Historic homes are a style that modern homes just can’t beat. Many homeowners are drawn to the more historic materials, timeless colors and designs, and quality craftsmanship. Roofs for historic homes may be weakened or damaged. This means that a roof may need to be replaced or need repairs before you live in the home. But how do you keep the historic nature of the home, while improving the roofing material? This blog will discuss how to choose a historic-looking roof without compromising safety.
What Makes A Home Historic?
For homeowners or those looking to purchase a home, there are some factors to look for that indicate a historic home. Some things that indicate a historic home include:
- The home was or is connected to historic events
- It is or was connected to historic individuals (who lived there or used it for a specific purpose)
- Provides historical information to others
- The home is located in a historic district (designated by your city or county)
- The home is recognized by the National Register Of Historic Places
If you want to know if your home is historic or how to install a better roof for an older home, have a roof assessment. This will give you a breakdown of what repairs need to be made and when the home was constructed.
How To Choose Roofs For Historic Homes
Once you have determined that your home is historic it is time to inspect the roof. Inspecting the state of the roofing material will help you know if you need to replace it or just repair it. Some historic homes can benefit from a completely new material, while others just need a strengthened version of the historic roofing material.
House Style
The most important thing to remember when installing roofs for historic homes is to make them match the house style. Whether it is Gothic Revival, Colonial, or Victorian, the roof should match the rest of the exterior design.
Choosing The Correct Weight For A Roofing Material
Roofing material needs to be a perfect weight so that it does not cause your home to collapse. Since your home is historic and some of the material may be weakened, choosing a lightweight roofing material will put less strain on the home. Metal is a good lightweight material that is available in many styles to complement a historic home.
Replacing Outdated Roofing
Some historic homes may just need to have their roofing material replaced in order to be safe for families to live there. If your historic home has wood shingles, a good replacement could be asphalt shingles or wood shingles that are treated to resist moisture and fire.
Slate roofing materials could be replaced with designer asphalt shingles. Clay tiles should be replaced with concrete or ceramic tiles. Metal roofs should just be replaced with new metal sheeting.
Why You Should Work With A Qualified Roofer?
Your home deserves the best of the best, especially when you want to preserve the nostalgia of a historic home. Working with a roofing contractor will ensure that you stay safe and your roof is installed correctly to protect your interior from weather.
Kanga Roof specializes in residential and commercial roofing projects. If you have recently bought a historic home, choosing a roofing contractor with our experience will give you peace of mind. All homes of any type can benefit from a newly installed roof. No matter when your home was constructed, having annual inspections, making repairs, or replacing outdated materials is worth the investment.
Our team is fully certified and treats each job like it is our own home. Our company is licensed, insured, and bonded so that you can know you are putting your money toward a quality result.
