What Class 4 means
UL 2218 is the impact test the makers put their shingles through. Class 4 is the top of it. Owens Corning's words: "Class 4 is the highest possible rating shingles can receive from this test." A Class 4 shingle is built on modified asphalt that gives under a hailstone instead of cracking, which is the difference between a roof that shrugs off a March storm and a roof that goes on the claim.
The Class 4 sentence from Owens Corning, as published by its distributor Palmer Donavin, read 17 September 2026.
- GAF Timberline AS IIImpact: UL 2218 Class 4. Wind: WindProven limited wind warranty, no wind speed limit, with four required accessories. In GAF's words: "pass UL 2218 Class 4 Impact-Resistance Test". And: "eligible for the WindProven™ Limited Wind Warranty with no wind speed limit when installed with four required accessories" On insurance: "may qualify for insurance discounts" GAF's page.
- CertainTeed NorthGate ClimateFlexImpact: UL 2218 Class 4. Wind: 110 mph, upgradable to 160 mph. In CertainTeed's words: "UL 2218 Class 4 impact resistance". And: "15-year 110 mph wind-resistance warranty; upgradable to 160 mph" CertainTeed's page.
- Owens Corning TruDefinition Duration FLEXImpact: UL 2218 Class 4. Wind: up to 130 mph. In Owens Corning's words: "Duration FLEX® shingles combine Class 4 impact resistance with premium color blends". And: "These shingles have up to 130-mph wind resistance limited warranty." On insurance: "You may qualify for insurance premium discounts when you install Class 4 roofing shingles." Owens Corning's page.
About the insurance discount
Two of the three makers say a Class 4 roof "may" qualify for a discount on your homeowner premium. Both say may. So do we. Some Kentucky carriers give one and some do not, and the size of it is theirs to set. Ask your agent before you choose, and ask in writing. If the answer is yes, it changes the arithmetic on which line to buy. If it is no, a Class 4 roof is still the one that is standing after the hail.
Which one we would put on your roof
It depends on which certification warranty you want registered on it, which colour, and what the house next door has taken in the last two springs. We will tell you straight, and we will show you the certificate for whichever maker you choose. What each certification means, in the makers' words.
Built for about 48 inches of rain a year, 13.4 inches of snow, and a hail season that runs from March into July. Why that changes what we install.
Free roof inspections, as many as you need, all year. Fast. Honest. Elite. That's the whole promise: we come out fast, we tell you what we found and show you the pictures, then if your roof is fine we say so. Storm damage, repairs, full replacements, siding, gutters, soffit and fascia, throughout Louisville. A roof that keeps the weather out, and the photographs to carry the claim.
Questions people ask
A storm just came through. What do I do?
Call (502) 915-9758 or text a photo of what you can see from the ground. We come out, get on the roof, photograph everything, and tell you straight whether it is a repair, a claim or nothing at all. The inspection is free, every time.
Do you handle the insurance claim?
We do the part a roofer is allowed to do, and all of it. We photograph the damage, give you a written estimate, and once you have filed we meet your adjuster on the roof and walk them through what we found. Kentucky law leaves the negotiating to you or a licensed public adjuster, and we would not have it any other way. How a claim goes, step by step.
What does the free inspection cover?
The whole roof, the flashing, the vents and boots, the gutters, the siding, the soffit and fascia. You get the photographs and a plain answer. Unlimited, year round.
What shingles do you install?
GAF, CertainTeed and Owens Corning. Our inspectors carry certifications from all three.
Is the inspection really free?
Yes. Every time, all year, and there is no catch. If the roof is fine, you hear that too.
I already have an estimate. Will you look at it?
Bring it. We look at the roof and the estimate and tell you straight.
Where do you work?
Louisville and the area around it. Not sure if that's you? Call and ask.
Who shows up?
Deonta Simpson, Louisville. Lightning Louisville Roofing and Renovation. He is the one on the roof in the pictures.