Boulder Issues New Roof Mandate
If you live in the city of Boulder, you may be required to replace your roof before 2014. The city of Boulder has issued a new roof mandate that will require all homes within the city of Boulder which currently have a roof covering which consists of 50% or more of wood by volume to be replaced before January 1, 2014.
The new ordinance states that no new wood roofs can be installed including any that have been treated with fire retardant treatments. It further states that no person owning a building with a wood roof shall fail to remove or cause to be remove their existing wood roof.
The city of Boulder issues the new roof mandate to help protect Boulder residents from unnecessary risk of fire. Although wood shake roofs were used extensively in the past, not only for their aesthetic appeal, they also had good insinuative qualities. Unfortunately, they also substantially increased the risk of structure fire. Wood shake roofs have a class C fire rating (or no rating), which offers little or no degree of fire protection. In contrast, most types of clay tile, concrete tile, slate, metal, and composition shingles have a class a or class b rating which offer a high degree or moderate degree of roof protection.
Homeowners who have wood roofs should start their research now. Their research should include a study about the various types of roofing material available, their cost, lifespan, pros and cons. Homeowners should also make sure they choose a reputable roofing company; ask for references and check to see if they are a member of the Better Business Bureau. Also, do your online research to see if the company has a history of complaints or negative comments. Of course, you can also check with your local real estate professional who typically has worked with numerous roofing companies through his/her varied real estate transactions.
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