What's the Best Roof for your Mid-Century Home?

Are you interested in re-roofing you mid-century home? Whether it is leaking, damaged or just old, there are things you should know before you undertake a project of this magnitude on your Palm Springs mid-century home.

It is widely known that flat or low-sloped roofs are more challenging and far less forgiving than homes with pitched roofs. Consequently, roofs on Eichlers, Strengs, Cliff Mays, and Palm Springs classics by nature lend themselves to a host of unique maintenance issues. Among these issues is “ponding”, this occurs because the flat roofs of mid-century homesdo not benefit from gravity when it comes to drainage. This can lead to leaks and other damage over time.

Re-roofing is not an easy project for any homeowner. Numerous options abound -- and specialists for each type will tell you their system is better than the next. While the tar-and-gravel system is still a viable option for flat and low-pitched roofs, roofing choices have come a long way since the 1950s, when virtually all of our mid-century homeswere originally christened with tar and gravel roofs.

Today, in addition to tar and gravel, a host of newer technologies exist: multi-ply modified bitumen, polyurethane foam, an array of single-ply systems, and of course up-and-coming challengers who have yet to be fully tested for longevity. Any one of these is very useful on a mid-century home. Which one you choose depends on your particular situation.

The first step in selecting the ideal roofing system and installer for your mid century home is to examine your needs. Begin by asking yourself some key questions:

• How old is my roof?
• Is it in good condition, or are there signs of excessive wear, such as blistering, ponding, or cracking?
• Is repairing an option, or does it make sense to replace?
• How long do I expect to remain in the house?
• Are aesthetics important to me? If so, what look do I prefer?
• Do I want to take a purist's approach (wanting my home to be close to original), or are contemporary options attractive?
• Do I need additional insulation, or is my present roofing system or the insulation underneath it sufficient?
• What is my budget?

If repairing the roof of your mid-century home is not an option, then it may be time to replace your roof. Many factors should be considered during the process of choosing the ideal type of roofing for your home. These include cost, waterproofing capabilities of the material and installation method, reflectivity of the top coating (does it reflect light, or hold it in?), weight of the material, presence or absence of seams, and application method.

Here is a breakdown of the most popular systems for mid century homes with flat and low-sloped roofs:

Mid-Century Home Roofing: Tar-and-Gravel System

One of the oldest roofing types used in residential construction, the tar-and-gravel system is also commonly referred to as 'built-up' because it involves multiple layers of material. Simply put, installers lay down a base sheet that is nailed in place and covered with layers of felt hot-mopped together with asphalt. The topcoat is then covered with a layer of gravel.

Generally, tar and gravel is the least expensive of the available roofing systems for your mid-century home, though the cost will be higher when add-ons, such as insulation and topcoats, are included. Also, some new building ordinances require positive roof drainage in order to pass roof inspection. Such drainage is accomplished by building up the roof with insulating material, which can increase the cost by as much as 50 percent.

Mid-Century Home Roofing: Sprayed Polyurethane Foam System

Spray-on foam, while one of the more expensive roofing options, also offers distinct advantages over other roofing options for your mid-century home. Finding a quality installer is critical for foam roofs because they are manufactured on site. Foam roofing is delivered through a hose and sprayed on the roof as a liquid. The liquid rises as it cures. Once cured, several layers of elastomeric coating are applied. Elastomeric properties are important, since they allow the coating to stretch as the foam expands and contracts. A gray base coat serves to protect the roof from the UV rays of the sun, while a white topcoat adds reflectivity, making the roof more energy efficient.

Mid-Century Home Roofing: Single-Ply Systems

Single-ply systems are composed of sheets of a polyvinyl thermal plastic-like membrane that are mechanically attached to the roof of your mid-century home. There are many single-ply manufacturers in the marketplace, and the most prominent in California are Duro-Last, Johns Manville, and IB Roof Systems. Since single plies are highly reflective, they reduce heat gain. While some homeowners opt for installation without additional insulation, others prefer it to gain cold-weather protection.

Mid-Century Home Roofing: Modified Bitumen System

Modified bitumen (pronounced bitch'-you-men) is a membrane-style roof that can be installed as a one-, two-, or three-ply system, though most mid century homes are two-ply applications. The roof is generally comprised of a base sheet, plus two modified ply layers. Each layer is attached to one another and sealed using heated asphalt. Like single-ply systems, bitumen roofs are manufactured elsewhere, but applied on site. They are assembled on the roof, but manufactured in the factory for quality control.

For more information on re-roofing your mid century home or to read the full article, please visit The Eichler Network

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