Haag's 4.09 Shingle Gauge™ and 1.12 Shingle Gauge™ have verysimilar names. They also look a lot alike. Both have a basic shapesimilar to a piano tuning fork, each with a central opening whereusers slide an asphalt composition shingle to estimate itsthickness. However, just as the basic two-prong shape of the gaugesdoes not indicate that they can be used to tune pianos, the similarshape of the two gauges does not mean that they measure the sameproducts. If you have ever heard of the Haag ShingleGauges™ referred to as “interchangeable” or as two sizes (one''long,” one ''short”) of the same tool, it is important to knowthat the two Shingle Gauges are completely different and thatONE SHOULD NEVER BE USED IN PLACE OF THEOTHER.

First came the 4.09

Haag's IAS-accredited Research/Testing lab has been monitoringthe shingle manufacturing industry for over 20 years. We saw a needfor a tool which could estimate the thickness of asphaltcomposition shingles and link that thickness to a warranty level.We aimed to support industry pros with measurements in the field sothey can better prepare their roof repair and replacementestimates.

The very earliest version of the Haag Shingle Gauge, released in1993, was shaped more like a key than a tuning fork. As shinglemanufacturers updated their products (effectively changing theirthickness and corresponding warranty levels), Haag'sResearch/Testing engineers continued to update this early ShingleGauge with slight re-designs in 2004 and 2006.

The first major re-design of the tool came in 2009, when theHaag 4.09 was released in its present two-pronged shape. Haagengineers measured hundreds of shingles throughout 2008 and foundthat warranty-measurement estimates could be correlated for theseshingle types:

• 3-Tab Fiberglass (20-, 25-, 30-, and 40-year)

• 3-Tab Organic (20-, 25-, and 30-year)

• Laminated (30-, 35-, 40-, and 50-year)

Second came the 1.12

For several years, the 4.09 accurately represented estimates oneach new batch of shingles manufactured in the U.S. However, 2011was an important year for shingle manufacturers. Most U.S. makersof asphalt composition shingles changed their from-the-factorywarranties, offering limited lifetime warranties on all productsrather than warranties spaced in 5- to 10-year increments. Haag'sResearch/Testing division went to work to determine if thedimensions used on the 4.09 Shingle Gauge remained useful onshingles manufactured after Jan. 2011.

After studying hundreds of brand-new shingles from over 30different manufacturers, Haag engineers realized that while the4.09 remained accurate on pre-2011 shingles (of which there arestill many installed today), an entirely new tool was needed toestimate warranties on all newly-manufactured shingles. Thus, the1.12 Shingle Gauge was born.

The “1.12” in the name refers to the newest version's date ofrelease (Jan. 2012 vs. the 4.09's earlier release in April of2009). It was released after a year of research; Haag engineersstudied the changes in the industry and implemented them into a newtool. Haag engineers realized that the thicknesses of shinglesprovided by various manufacturers starting in 2011 no longer fitinto as many measureable categories as pre-2011 shingles. The 1.12may be used to estimate a single type of asphalt shingle:

• 3-Tab Fiberglass (20-, 25-, 30-, 35-year and Lifetime)

Why can't I use the gauges interchangeably?

You can't use the 4.09 and 1.12 interchangeably because theincremental widening of each tool's slot is quite different. Theslot thickness may not look different to your naked eye, butremember: the tool was designed with specified tolerances tomeasure what you can't see with your eyes! Though the 4.09 cannotestimate accurately what the 1.12 can, and vice versa, theinability of each tool to estimate certain shingles isn't a failingof the gauges themselves. Instead, it is merely a reflection of howdrastically the shingle manufacturing industry changed its productsin 2011.

Ryan Holdhusen is the vice president of Haag Education,LLC.