Northern Colorado Roofing
SBS FLEX Roofing Systems
SBS polymer-modified asphalt shingles are designed to remain more flexible than conventional oxidized-asphalt shingles. That flexibility is one reason Drennen frequently recommends an SBS Class 4 roof for Northern Colorado homes exposed to hail, strong sun, cold temperatures, wind, and repeated temperature swings.
Drennen commonly installs Owens Corning TruDefinition Duration FLEX, an SBS polymer-modified architectural shingle with SureNail technology and a UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating. The product is only one part of the result. Decking, waterproofing, flashing, ventilation, fastening, ridge caps, penetrations, permit compliance, and workmanship determine whether the complete roof performs as intended.
A FLEX shingle can improve the roof covering, but it cannot correct rotten decking, poor flashing, unbalanced ventilation, or careless installation. Buy the system, not only the bundle.
What Does SBS Mean?
SBS stands for styrene-butadiene-styrene, a polymer used to modify asphalt. In roofing, SBS modification is intended to give the asphalt mixture a more rubber-like response than conventional oxidized asphalt.
That does not make the shingle soft or stretchy in ordinary use. It means the material is engineered to tolerate movement and impact differently. In a climate that moves from intense sun to freezing temperatures, improved flexibility can be a useful characteristic.
- SBS describes the material technology.
- Class 4 describes an impact-test classification.
- SureNail describes Owens Corning's reinforced fastening-zone technology.
- A manufacturer warranty describes specified defect coverage and conditions.
These terms are related, but they are not interchangeable.
Why Flexibility Matters in Northern Colorado
Hail impact
A more flexible asphalt matrix can help the shingle absorb and distribute impact energy. Duration FLEX carries a UL 2218 Class 4 rating, the highest classification in that steel-ball impact standard. It is impact-resistant, not hail-proof.
Cold-weather movement
Asphalt materials tend to become less flexible in low temperatures. SBS modification is designed to maintain greater flexibility, which can help with cold cracking and handling compared with some conventional products.
Heat and thermal cycling
Roof surfaces can become extremely hot in direct sun and then cool quickly overnight or during a storm. Repeated expansion and contraction place stress on shingles, sealant, fasteners, and flashings. A well-designed SBS system addresses those stresses more completely than a shingle-only upgrade.
Wind and fastening
Duration FLEX incorporates a reinforced fastening zone. Owens Corning markets qualifying installations with a wind warranty up to the stated limit when all product, starter, ridge, deck, fastener, and application requirements are satisfied. The written manufacturer warranty and installation instructions control.
Duration FLEX Compared With Duration STORM
Both products may be sold as impact-resistant architectural shingles, but they are not the same product.
Duration FLEX
- SBS polymer-modified asphalt
- UL 2218 Class 4 impact rating
- SureNail reinforced fastening zone
- Designed for added flexibility
- Current product-specific colors and warranty terms apply
Duration STORM
- Impact-resistant architectural shingle
- Class 4 product when identified by current manufacturer documentation
- Uses a different product construction than Duration FLEX
- Can be a good option depending on price, availability, insurer, and project goals
Do not let a proposal substitute "Class 4 shingle" for the exact product name. FLEX, STORM, and competitors' Class 4 products can have different technology, performance, accessory requirements, and cost.
The Drennen SBS FLEX Roof System
A complete system may include the following components, adjusted for the home and the authority having jurisdiction.
1. Roof-deck evaluation
The existing roof is removed to expose the sheathing. Drennen checks for deterioration, weak areas, unsuitable spacing, water damage, and conditions around chimneys, low slopes, and prior leaks. Hidden repairs are documented and handled under the contract's unit-price or change-order terms.
2. Ice-and-water barrier
Self-adhered waterproofing is installed at required eaves, valleys, and other vulnerable locations. It is intended to bond to the deck and seal around fasteners. The required coverage depends on code, roof geometry, wall position, climate, and local amendments.
3. Synthetic underlayment
The remaining steep-slope deck receives synthetic underlayment installed with appropriate cap fasteners. Underlayment is the secondary water-shedding layer beneath the shingles.
4. Drip edge, valleys, and wall flashing
Metal edge and flashing details direct water away from the roof deck, fascia, siding, and wall intersections. Drennen evaluates sidewall, headwall, chimney, valley, and gutter-kickout conditions rather than assuming old metal can be reused.
5. Starter, field shingles, and ridge
A compatible starter product protects the vulnerable eave and rake edges. Duration FLEX field shingles are installed through the reinforced fastening zone. Compatible hip-and-ridge shingles complete ridges and hips. Where impact resistance is a project priority, the ridge product should be selected intentionally rather than treated as an afterthought.
6. Penetrations and roof accessories
Pipe jacks, bath vents, kitchen vents, combustion vents, skylights, swamp coolers, satellite mounts, and other penetrations are replaced, rebuilt, or integrated as the scope requires. Metal is primed or painted where appropriate for durability and appearance.
7. Balanced attic ventilation
Drennen calculates intake and exhaust using the attic footprint and the listed net-free area of the vents. Depending on the home, the solution may use soffit intake, roof-deck intake, ridge exhaust, or properly sized box vents. Bathroom and kitchen exhaust ducts are checked for proper outdoor termination when accessible.
8. Permit, inspection, cleanup, and documentation
The permit is obtained from the correct jurisdiction, the project is prepared for required inspections, and the site is cleaned and magnetically swept. The homeowner receives the final invoice, product information, and available warranty or impact-resistant-roof documentation.
What SBS FLEX Does Not Solve by Itself
- Inadequate intake ventilation or blocked soffits.
- Bath fans discharging moisture into the attic.
- Rotten or undersized decking.
- Improper chimney or wall flashing.
- Low-slope areas covered with materials not approved for the slope.
- Active structural movement.
- Poor fastener placement or an incorrect nailing pattern.
- Unsealed or deteriorated roof penetrations.
- Hail larger or more severe than the product can withstand.
Is Duration FLEX Worth the Cost?
It can be, particularly when the upgrade cost is reasonable and the homeowner values impact resistance, flexibility, wind performance, and possible insurance benefits. The decision should consider:
- 1The installed price difference - not just the bundle price.
- 2Whether the complete system uses compatible starter, ridge, underlayment, and accessories.
- 3The current product's impact and wind documentation.
- 4Any insurance discount or underwriting benefit confirmed by the agent.
- 5The roof's expected ownership period and replacement risk.
- 6The manufacturer's warranty option and registration requirements.
- 7The contractor's written workmanship coverage.
Drennen's estimate should show the product and system in writing so the homeowner can compare a FLEX proposal with other bids on an apples-to-apples basis.
Colors and Appearance
Duration FLEX is an architectural shingle with dimensional color blends. Available colors can change by region and production cycle. Color should be selected from current physical samples whenever possible because screens, printed sheets, sunlight, roof angle, and surrounding materials can change how a color appears.
Drennen can help compare the shingle with the home's brick, stone, stucco, siding, trim, gutters, and neighborhood context. The final color selection should be documented before materials are ordered.
Warranty Options
Owens Corning currently offers several warranty levels for qualifying single-family roof systems. Standard coverage and optional extended coverage differ in the length of the non-prorated product-defect period, required Owens Corning components, contractor certification, and whether workmanship coverage is included.
A warranty is not a promise that hail, wind, falling objects, foot traffic, poor ventilation, or unrelated construction damage will be covered. The homeowner should receive and read the actual warranty in effect at the time of installation.
Read the Roofing Warranty GuideFrequently Asked Questions
Build the FLEX Roof as a Complete System
Drennen Custom Contracting combines the shingle with waterproofing, flashing, ventilation, code work, and general-contracting experience. We will explain which parts are required, which are recommended, and what can change after the old roof is removed.
Manufacturer specifications, ratings, colors, warranties, and availability can change. Current product documents, installation instructions, written proposal, permit requirements, and signed warranty control.
Drennen Custom Contracting | 970-482-9100 | [email protected] | Serving Northern Colorado since 1973