Defective Atlas Chalet Shingles. Parker Waichman LLP is reviewing Atlas roofing problems claims on behalf of Louisiana consumers who purchased Atlas Roofing Corporation’s Atlas Chalet Shingles. The Atlas shingles have been marketed as being a high-quality product that has been sold at a reasonable price.
Consumers have disagreed and reports imply issues such as Atlas roofing leaks, Atlas shingles leaking, and other Atlas roofing problems. Consumers, including Louisiana consumers, have reported that Atlas shingles problems have included issues with premature cracking and blistering. Complicating matters and adding to customer frustration, Atlas Roofing no longer makes Atlas Chalet shingles; therefore, Louisiana homeowners who are hoping to find resolution with Atlas shingles leaks and other issues are left with little remedy, faulty merchandise, and expensive repairs. Consumers have also reported unacceptable customer service when reaching out to Atlas Roofing about their Atlas roofing leaking and Atlas shingles problems.
If you, or someone you know, purchased Atlas Chalet shingles and has experienced Atlas roofing problems, Atlas roofing leaks, or any other problems with the Atlas products, our attorneys would like to speak with you. Call Parker Waichman LLP today for a free, no-obligation evaluation of your case.
Early Atlas Roofing Leaks
When marketing Atlas Chalet shingles, the Atlas Roofing Corporation indicated that, “Chalet gives you peace of mind at an affordable price.” Atlas Roofing also indicated that the shingles are resistant to winds of up to 80 miles per hour, as well as the formation of algae. Customers, however, report different experiences and many complaints involve reports of premature cracking and blistering. In some cases, reports have been made in as short as one year after Atlas shingles were installed. When the Atlas shingles crack and blister, a condition known as granule loss may occur and involves chunks of material breaking free from the allegedly defective shingles.
Atlas Chalet shingles have been known to erode in a comparatively short time frame, which has forced some consumers to invest time, labor, and more money to repair or replace their roofs. Although Atlas Roofing promised consumers “peace of mind,” consumers who bought Atlas shingles have been faced with large repair bills and anxiety.
The manufacture of Atlas Chalet shingles has been stopped and, despite a 30-year limited transferable warranty that was promised with the purchase of the Atlas shingles, numerous consumers report that they have tried to contact Atlas, only to be met with frustration and inadequate customer service.
Consumers may not be aware that, sometimes, longer roofing warranties—for example, such as what has been seen with the Atlas shingle products—are, in actuality, more a marketing tool and less of an indicator of the quality of the product. Consumers should take into consideration the manufacturer’s reputation and the terms of the warranty. What’s more, many companies may try to avoid honoring their warranties for any number of reasons. For example, a roofing firm may not honor a limited lifetime warranty over allegations that the shingles were inappropriately installed. Atlas Roofing Corporation asserts that the blistering consumers have alleged is just an aesthetic issue and is not a construction issue. Homeowners do not agree.
Proposed Atlas Class Action Lawsuit Continues
A recent proposed class action brought in Georgia over Atlas roofing products retained claims that included breach of warranty; allegations involved that Atlas Roofing manufactured faulty roof shingles and that the manufacturing process allows moisture to enter the shingles. This allegedly creates gas bubbles that expand in the sun, which leads to product blistering and cracking.
The judge preserved claims that Atlas violated an express warranty for the shingles and ruled that Atlas Roofing’s marketing materials and packaging, which present the Atlas shingles as meeting building codes and industry standards, in fact created a warranty with buying consumers. The judge also found that the consumers who brought the lawsuit had appropriately alleged that they relied on the warranty, saying they would have bought a competitor’s product had the warranty not been made by Atlas Roofing, wrote Law360. The judge denied Atlas Roofing’s request to have a claim dismissed that included allegations that Atlas fraudulently concealed Atlas shingles’ manufacturing defects and found that Atlas was responsible to disclose the manufacturing problem if consumers could not have reasonably uncovered that issue themselves. The judge retained most of the lawsuit’s declaratory judgment claims, including that aspects of Atlas’ warranty are void as unconscionable, that Atlas Roofing must advise owners of the alleged defect in its manufacturing process, and that Atlas Roofing will be reevaluating all previous warranty claims and paying the full costs of repairs and damages in those cases.
The proposed class action is part of a multidistrict litigation (MDL) organized in December 2013 and involves six product liability cases involving Atlas Shingles in federal courts nationwide.
Legal Help for Consumers who Purchased Atlas Chalet Shingles
If you or someone you know purchased and installed Atlas Chalet shingles, you may have valuable legal rights. Please fill out our online form or call 1(800)-YOURLAWYER (1-800-968-7529) to speak with one of our experienced construction defect lawyers today.