Roofer profile: Tarren Kalapis, X-Factor Exteriors

By Rocky Mountain Snow Guards.

Tarren Kalapis wants to help as many people as possible through roofing, and in his area snow guards are a crucial part of that.

For Tarren Kalapis, the roofing industry has been a bit like a boomerang. He started out up on the roof at age 18, simply because he wasn’t afraid of heights. His friend’s father needed a young guy to help out who could handle the heights, so Tarren launched into his roofing career. Although he changed states and careers after awhile, he came back to roofing in Idaho Falls. This time with a desire to learn the roofing business and help as many people as possible. 

Q: Tell us about the geography you install roofing in and what kind of snow retention systems are needed for your customers.

We do our installation work deep in the snow country of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. This is where snowfall can be really huge, so snow retention systems are a “must” for the upper end residential new construction homes we service.

Q: What type of roofing material do you tend to install most, and what’s your favorite “go to” snow retention product that you use repeatedly with that material?  

80% of our snow retention systems are installed on standing seam and mechanical lock profiles. For these my go-to fastener system is the Blizzard II. However, we also install a decent amount of synthetic shakes with Class A fire ratings, like those from DaVinci Roofscapes and CeDUR Synthetic Roofing Products. When we install these composite products, the Rocky Guard 16 (RG16) is my favorite.

Q: What’s the most interesting roofing project you’ve ever done where a snow retention system was involved?  

Recently we collaborated with Ice Dam Shield, a company we often work with that designs heated roof systems. It’s a symbiotic relationship with how the snow retention systems we install work with their integrated heat technologies. Working together we create unique solutions for the clients to be able to have a lot of snow safely removed from their roof. 

Q: How often do you use the free architectural snow retention plan from Rocky Mountain Snow Guards when you’re working on a roofing project?

I like this service and have created a great relationship with Ariel and LeeAnn at RMSG. I use the free service often because one of the best benefits is they have always been able to provide a quote within a day or two, which is great for my business. 

Q: What keeps your company coming back to Rocky Mountain Snow Guards for your snow retention needs?  

Fast, efficient help. RMSG is easy to work with. I know that once I reach out to them I will have numbers back typically within one day. That fast service is essential for my clients. In addition, my clients have beautiful roofs and they want beautiful snow retention systems. RMSG offers powder coated options so I can design the snow retention system to blend or accentuate the roof with a contrasting color. They’re an essential part of the overall roof design.