The search for a shingle with high aesthetic value often ends with wood shakes and shingles.  Installing wood on your home can bring a unique and beautiful look to your roof.  Since wood grains naturally differ, no two wood shake roofs are the same.  Though there have been imitation wood shake shingles made from asphalt shingles, these shingles will never successfully duplicate the smooth quality of natural wood shakes. 

Wood shingles are also an environmentally conscious choice, as they are a renewable resource.  Not only this, but the natural choice of the wood on your roof will be more energy efficient than asphalt shingles, because they help to keep your attic cooler.   

However, there are also downsides to installing wood shakes on your roof.  Wood is not as durable as asphalt shingles, yet they can cost around twice as much.  Wood is susceptible to termite damage, rotting and scum.  To install a wood shake roof means a commitment of regular, vigorous cleaning of both the roof, the gutters, and the surrounding areas such as trees and any source of debris. 

In the end, the choice comes down to what is important to you as a home owner.    If you do choose to install wood shakes on your roof or home, you should be aware of the maintenance and care process. 

First, be sure to select a wood that is high in durability.  Redwood and cedar are both known for their weather-resistant qualities.  These woods have a high level of natural oils that preserve the wood.  If you choose to go with another wood choice, be sure that it has been factory treated with a preservative.  These factory treatments force the preservative deep into the wood with high pressure.  Wood that has been factory treated is usually under warranty.  

Once you have your wood shakes installed, be sure to keep them clean.  Trim any trees surrounding your home to prevent pine needles, leaves or twigs from piling up on your roof.  Keeping your roof free of debris will lengthen it's life.  Also, be sure to clean your gutters and downspouts twice a year to avoid any buildup on your roof. 

Many manufacturers recommend that your roof be power-washed at least once a year to open the pores in the wood before applying a preservative.  However, it has been shown that inexperienced power-washing can actually cause damage to your roof.  If you choose to power-wash your roof, carefully select a professional with a reputation for good customer satisfaction.   

Never power-wash your roof without applying a topical treatment afterwards.  When choosing a contractor to clean and treat your roof, choose one who offers topical treatments that are:
  • Water repellents
  • UV inhibitors
  • EPA registered wood preservative
  • Is labeled as an appropriate product for your type of wood shake. 
You may find these details in a MSDS (material safety data sheet).    Do not allow any contractor to apply a topical treatment to your roof that is:
  • A water sealant
  • Containing unfortified linseed oil
  • Containing diesel fuel
  • Containing crank case oil
Any of these ingredients can actually trap moisture inside of your roof, under the pretext of keeping moisture out.  Water will run underneath the shingles or shakes and have no way to escape.  This results in your shingles curling, then finally becoming brittle and cracking.   

Applying the correct topical treatments, as well as keeping your roof clean and clear, will help lengthen the life of your wood shake roof.  Consequently, just taking these few steps every year can save you a lot of money in re-roofing costs. 

However, even if you successfully perform all of the maintenance required on your roof, do not expect it to last as long as asphalt shingles will.  In the end, though wood shakes have a vast number of qualities, they are not as durable as other roofing materials.  It is up to you whether a beautiful wood shake roof is worth the work for you and your home.   

Brady Roofing offers wood shake shingles as well as a number of imitation wood shakes comprised of asphalt shingles.  We can help you to choose a roofing material that is right for you and your home.  Browse through our shingle options, or contact us today for a free estimate on your home.  
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Snow Retention Systems: Does Your Roof Need One?

When considering whether to install a snow retention system on your roof, you may first want to consider what type of roof you have.  Will your roof allow snow to slide?  In places with heavy snows, like areas in Utah, it is common for snow to slide from certain types of  roof systems causing heavy ice and snow build up to sit in gutters, which causes damage over time.  If you have a metal, tile, slate or Membrane roof with a pitch of 1/12 or greater, snow may slide off and cause this problem.  Gutters will either hold the heavy snow, or they will fall, creating costly repairs.  

More often than not, when a customer wants a metal roof, they are excited about the idea of snow sliding off.  But after the first few snow storms, these customers see the down side to snow sliding off and piling up on the ground.  There are four main downsides to this occurrence:  
  1. The first is safety.  People commonly under estimate the weight of a couple cubic yards of snow.  And if it is mixed with ice at the eaves as is usually the case, it can cause serious injury and even death if it lands on someone.  
  2. The second is if snow that is fluffy while on the roof, falls ten feet and lands on the ground, it packs in and becomes very hard and dense.  It takes a steel shovel and even a pick in some cases to get it moved off a drive or walk way.  
  3. The obstacle that snow sliding off a metal roof can cause is damage to common roof penetrations and gutter systems.  Plumbing and Heating ventilation pipes can bend over from the sliding snow.  The weight of snow will drop gutter systems.
  4. The fourth is the thunderous sound it makes when it lands, and damaged landscape and railings that go with it.  I had a customer tell me she thought her house was collapsing as the 300 lb block of snow fell from the roof onto her deck.  This happened at night so you can imagine the adrenaline she woke up with!  We have a cabin that we let the snow slide off of and it damaged a log railing system, requiring a roof peppered with snow retention clips just to keep the snow from landing on the railings.
To prevent this, you can simply put snow retention clips on your pitched roof above the gutter and throughout the problem area to keep snow on the roof and to keep it from sliding.  For example, you may want more retention clips in areas above a patio, walk way, or driveway to prevent large amounts of snow from falling and damaging the property or even worse, causing serious injury to pedestrians below.  It can be safer for your roof, your gutters, and the area around your home if your snow is allowed to thaw instead of evacuate your roof by avalanche.  There are 3 main types of snow retention systems for metal and tile roofs:
  • Snow Fences
  • Snow Brackets
  • Snow Clamps
All three choices are effective at keeping snow on your roof.  However, snow fences are probably the best choice for a metal panel roof.  For a standing seam metal roof, snow clamps are usually the recommended choice.  For tile or slate roofing systems, you may want to choose snow brackets as a retention system.

For TPO roofs, even with a low slope of 1/12, it is recommended to install a snow retention system in areas with moderate to heavy snowfall.  If the snow is allowed to flow with the slope of the roof, it could build up in one area, causing damage to your roof and drainage system.  However, snow clips and fences are not usually as effective because TPO membrane is a flat roof system.  This means that, without proper precautions, the moisture could sit around the fasteners that hold the snow fences on and cause leaks.  The best course of action in this situation is to install clad metal on the TPO roof to hold the snow.  Brady Roofing is able to fabricate this metal in shop, as well as install and seal it properly on your TPO roof.  

My advice when designing building a roof system is simply this:  Check with building code requirements in your area to find out the snow load, have the roof design reviewed by a residential structural engineer, then keep the snow on the roof using the proper method.  Shingled roofs generally don’t have an issue with snow sliding.  If you are looking at a smooth surface roof system, and you have a visible slope, you will want to consult with a roofing contractor to see the best method for keeping the snow on the roof.  

For more information on snow retention systems, or for a free estimate, contact us today.  
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