Restoration logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Restoration logo
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products & Technologies
    • Submit Your Product
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
  • EDUCATION
    • KnowHow.
    • Podcasts
    • Trade Shows & Expos
    • Training & Certification
    • Webinars
    • Whitepapers
  • TOPICS
    • Water Damage
    • Fire & Smoke Damage
    • Mold
    • Contamination
    • Odor
    • Contents
    • Architecture
    • Catastrophe
    • Cleaning
  • BUSINESS
    • Managing Your Business
    • Insurance/Legal Matters
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • VIDEOS
    • Ask Annissa
    • Ask the Expert
    • Ironclad Marketing Minute
    • TradeTalks
    • Video Channel
  • INFOCENTER
    • Mold and Mycotoxins
  • THE EXPERIENCE
    • Conference & Exhibition
    • Convention & Trade Show
    • R&R Special Issue
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP

Business booming for roofers after windstorm

October 1, 2008

CINCINNATI -- Blue is suddenly de rigueur on Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky rooftops. And the hottest phone number in town is the cell number of a good roofer.

Drive down almost any residential street and those ubiquitous blue tarps protecting damaged roofs seem almost everywhere.

The near hurricane force winds of Sept. 14 caused unprecedented roof damage to homes and businesses and triggered an equally staggering demand for roofers and roofing materials.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Dave Molloy, 47, fourth-generation owner of Molloy Roofing Co. in Blue Ash.

Molloy has been so swamped with calls, 140 in the first hour the Monday after the Sept. 14 winds, that he’s limiting work to previous customers.

Likewise, Tony Singler, 64, owner of TS Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc. in Cheviot has been in the roofing business for over half a century and he’s never seen anything like it. “It’s a jungle out there,” he said.

Molloy said the standard wind warranty on flat asphalt shingles is for winds up to about 55 miles per hour, although heavier dimensional shingles are designed to withstand stronger winds.

At their peak, gusts from the remnants of Hurricane Ike topped out at about 74 miles per hour in Cincinnati, just short of a Category 1 hurricane, said the National Weather Service.

The heavy winds knocked out electricity to more than 2 million people in the Ohio Valley from Louisville to Cleveland.

It’s not just the number of calls for roof repairs but how widespread they are, say experts.

Don McNeil, president of Apex Restoration, a Madisonville firm that specializes in damage repair and restoration for insurance companies, said, “I’ve been in this business for 15 years and never seen as much damage this widespread. We’re calling it a dry hurricane.”

“We’ve gotten calls from as far away as Akron and Lexington,” said Singler, who is past president of the Tri-State Roofers Association, a group of about 45 local roofing contractors and suppliers trying to enforce standards.

Steve Wells, who owns Overhead Roofing Inc., said he’s hired temporary help just to keep up with the calls for estimates and repairs. “Our voice mail system can handle about 60 calls and every morning by 9 or 9:30, it’s full,” he said.

This time of year, Overhead would normally get 20 calls on a busy day. But since the storm, Wells said, “We’re talking to 150 to 200 people a day and that doesn’t include the people going to voice mail or who just hang up because they can’t get through.”

While roof damage is the most extensive, repair specialists, are seeing other types of damage as well.

Apex, which also has offices in Columbus, Springfield and Dayton, normally gets about 40 to 50 calls a week. Since the storm, McNeil said the firm has gotten more than 600. “We’re also seeing trees into houses, fences blown down, pool liners ripped, screened porches and pergolas blown away, an assortment of wind damage,” he said. “We had one house with four trees on it, the smallest of which was 80 feet.”

Apex, which frequently acts as the “eyes and ears” for insurance companies, tends to get the most severe damage cases, said McNeil. He estimated the average claim his company is seeing ranges from $8,500 to $9,000.

“The blessing here is that it hasn’t rained,” said Molloy, giving roofers the chance to cover roofs with tarps or roofing paper to protect the damaged areas from water damage until they can come back and make permanent repairs. . In most cases, roofers say they’re practicing repair triage, taking care of the most severe cases where bare wood is exposed first.

“If it’s just a few shingles missing, it shouldn’t be a problem in the short run,” said Molloy.

“What we do when we get a call is go out and make the roof weather tight,” said Singler, “We tell people if they find somebody to make the permanent repair before we can get back, go ahead. We just ask that they give us the tarp back.”

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • mold remediation

    Fighting Mold and Bacteria Damage

    Successful mold remediation can be multidisciplinary,...
    Contamination Restoration & Remediation​
    By: Josh Woolen
  • certifications and licenses for restoration professionals

    Certifications and Licenses Every Restoration Company Needs

    Restoration companies need to make sure they have the...
    Restoration Training/Education
    By: Sharon Elzarat
  • a wall covered in moss and fungus

    Zero Tolerance for Toxic Molds: Essential Steps for Successful Remediation

    Understanding the importance of zero tolerance for toxic...
    Mold Remediation
    By: Michael A. Pinto CSP, SMS, CMP, RTPE, FLS, ERS and Kendra Seymour
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Manage My Account
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Popular Stories

Pop Art Female Superhero Punches a Masked Villain

TPAs vs. Independence: The Restoration Industry’s Own Version of the Cola Wars

RIA Carrier Advocate Mark Springer

Turning the Page: A New Era of Trust and Collaboration in Restoration

particle count hands-on demonstration of a HEPA filter

The Truth About HEPA Filters

Submit Your New Product/Technology to R&R!

Would you like to promote a new restoration, remediation or cleaning product/technology with Restoration & Remediation? Fill out the question below to start your submission:

Events

September 3, 2025

The Experience Convention and Trade Show

The Experience Convention & Trade Show logoJoin us in Las Vegas for The Experience Convention & Trade Show, the leading event for cleaning, restoration, and remediation pros, packed with hands-on demos, expert speakers, and high-impact networking. Happening September 3–5, 2025 at Caesars Forum—this is where the industry comes to learn, connect, and grow!

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Doffing PPE

When you are doffing your PPE, do you sanitize between every step?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

The Cleaning, Restoration, Inspection, and Safety Glossary

The Cleaning, Restoration, Inspection, and Safety Glossary

The Cleaning, Restoration, Inspection, and Safety Glossary.

See More Products
Prepare for CATASTROPHE with R&R!

Related Articles

  • Demand for roofers unchanged despite record snowfall

    See More
  • Booming times for some businesses

    See More
  • Cleanup business booms after flood

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • After-The-Smoke-Clears.gif

    After The Smoke Clears...

  • thumbnail.jpg

    Complete Marketing Manual for Restoration & Mitigation Contractors

  • COVER pdf.jpg

    How to Get More Restoration Jobs in 14 Days... (ebook)

See More Products
×

Stay ahead of the curve with our eNewsletters.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Submit a Press Release
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Reprints
    • Marketing Services
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing