How to Choose the Right Kind of New Roof for Your Milwaukee Historic Home

Choosing the right kind of new roof for any home can be challenging, but it’s especially difficult for historic homes in Minnesota. Some historic homes are within districts that require owners to maintain their homes’ historic appearances while others are more flexible. Ultimately, it’s vital for historic homeowners to know the best types of new roofs to install on their historic homes to ensure satisfactory protection and solid reliability without diminishing the historic beauty of their designs.

Restoration and renovation are complex subjects when it comes to historic homes; regardless of whether local historical preservation rules and statutes come into play, it’s essential for owners of historic homes to make wise decisions when it comes to renovating or repairing these homes. Choosing the right roof comes down to more than simply choosing a new roof that looks like the original. Investing in a new roof for a Milwaukee historic home should have the goal of protecting the home for as long as possible, and a metal roof can be a fantastic option.

Metal Roofs: Common Misconceptions About Customization

One of the reasons some homeowners have been slow to consider upgrading to metal roofs for their own properties is misconceptions about metal roof customization options. Many have seen the standard standing seam metal roofs and believed them to be too basic or even ugly for residential use. They do not realize that metal roofs come with countless customization options, from the material used to the appearance of the shingles or panels used to build the metal roof.

Standing seam metal roofs are popular because they are some of the most affordable metal roofs, make for easy installation, and provide stellar performance for many years, sometimes 75 years or longer. However, they may not be the best options for historic homes that have signature style and demand something more unique. Luckily, it’s possible to recreate all different types of traditional roof styles using metal.

For example, if a historic home has a standard asphalt shingle roof, this will require replacement every 20 or so years at most. If a severe storm rolls through the area this could be shortened significantly. It’s possible to install a new metal roof that not only mimics the appearance of the home’s original asphalt shingle roof, but also provides superior performance and protection for a much longer time. The metal roof made from dimensional shingles will also require far less maintenance, which can dramatically cut down the cost of ownership for some historic homes.

A few other options include metal roofs that mimic the appearance of Spanish tiles, wood shake shingles, and even natural stone. It’s possible to customize a metal roof to tremendous effect and preserve the original beauty of a historic home when homeowners work with experienced roofing contractors.

Benefits of Choosing a Metal Roof for a Historic Home

One of the biggest challenges facing owners of historic homes is maintaining them. Most historic homes only have a moderate range of updated fixtures and appliances, meaning they cost much more over time to maintain. Investing in a metal roof for a historic home can potentially cut the cost of ownership significantly.

While an asphalt shingle roof or other older style of roof may only last 20 years at most, a metal roof installed by professionals can last 75 years or longer, and upkeep is minimal. Milwaukee homeowner’s with historic homes could potentially cut out a significant portion of the maintenance costs of the home by investing in a new metal roof that may only need one or two small repairs during the same time that an asphalt shingle roof would last for its entire lifespan. A metal roof may be a bit more expensive to install initially, when you compare this cost to the cost of replacing an asphalt shingle roof three times during the lifespan of a metal roof, it’s easy to see the difference in long-term value.

Older homes and historic homes are also more vulnerable to water damage. If a historic home sustains significant water damage from a leaky roof, internal structures could require complete replacement, which would likely diminish the home’s historic value. Metal roofs are incredibly robust, provide superior moisture protection to what a traditional roof can provide, and also help maintain consistent interior temperatures and humidity levels. This is yet another way a metal roof can be advantageous for a historic home.

Working With the Right Roofer

One of the most important decisions when it comes to replacing the roof of a historic home is choosing the right roofing team to handle the job. Take time to research local roofers that have experience not only with metal roof installation, but also working with historic homes. In many areas, historic home renovations require approval from the local government or historical preservation society. It’s essential for the roofer you choose to follow all applicable guidelines very carefully when performing the roof replacement.

An experienced Minnesota roofer can also recommend the best type of metal roof for a historic home that will not only offer superior performance, but also preserve the beauty of the home with a faithful replacement of the original roof. It will also last a very long time, allowing the homeowner to enjoy low maintenance costs and tremendous value over time.

Are Metal Roofs Right for Historic Homes?

To some, it may seem like choosing a new metal roof for a historic home runs contrary to the idea of preserving the home’s history. The reality is that roof replacements are some of the most expensive repairs a homeowner of any type of home will face, and this expense is typically even greater for historic homes. With so many additional concerns pertaining to maintaining a historic home, upgrades that offer long-term value without diminishing the historic beauty of the home are essential.

Ultimately, a new metal roof on a historic home can make the home easier to maintain for a much longer time, and it would be very difficult for the average person to tell certain types of metal roofs apart from their more traditional counterparts. Whether you wish to mimic the appearance of shingles, Spanish tiles, or wood shake, metal roofs can do it all while providing superior protection and lasting value for a historic home.