimate free of cost.
