(Pictured above: Matt Payne's Mexico Beach, FL, house before Hurricane Michael)

After enduring Hurricane Michael’s extreme winds, Matt Payne’s Mexico Beach, FL, house is still standing — and has a roof. Most of his neighbors weren’t so lucky.

Hurricane Michael struck the Florida Panhandle in October 2018, leaving more than $3 billion in damages in its wake. The category 5 storm caused catastrophic destruction across the northeast coast of the Sunshine State, particularly in the areas between Cape San Blas and Panama City Beach. Mexico Beach is located between the two cities.

According to “The Natural Disaster Report: Severe Hurricanes, 2017-2018,” Hurricane Michael led to extensive roof damage — 75 percent of all maintenance work after the storm.

However, the damage to Payne’s roof, which was installed in June 2018, was minimal. With the exception of losing a few hip and ridge shingles and a piece of eave metal, the majority of his home’s roof system remained intact — including the Atlas Pinnacle® Pristine shingles.

“I was very surprised,” he says. “There were two homes just next to me that were brand-new built homes with metal roofs, and they peeled back like a can of tuna.”

Contractor (And Customer) Favorite

Because Pinnacle Pristine architectural shingles are built to withstand winds up to 130 mph, surviving Hurricane Michael’s maximum sustained winds of 155 mph is almost unbelievable.

Payne says his contractor, Jeremy Chance, owner of Chance Contracting and Consulting Inc. in Marianna, FL, recommended Pinnacle shingles for the Mexico Beach house.

Chance explained that Pinnacle’s 1½-inch Sweet Spot™ nailing area and double FASTAC® adhesive sealant line are the two most important components for keeping shingles attached to a roof. And the 130-mph wind warranty meant Payne’s home would be even better protected in tropical storm- and hurricane-force winds.

Payne first considered installing a metal roof because the house had a metal roof when he bought it — which was already rusting. To avoid the same issue, he decided to take his contractor’s advice and go with asphalt shingles.

In addition to the Pinnacle Pristine shingles, Chance installed Atlas Pro-Cut® Starter shingles and Pro-Cut® Hip and Ridge shingles.

“I was relieved to see that the roof performed well, but not surprised,” Chance says.

Pinnacle Pristine and Pro-Cut Hip and Ridge shingles also feature Scotchgard™ Protector by 3M, which prevents the ugly black streaks caused by algae. Atlas Roofing’s Scotchgard products are also HOLMES Approved.

So, Payne’s roof is not only made to last, it will maintain its beauty for years.

“I’ve been using Atlas shingles ... several years now for [many] reasons,” Chance says. “The warranty is strong, the product has produced consistent results without issues, the price is competitive [and] my installers prefer them over other brands.”

Chance says 75 percent of his roof installations include Atlas products.

Inland Style (And Protection)

Payne was so impressed with the performance of his Atlas roof that he asked Atlas Pro™ Plus Platinum contractor Brian Ward of Quality Roofing Solutions in Milton, FL, to install Pinnacle shingles on his main home in Marianna, FL, about 70 miles north of Mexico Beach.

Ward got into roofing in 2004, when he was attending college for anesthesiology. He only planned to fill in between semesters. However, after Hurricane Ivan hit the Florida Panhandle that September, the company he worked for needed as many people as possible.

“The money was lucrative at the time,” Ward says. “Being 18, I decided to stick it out for a year — and then I fell into the roofing trap!”

He started selling Atlas roofing materials after meeting his sales rep, Billy Tyner. Now, 99.9 percent of his sales are Atlas products.

“Billy’s a great guy and he brought me some of their products,” Ward explains. “We looked at [them, and] I was a fan of the HP42”. There were a couple of things I wasn’t a fan of, but as it turns out, shortly after we began using Atlas products, the things that I wasn’t a fan of were changed or modified in the HP42”. I’ve had a lot of luck with them. I haven’t had any issues. So far, so good. We’re happy.”

While Payne lost the bottom floor of his Mexico Beach house to storm surge, at least his Atlas shingles shielded what was left. And he knows both of his homes will be protected — and look good — for years to come.

For more information about Atlas roofing products, visit AtlasRoofing.com.