FORWARD THINKING The fiberglass reinforced shingles widely used today are heavier and "much better" than the organically reinforced product they have largely replaced. The old shingles, which Noblin describes as "a brown paper bag coated with asphalt and topped with granules," were almost designed to be replaced in 20 years or less. With today's shingles, he says, "you can talk realistically about a 40-year roof. And that's a very good thing for cashstrapped condominiums." The components used for flat roofs have also improved. When the rubberbased roofs installed in the late '70s began to fail after less than 20 years, manufacturers discovered that the problem wasn't the rubber, it was the glue. By finding ways to eliminate much of the glue, they have significantly extended the projected life of these roofs, Noblin says. Manufacturers have also developed shingles treated with polyvinyl fluoride (PVF)-known for its heat-resistance qualities-provid- The fiberglass reinforced shingles widely used today are heavier and "much better" than the organically reinforced product they have largely replaced. Electric Grills 34 CONDOMEDIAhttp://www.cookwithkenyon.com http://www.cookwithkenyon.com