Would Malarkey shingles survive a solar-powered zombie apocalypse?

I get the worry about solar installs turning into leak factories—seen a few jobs where the flashing looked fine at first, but then a heavy rain showed otherwise. I wouldn’t say Malarkey shingles are magic against critters though. My uncle had raccoons rip through his (not sure which line), so maybe it’s more about luck or how hungry the wildlife is. As for hail noise, I’ve noticed my neighbor’s low-pitch roof seems way louder than mine, even though we both have similar insulation. Wonder if vent placement really matters as much as people say... sometimes feels like it’s just the luck of the draw with storms.

I’ve seen plenty of “leak-proof” solar installs turn into headaches after the first real downpour, so you’re not alone there. Flashing always looks good until it doesn’t. As for Malarkey shingles, I wouldn’t count on them to keep out determined critters either—saw a squirrel chew right through a supposedly tough laminate shingle last spring. Roof pitch and vent placement do seem to change how hail sounds, but honestly, sometimes it just comes down to the weird quirks of your house. Storms have a way of finding the weak spots no matter what you do.

Flashing always looks good until it doesn’t.

That line hits home. I spent way too long researching “leak-proof” options before my solar install, and still ended up with a drip in the attic after the first big storm. As for Malarkey shingles, I get the hype about their toughness, but after seeing a raccoon peel up a corner last fall, I’m not convinced they’re apocalypse-proof. Maybe good for hail, but critters and weird wind gusts seem to find a way in no matter what you pick.

I get what you’re saying about critters—those little guys are relentless. But honestly, I had regular asphalt shingles before and the raccoons tore them up way worse. The Malarkeys held up better for me, even if they're not invincible. Maybe it’s just luck or how the install went?

That’s been my experience too—raccoons are like little demolition crews. I had basic three-tab shingles on my old place and those critters shredded them in a couple seasons. When I switched to Malarkey (the Legacy line, if it matters), it definitely seemed like they held up better. Not perfect, but at least I wasn’t picking up shingle bits off the lawn every spring.

I do wonder how much of it comes down to the install, though. My neighbor used a different crew and his edges started curling after just a year or two, while mine still look decent five years in. Could be installer skill, or maybe just luck with the local wildlife population... hard to say.

Either way, nothing’s totally raccoon-proof, but I’d take Malarkeys over the bargain stuff any day. At least until someone invents zombie-proof shingles—solar-powered or not.