I DON'T TRUST ITEL. THEY MIS-IDENTIFIED MY SAMPLE...

I DON'T TRUST ITEL. THEY MIS-IDENTIFIED MY SAMPLE THREE TIMES!

I sent a full shingle into Itel Labs to confirm it was a heavy shingle. Itel had their clerk verbally report back to me that it was a 30. I insisted they re-test.
Second time: Clerk told me was looking at the photos where the analyst again measured the sample and used gauge on it. I asked, are they simply using a tape measure and a Haag gauge on these samples? She didn't answer. I asked again, do you mean to tell me they aren't weighing this sample? She said no, they don't.
I said this time I want a different analyst using a new gauge to test my sample. I said I want to know the analyst watches the Haag Training video on the Haag site on how to properly use the gauge.
Third time: Analyst said shingle is still a 30 year. Wow. I wasted that $120 and a week. I didn't know Itel was using such primitive methods at a "lab". I told them it was impossible to be a 30 that the lightest weight would be a 40.

Settlement: In order to resolve the issue I sent another sample to a real laboratory also in Florida equipped with an engineer and instruments. That lab performed an intake weight analysis and extrapolated that a square of this shingle weighed at least 256 lbs. even though it had weathered for 11 years. The weight was determined to be a heavy weight range and I got credit for it at my appraisal with the insurance carrier since the 2-page report bore an engineer's stamp.

The insurance industry is basing their decisions on a company that brags something like the "science of fair settlement". I asked for Itel for science and they gave me something else. How old and worn are their Haag gauges? That piece of aluminum is worn down each time it is slid across the granules of each new sample. How many times each day is the analyst using the same gauge. I don't trust Itel for grade analysis anymore. I'll pay a little extra and get the engineer's stamp on a real report from now on for weight class analysis.