Durable Asphalt Shingle Roofing for East Central Indiana Weather

The Backbone of a CertainTeed Roof

Most homeowners think of a roof replacement as just swapping out the shingles. In practice, the shingles are the last piece of a system that starts at the deck and builds up in layers, each one serving a specific function in how the finished roof handles weather.

Indiana roofs face heavy rain, snow loads, freeze-thaw cycles, and summer heat that pushes attic temperatures well past what's comfortable, and a system approach accounts for all of that in ways a basic shingle swap doesn't.

Underlayment & Barrier Layers

Once the old roofing is stripped and the deck is exposed, the first thing we do is inspect it carefully. Soft spots, damaged sheathing, or areas with evidence of prior moisture intrusion have to be corrected before anything goes on top, because no amount of quality shingles will compensate for a compromised deck underneath.

From there, the protective underlayment layers go in. WinterGuard waterproofing underlayment is applied at the eaves, valleys, and transition zones where water tends to concentrate during rain and snowmelt. RoofRunner synthetic underlayment covers the rest of the field, creating a secondary moisture barrier across the full deck surface beneath the shingles. 

Ice and water barriers are also installed on every roof by Clemens Home Solutions, regardless of local code requirements. These barriers protect:

• Eaves where ice can push water back up under shingles as it melts and refreezes

• Valleys where rain and snowmelt travel in concentrated volume

• Roof transitions where different planes, materials, or structures meet

• Deck areas that benefit from protection beneath the field shingles

Once the shingles are on, none of this is visible, but it's the part of the installation that most determines how long the roof lasts.

SwiftStart Starter Shingles

Starter shingles might be the single most overlooked component in a roof installation. They're installed at the eaves and rakes before the field shingles go down, and their job is to seal the bottom edge of the roof and give the first course of field shingles something solid to bond to.

The common shortcut is to use cut-up or inverted three-tab shingles instead of a purpose-built starter product. The problem is that three-tab shingles don't carry the factory-applied sealant strip that a proper starter shingle does, which means the bottom edge of the roof doesn't seal the way it's supposed to.

We use CertainTeed SwiftStart, which is engineered for this specific function and integrates cleanly with the Landmark Series and other CertainTeed components. In a region where wind events happen regularly, and the eave edge is one of the most vulnerable points on the roof, this isn’t a place to improvise.

Landmark Field Shingles

The field shingles we install are CertainTeed Landmark Series, a dimensional dual-layer product that's been a workhorse in the Midwest for good reason. The dual-layer design creates visual depth across the roof surface, giving the finished look more definition than a flat three-tab shingle, without requiring a premium architectural product.

Performance specs for Landmark shingles include Class A fire resistance, a lifetime material guarantee, a 15-year algae-resistance warranty, and wind resistance up to 130 mph when installed as part of the approved CertainTeed system. That 130 mph rating is relevant in Delaware County, Madison County, and the rural communities throughout East Central Indiana, where open terrain gives storm winds less to slow them down.

The Landmark Series sits in a practical range for homeowners who want a reliable, proven product without paying for features they don't need.

Hip & Ridge Cap Shingles

The hips and ridges of a roof take more direct abuse than most people realize. These exposed lines face wind, sun, rain, and ice without the benefit of overlapping protection from surrounding shingles, which is why they require dedicated cap shingles rather than a field shingle folded over the peak.

CertainTeed Shadow Ridge hip and ridge shingles complete the system. These are built specifically for high-exposure cap positions and coordinate with the Landmark Series. Beyond the visual finish, ridge caps also protect the seams where roof planes meet and support airflow when paired with ridge vent products.

Attic Ventilation

Ventilation is where many otherwise solid roof installations fall short. It doesn't get discussed as much as shingle choice or warranty coverage, but it directly affects how well a roof handles Indiana's seasonal extremes.

In summer, inadequate attic airflow lets heat build up against the underside of the roof deck. That kind of sustained heat exposure accelerates the breakdown of shingle materials over time. In winter, a poorly ventilated attic lets heat escape unevenly through the roof, causing snow to melt and refreeze at the eaves and creating ice dams that force water under the shingles.

On every roof replacement, we assess how air moves through the attic and make adjustments based on the structure's needs. That may include ridge vents, intake ventilation, or other CertainTeed ventilation components. Ventilation planning is unique to each home, and we treat it that way rather than applying a one-size approach.

When Replacement Needs to Happen Now

A roof replacement is a significant project, and timing it to coincide with budget availability isn't always possible. When a roof is actively failing, waiting introduces the risk of water damage, attic moisture, and compounding repair costs that can exceed the cost of replacement itself.

Clemens Home Solutions offers financing through Pure Financing for qualified homeowners. If the project needs to happen sooner than your current budget allows, financing can be a practical path to getting it done. Our financing page covers the options in more detail, and we’d be happy to walk through any of it during your estimate as well.