NEW BERLIN - Homeowners in Wisconsin are spending big bucks to replace their old roofs only to see their new ones crumble and fall apart.

It's a nationwide problem that's turned into a massive class action lawsuit.

Tom Searles is meticulous about his New Berlin home, so when he replaced his 30 plus year old roof 11 years ago, he expected it to last another 30 years.

About a year ago, Searles noticed that something was wrong.

"When I went up to clean the gutters I notice a lot of granules in the rain gutters," Searles explained.

When Searles climbed up to see what was going on with his roof he not only found the shingles curling, he found a lot of junk in his gutter.

His shingles were literally disintegrating after only 11 years on the roof.

They were made by a Pennsylvania company called CertainTeed.

Searles feels ripped off.

"You spend that kind of money on 30 a year guarantee and after 11 years it's looking horrible!" Searles said.

Searles has since replaced the roof and hired Milwaukee lawyer Will Techmeier.

Techmeier also represents more than 100 other homeowners in the same situation.

Techmeier says the problem is with the product. He wants CertainTeed to pay 100 percent of the replacement cost.

"The roofs are defective. They are giving way less than half of the time they are warranted for," Techmeier said.

CertainTeed said only "a fraction of customers experienced problems." And that the company will "...investigate their concerns and, where appropriate, offer a settlement under the terms of our warranty."

CertainTeed no longer makes the shingles in question. Replacing them cost Searles just under $7,000.