Most homeowners never see ice and water shield. It goes down before the shingles, disappears under the finished roof, and never gets thought about again unless something goes wrong. That is exactly why it is one of the easiest line items for a low bid contractor to quietly leave off an estimate.

In this interview, J Bretz, Founder and CEO of Excel Roofing, sits down with Octavian Avila, Regional Sales Leader for the Mountain Region at Owens Corning, to explain what the product actually does, why it matters more in Colorado than in most of the country, and the one thing about it that homeowners are rarely told.

What Is Ice and Water Shield?

Ice and water shield is a self adhering waterproof membrane installed directly onto the roof deck, underneath the shingles, in the areas of a roof most likely to leak. It bonds to the deck and seals around nails and fasteners, which is what separates it from standard felt or synthetic underlayment.

On a typical installation it goes into the places where water tends to collect or change direction:

• Eaves and roof edges, where ice dams form and force meltwater backward under the shingles
• Valleys, where two roof planes meet and channel a high volume of runoff
• Around chimneys, skylights, vents, and other penetrations
• Along sidewalls and low slope transitions

Avila frames the reason for it simply. Water can destroy, and in any system, water will find and break down the most vulnerable areas. Ice and water shield is what reinforces those vulnerable areas before anything is asked of them.

His assessment of its importance is not hedged. He calls the product vital and states that without it, the roof system is not going to work.

Why It Matters Specifically in Colorado

Denver and the wider Front Range get winters that swing hard from year to year. Some are mild enough that a roof barely notices. Others deliver heavy snow load followed by warm afternoons and freezing nights.

That freeze thaw cycle is the mechanism behind ice dams. Snow on the upper part of a roof melts, the water runs down toward the colder eave, and it refreezes there. Each cycle builds the dam higher until meltwater pools behind it and works its way up under the shingle courses by capillary action. Shingles are designed to shed water flowing downhill. They are not designed to hold back standing water pushing uphill.

Ice and water shield is what protects the roof deck during that window. It is the difference between an ice dam being a seasonal nuisance and an ice dam being a ceiling repair.

The Honest Limitation: It Is Not a Silver Bullet

This is the part of the conversation most roofing content skips.

J Bretz tells homeowners plainly that ice and water shield is not a silver bullet and will not stop every bit of water from coming in. If a genuine pond of water forms along the edge of a roof, some of it may still find a path. What ice and water shield is, in his words, is an outstanding preventative measure. Avila endorsed that framing without qualification.

That distinction is worth holding onto for two reasons. First, any contractor promising that a single product makes a roof permanently leak proof is overselling. Second, it explains why the product is one component of a system rather than a substitute for one. Proper attic ventilation, adequate insulation, correct flashing details, and quality shingles all carry part of the load. Ice and water shield covers the weak points; it does not carry the roof by itself.

What Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Means

Platinum Preferred is the highest contractor designation Owens Corning awards. Avila describes Platinum contractors as the best of the best and puts the group at roughly the top one percent of contractors in the country.

Excel Roofing has held the designation since 2012 and also serves on the Owens Corning Platinum Advisory Board, a group that gives the manufacturer direct feedback on market conditions and on what it should be doing to serve contractors and homeowners better.

For a homeowner, the practical value of the badge is straightforward. Manufacturer designations at this level require verified workmanship standards, licensing and insurance in good standing, and a track record the manufacturer is willing to attach its own warranty coverage to.

What Homeowners Should Look For

Asked for closing advice for consumers choosing a contractor or a roofing product, both men gave concrete answers.

From Owens Corning

• Look for the Platinum badge. It is the fastest way to narrow a field of bidders.
• Ask for Owens Corning shingles with a Class 4 rating. Class 4 is the highest impact resistance rating available under UL 2218 testing, which matters in hail country and often qualifies homeowners for an insurance premium discount.

From Excel Roofing

• Never pay a cent until you are content. Payment should follow satisfactory completion, not precede the work.
• Do not sign a contract that carries a cancellation fee. A contractor confident in the value of its own proposal does not need to penalize a homeowner for changing their mind.
• Confirm in writing that ice and water shield is included and where it will be installed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ice and water shield?

Ice and water shield is a self adhering waterproof membrane installed underneath shingles in the areas of a roof most likely to leak, such as eaves, valleys, and around penetrations. It bonds directly to the roof deck and seals around fasteners, creating a barrier in the spots where water is most likely to back up and find its way into the structure.

Do roofs in Colorado need ice and water shield?

Yes. Colorado winters swing between mild and severe, and freeze thaw cycles are what create ice dams along roof edges. Octavian Avila of Owens Corning describes ice and water shield as vital, noting that without it a roof system is not going to work as intended. Excel Roofing installs it on Colorado and Wyoming roofs for that reason.

Does ice and water shield stop all roof leaks?

No. J Bretz of Excel Roofing is direct about this: ice and water shield is not a silver bullet. If enough water ponds along the edge of a roof, some may still find a way through. It is an excellent preventative measure and a necessary part of a roof system, but it is not an absolute guarantee against every leak in every condition.

What does Owens Corning Platinum Preferred mean?

Platinum Preferred is the highest contractor designation Owens Corning awards, and according to Octavian Avila it represents roughly the top one percent of contractors in the country. Excel Roofing has held the credential since 2012 and also serves on the Platinum Advisory Board, which gives contractors direct input on manufacturer decisions and market feedback.

What should homeowners look for when hiring a roofing contractor?

Octavian Avila advises homeowners to look for the Owens Corning Platinum badge and to ask about Class 4 rated shingles. J Bretz adds two contract terms to insist on: do not pay anything until the work is finished to your satisfaction, and do not sign a contract that carries a cancellation fee.

What is a Class 4 shingle?

Class 4 is the highest impact resistance rating a shingle can earn under UL 2218 testing. It matters along the Front Range because Colorado sees frequent hail, and many insurance carriers offer a premium discount for Class 4 impact rated roofing. Owens Corning offers Class 4 rated shingle lines that Excel Roofing installs.

Talk to Excel Roofing

Excel Roofing has served Colorado and Wyoming since 1993 and has been an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor since 2012, with offices in Englewood and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Sheridan and Casper, Wyoming. Every roof system it installs includes ice and water shield in the areas that need it.

Schedule a free inspection and a member of the team will walk the roof, document what is there, and explain what a proper system looks like before any decision is made.