Giving homeowners another option before roof replacement

By Jesse Sanchez. 

RoofMaxx offers contractors a maintenance-focused approach designed to extend the service life of qualifying asphalt shingle roofs. 

On this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Karen Edwards spoke with Mike Feazel about the experiences that led him to establish RoofMaxx. After decades in roofing, Mike saw an opportunity to bring the maintenance and restoration mindset common in commercial roofing to the residential market. 

What created the demand for residential roof maintenance? 

Mike said the idea grew from his company’s experience helping homeowners during the 2008 economic downturn, when many customers could not afford an immediate roof replacement. “During the 2008 downturn, we helped a lot of people get more life out of their roofs. We didn't have a treatment at the time, but we were doing a lot of maintenance and repairs,” Mike shared. “We could tell homeowners, ‘We can buy you another three or four years. We don't have to replace it now.’ There was strong demand because, otherwise, the only option was replacement.”  

That experience showed Mike that homeowners wanted options, particularly when replacement was financially difficult. It also highlighted a gap between commercial roofing, where maintenance programs are common and residential roofing, where owners often wait until a problem develops. 

How does the treatment address aging shingles? 

As shingles age, they lose the oils that help them remain flexible. RoofMaxx is designed to replace those lost oils with a plant-based treatment. “We're just replacing the lost petrochemical oil with a bio-oil, a natural plant-based oil that resaturates the roof,” Mike explained. 

Before applying the treatment, a contractor performs needed maintenance, which may include replacing shingles, resealing areas and correcting flashing issues. The treatment is then applied to help restore flexibility to qualifying shingles. Mike emphasized that the process does not replace missing granules or correct structural problems. 

Is the treatment intended to replace reroofing permanently? 

Mike cautioned that the treatment is not appropriate for every roof and should be presented as a maintenance option rather than a permanent substitute for replacement. “It's not a magic bullet and we don't sell it that way. It's simply a maintenance product that can help extend the life of a roof,” he shared. 

A roof must first qualify for treatment. Roofs with excessive deterioration, damaged decking or other significant problems may still require replacement. For appropriate roofs, however, treatment can provide another option while helping owners plan for future work. 

By combining repairs, maintenance and treatment, contractors can offer a more complete residential service model instead of approaching every aging roof as an immediate replacement. 

Listen to the entire podcast to learn more about extending the life of residential roofs!