The roof personifies a historic home’s character, it deserves special care from true experts who can restore and maintain its original allure.
Historic homes add charisma and charm to any neighborhood, and some of the most beautiful and architecturally intriguing can be found right here in North Carolina.
Unfortunately, over time the roofs of these homes will deteriorate and require fixing up or replacing to maintain their timeless luster.
At Integrity Roofing, we know what it takes to preserve a house’s identity. With a decade’s experience in all things roofing- we specialize in identifying, analyzing, and restoring the functional and aesthetic features of a historic roof.
Work with us to maintain your home’s history while protecting it with modern roofing materials and techniques. If you are looking to repair or replace your Historical Home’s Roof, then this article will convince you that Integrity Roofing is your #1 choice.
Let’s begin by exploring why the roof is one of the most important aspects of any historic home.
The Importance of the Roof
The roof - with its various sizes, colors, patterns and finer details such as cresting, cupolas, and dormers – is a vital design element of any historic home.
It’s the first thing visitors see and more importantly, is responsible for sheltering your family from bad weather and intrusion, providing warmth and security.
In many cases, the roof is a historic home’s character defining feature. However, many of these homes were built long ago at a time when roofing materials were not as durable, and so they require professional care to maintain a good condition.
Historic Homes - Repairing or Replacing the Roof
When it comes to maintaining a historical home, get consultation before deciding on any repair or replacements. It takes a roofing professional to observe and determine what’s the best option to take.
At Integrity Roofing, you can rest assured that if a roof can be repaired and maintained without a full replacement, we won’t recommend one. We’re not in the business of maximizing profit for the sake of it and have always had our customer’s best interests in mind.
We have access to the historical materials to patch things up, as well as modern tools to reinforce them. However, if your historic roof has been patched over several times and is beyond repair, we do offer full roof replacement services. These may be a bigger investment but will last longer and could eventually end up saving you money.
Keep in mind that with historical homes especially, any leaks or issues should not be left in disrepair. To maintain your historical home, you should always look to fix roofing problems as they happen. Do not let them worsen as this can have significant consequences in the long run.
If you’re looking to replace your historic home’s roof, choosing the right replacement can really help pull a design or style together – but remember that you need it be as safe and reliable as it is aesthetically pleasing.
According to the SOI Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Roofs, the recommendation to repair or replace historic roofing material is as follows:
● Slate with slate
● Clay tile with clay tile
● Asphalt with asphalt
Note that if the same type of material is not available or out of budget, then Integrity can provide a compatible substitute material.
For expert advice on what type of roof is the best replacement for your historical home, or whether you can get by with some quality repairs, reach out to us any time.
We’re more than happy to talk to you and send our roofing experts down to provide a free inspection and quote at your convenience.
Extra Tip - Maintaining your Historic Roof
Ways to protect and maintain your Historic roof:
● Clean gutters and downspouts and remember to replace any flashing that’s deteriorated
● Install adequate anchorage for roofing material to protect against wind damage and water penetration, these can lead to rotting fascia and worse
● Check roof sheathing for adequate ventilation to prevent moisture and water accumulation
● Look for deterioration in roof fasteners such as nails and clips
● Use plywood and building paper to patch up roof leaks until you can get the roofers in.
Although these may be useful things to know about maintaining your historical roof, getting on the roof physically and doing them is quite an undertaking. It’s always better to hire professionals to take a good look at your roof once or twice a year.
Choose Expert Craftsman
There are special materials and techniques needed for repairing or restoring a historical roof and it requires skilled and experienced roofers.
Why Integrity?
● Specialized in historic roofing materials such as slate, wood, clay tile metal
● If unable to find original material, we’re capable of reinforcing historic materials with quality substitute materials
● Creative thinking and thorough research to ensure roof maintains its authenticity
● For replacements, we work closely with customers to customize decorative features and the roof’s shape
● Local company with vast experience servicing the roofs of historic homes and buildings throughout North Carolina
Real Experts with Real Experience
Recently, we had the opportunity to completely restore the roofing system to a historical building in Raleigh, NC. The building was originally roofed with a Buckingham slate in 1889 and our team did a great job restoring the roof system blending in new Buckingham slate in 2018.
We completely restored this roof system by hand removing all original slates. Approximately 60 percent of the original slates were saved and blended with new Buckingham slate to restore the slate's natural authenticity.
As North Carolina’s #1 Roofing Company, we offer comprehensive services for all your roofing and restoration needs with a decade of expert knowledge and experience.