When a storm damaged this cedar shake roof in Milwaukee, Trent was faced with a common Midwest reality: Does he replace the damaged roof with a natural cedar shake roof again, or replace it with a composite cedar shake roof option? That’s when he reached out to our team at DuraShield Roofing & Contracting. After arriving at his home and speaking with him about his future plans to install solar panels, we knew replacing them with the same natural cedar shake shingles would not be a good idea.
A Better Alternative
Knowing that Trent wanted to move forward with solar panels, our suggestion came easily. “Replacing the roof with another cedar shake roof did not make sense,” says Anthony Walsh, owner of DuraShield Roofing & Contracting. “Especially when adding in the solar panels on the southern exposure of the roof. You need something stronger that you can walk on without worrying about damaging the roof to maintain the solar panels long-term. Our suggestion was definitely the DaVinci composite cedar shake product.”
DaVinci cedar shake roofing is made of virgin resins, a purer material with Class-4 impact resistance, which means it’s much more durable than natural cedar shake and has a longer lifespan. It can withstand severe weather, including hail and high winds (up to 110 MPH). We knew this would be particularly important to Trent. The tiles also contain fire retardants and have a Class-A fire rating.
Homeowners with natural cedar shake roofs know that sun exposure, insects, and mold can also cause a lot of damage to their roofs. DaVinci synthetic roofing contains UV and thermal stabilizers, so the tile doesn’t become brittle or fade in the sun, and is resistant to cracking, splitting, or insect and mold damage. Trent saw the value in choosing a high-quality, synthetic option.
“Trent chose the DaVinci Multi-Width Shake in an Aged Cedar color, which looks great on his home,” says Anthony. “We were able to work closely with Fibonacci Energy to form a strong fit of the DaVinci tiles with the solar panels on the roof. While this was our first solar panel project, I can definitely see a trend for this growing in our areas in the future.”
Robert Thacker agreed, saying, “We think the DaVinci roof on Trent’s home looks amazing…Solar belongs on every DaVinci roof! They go so well together. The future of energy and the future of composite roofing go hand-in-hand.”
Real Savings
One of the most exciting parts of Trent’s story is how he was able to capitalize on the different incentives to help pay for his new roofing setup. Between the Illinois Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), federal tax credits, utility rebates, and other programs, he was able to recover roughly 90% of the solar installation costs on a roof that will help him save around $2,500 – $5,000 per year on energy bills.
According to Robert Thacker, the owner and CEO of Fibonacci Energy, many homeowners, like Trent, are looking at solar panels for the solution to their high energy costs. In an article by Roofers Coffee Shop, he states, “Quick research shows that solar product usage has increased 288% from 2022 to 2025. Illinois is rich with solar incentives and is an ideal marketplace.”
If you live in Wisconsin, there are solar rebates and incentives you can utilize to help you save on your solar project. Pairing it with a premium, long-lasting roofing alternative will help you maximize the return on your investment.
For many Midwest homeowners who have dealt with hail or storm damage, we’d like to talk to you about your options and how synthetic roofing can make a real difference. Contact us today for a free roof inspection and consultation. We serve homeowners across Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.