Living with wildfire - living in the country side

Sunset, April, 2001 by Matthew Jaffe

                          Choosing the right roof
                     Barbara Boughton with Gary Kruse
Life span,           Fire rating
cost to install      (A = most resistant)
Clay tile            Class A
50-100 years
$25,000-$35,000
Concrete tile        Class A
50 years
$15,000-$25,000
Fibrous cement shake Class A (B if not installed
20-40 years          over plywood; also may
$9,000-$20,000       not meet seismic codes)
Metal tile           Class A if old roof re-
20-40 years          moved; B if installed with
$8,500-$15,000       heavy roofing paper be-
                     tween old roof and new; C
                     if applied directly over roof
Standing-seam        Class A
metal panel
20-40 years
$10,000-$25,000
Fiberglass composi-  Class A
tion shingle
20-50 years
$4,000-$30,000
Built-up roof        Varies. With 3 to 5 layers
10-20 years          of fiberglass felt and gravel
$5,000-$15,000       covering or mineral sur-
                     face capsheet, should se-
                     cure A rating
Torch down           Fire rating varies with the
10-20 years          manufacturer's system.
$5,000-$12,000       Two layers, with a modi-
                     fied fire-resistant base
                     sheet, should secure an
                     A rating
Wood shake,          Class A only if you install a
pressure-treated     72-pound mineral surface
10-20 years          capsheet underneath
$7,500-$15,000
Foam                 Class A
7-10 years
$7,000-$15,000
Life span,           What does it
cost to install      look like?
Clay tile            Classic red Spanish roof
50-100 years
$25,000-$35,000
Concrete tile        Synthetic shakes, slate,
50 years             Spanish tile look-alikes,
$15,000-$25,000      in many colors, textures
Fibrous cement shake These synthetics can often
20-40 years          look like shake or slate
$9,000-$20,000
Metal tile           Designed to have a shake
20-40 years          or tilelike look. Wide color
$8,500-$15,000       range
Standing-seam        Painted metal panels with
metal panel          raised seams 18 to 24
20-40 years          inches apart. High-tech or
$10,000-$25,000      industrial look
Fiberglass composi-  Most common for moder-
tion shingle         ate-slope to steep roofs,
20-50 years          Crushed, uniform mineral
$4,000-$30,000       surface
Built-up roof        The standard asphalt-and-
10-20 years          gravel covering for flat and
$5,000-$15,000       low-slope roofs. Surface
                     can be rock, slag, or col-
                     ored capsheet
Torch down           Variation of built-up roof:
10-20 years          an asphalt-and-gravel roof
$5,000-$12,000       laid down in one roll.
                     Smooth or granular sur-
                     face; white, grays, and
                     browns
Wood shake,          Classic wood roof that
pressure-treated     many synthetics try to
10-20 years          mimic
$7,500-$15,000
Foam                 Sprayed at least 2 inches
7-10 years           thick. Must have protec-
$7,000-$15,000       tive coating. Appearance
                     varies from slightly pocked
                     (like orange peel) to
                     bumpy (like popcorn)
Life span,           Advantages and
cost to install      disadvantages
Clay tile            Also available in glazed, fired, or
50-100 years         painted colors. Long-lasting and
$25,000-$35,000      attractive, but may be prone to
                     breakage. Very heavy
Concrete tile        Same weight and framing challenges as
50 years             clay tile; a bit less prone to
$15,000-$25,000      breakage. New lightweight concrete
                     becoming available
Fibrous cement shake Lightweight and durable; generally
20-40 years          requires no roof reinforcement. In wet
$9,000-$20,000       climates, rain can cause the fibers to
                     expand and contract, causing premature
                     failure
Metal tile           Lightweight, durable. Difficult to seal
20-40 years          around perforations. May require
$8,500-$15,000       gypsum-board base
Standing-seam        Installation is simpler than with metal
metal panel          tiles,  but also difficult to seal
20-40 years          around perforations
$10,000-$25,000
Fiberglass composi-  Easy to apply and economical. Some
tion shingle         home-owners' associations won't allow
20-50 years          these roofs. Some now available thicker
$4,000-$30,000       and more textured, considered more
                     attractive
Built-up roof        Inexpensive. But if poorly installed,
10-20 years          may be messy-looking and may leak
$5,000-$15,000
Torch down           Usually made in factories under
10-20 years          controlled conditions, unlike standard
$5,000-$12,000       built-up roofs. Reflective coatings are
                     available that protect them from
                     ultraviolet deterioration
Wood shake,          Must be kept clean: Moss, mildew, and
pressure-treated     other debris speed deterioration. In
10-20 years          dry climates, untreated shakes (or even
$7,500-$15,000       ones treated with a spray-on coating)
                     are essentially kindling--that's why
                     some communities won't allow them
Foam                 High insulation value. The coatings are
7-10 years           highly reflective, which protects
$7,000-$15,000       against UV deterioration. Must be
                     recoated every 5 to 10 years if covered
                     with the most common material, acrylic.
                     Fairly easy to damage. The most
                     attractive and durable roofs use
                     high-density foam and a more expensive
                     coating