My, How Roofing Has Come A Long Way

By David W Locklear, Owner
Arrowstar Roofing & Construction
www.arrowstarroofing.com

Ahh, how the roofing industry has come a long way since my family began roofing in 1942.

My grandfather, Harley Locklear, recalled that he and my grandmother, Nellie Locklear, completed their first commercial roof in 1942 when they melted tar (asphalt) in a barrel behind a building in western Oklahoma. According to the stories of my youth, they burned firewood under a barrel before carrying the black, boiling tar up a ladder in buckets.

My Father, Bob Locklear, later began helping his father in the roofing business, I can remember our first 2-ton truck was an R.E.O. truck.

Between the ages of 12 and 14, I began helping my dad in the hot tar business at a time when the firewood and barrels were gone and we utilized a small tar kettle with a kerosene burner, melting the tar before hoisting it to the roof with ropes and pulleys.

Our first “pumper kettle” came in about 1968. We really thought we were “up town”. In those days, a hail storm would hit a small town in Oklahoma and our company would go there and usually do every commercial building in town because there were few roofing companies in those days.

I can remember doing an entire school system in Leedy, Oklahoma. The Superintendent happily allowed our entire crew sleep in the gymnasium until the job was complete. A Day before we were to go home another damaging hail storm hit and we re-roofed the same area that we had just completed.

In those days we mopped on with hot tar. one ply of 30-pound perforated felt and flood coated the top. This was all the insurance companies would pay for.

When the mid to late 1970s came, modified bitumen (also known as rubber roofing) came along. Many roofing companies refused to put it on because it “was too good”. Hail could not penetrate it, which in turn caused you to lose repeat customers.

In those days the only shingles were 25year, 3-tab, mostly white, green, and red. The wealthier folks put on wood shingles… LOTS of wood shingles.

Most residential homes had 3, 4 & 5 layers of shingles on them because insurance companies never paid for tear-offs.

Yes, the roofing industry and insurance companies have camea long way. All for the better I might add.

The Frog Blog: The lighter side of being a roofer…

By Dave Locklear
Owner, Arrowstar Roofing & Construction

Not that this has anything to do with roofing, but last week we started the process of re-opening our family’s swimming pool for the summer.

With months of no chlorine and foreign debris floating in the pool, it was a painstaking job to say the least!

With rain falling 20 out of 21 days, frogs seemed to have taken over our pool. The croaking at night was becoming unbelievable.

We started adding chlorine and shock. No effect. Nothing seemed to keep these new family members from their concrete-and-tile oasis… and from taking over the Locklear family’s pool!

For a while, the frogs would jump in without realizing they couldn’t get out. We felt it our duty to rescue them with the skimmer net to save their lives, but time and again they jumped right back in.

One night while standing by the pool, my wife said, “Look Honey, that frog is letting that other frog piggy-back rided on his back! He’s trying to save his life by getting him out of the pool!”

We both started thinking about what we had witnessed, amazed at experiencing this rare occurrence of nature and full ready to give the bottom frog a ‘Valor of Bravery’ award.

The next day my wife recounted the brave, life-saving story to her sister, who in turn told her brother-in-law.

He had a good hearty laugh.

“They’re were mating!” he said.

I like my wife’s and my version better, though. Don’t you?

Property owners urged to be ‘Patient’, says Oklahoma City roofing contractor

Arrowstar Roofing & Construction - Oklahoma Tornado and Storm Damage Experts

By David W. Locklear
Owner, Arrowstar Roofing & Construction

Due to the recent extreme wind and hail in various sections of the Metropolitan Oklahoma City area, Arrowstar Roofing would like to remind property owners to be patient in getting roof estimates from local contractors.

Our city has be inundated with out-of-town and ‘fly-by-night’ roofing companies, some from as far East as New Jersey.

These companies specialize in hailstorms around the United States. Some have unlimited advertising dollars, and many even rent local offices to provide more local legitimacy.

It’s important to deal locally, particularly when severe weather has residents in their most vulnerable, emotional states.

Key giveaways for spotting these ‘hail jumpers’ include out-of-state license plates on their vehicles, companies you’ve never heard of or companies in ‘close partnership’ with more local corporations, and – obviously – estimators’ accents that don’t quite seem to be Oklahoma native.

Most out-of-state companies will give from 3 to 5 year warranties, just like local companies. However, an important fact to remember is… when another hailstorm hits elsewhere in our great nation… these fly-by-nights will likely be gone upon hearing that first Weather Channel report.

What’s the downside to all this? You’re left with a worthless warranty… and often times a job that has used substandard (or used) materials or unqualified labor.

Remember to never pay more than one third to half of the total estimate as deposit prior to the work being started. Another good tip is to check area telephone books… a technique that allows you to assess whether or not the corporation has an established presence in the state of Oklahoma. Fly-by-night roofers almost never have Yellow Page or Business Directory ads.