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facts about cedar roofing

Know the Facts about Cedar Roofing, It Is the Best Choice

Cedar is the best choice for design

Northern Illinois has a reputation of stunning landscapes and exquisite homes. The regal beauty of each home stands apart from the rest, with the rooftop being its crowning glory. These are homes that deserve the best, and adorning the home with cedar roofing is the right choice for unmatched appearance and quality. Cedar roofing has a natural beauty that makes each roof take on a unique color, and the distinctive cut of cedar shakes can add a personal touch that is unique as the home itself.  In the hands of an expert Chicagoland roofing contractor, an investment in cedar roofing can last a lifetime and make the home stand out for many years. The style and charm of cedar roofing looks great on all home designs, whether it is traditional or modern, a ranch style home or a mansion.

The Chicago area is famous for blistery hot summers and brutally cold winters. These extremes can cause wear and tear on the roof, causing the need for a costly roof replacement or repairs. Cedar roofing is thermal resistant, and naturally insulates the home as its first protection to keep the elements out and maintain utility costs.  A reputable Chicago area contractor will ensure that the roof installation has the best possible protection against heavy snowfall, wind, or water damage by including snow guards and a ridge venting system in the design. Why do you need them? Snow guards can help to break up the snow to prevent heavy build ups, reducing the chance of piles of snow damaging the roof or causing an avalanche that could fall on people or property below. A properly installed venting system can prevent mold and interior damage caused by water intrusion. Expert cedar shake roofers are trained to know the techniques and local code requirements required to ensure effective and lasting results.

Prairies, abundant lakes, and nature preserves are an outline of the ecology friendly environment of the Chicagoland area.  One of the outstanding benefits of cedar roofing is its benefits to the environment. Cedar roofing is made of sustainable materials. While red cedar is the most popular, cedar roofing professionals can be the best resource to find about more varieties to best fit the homes design. When properly maintained, cedar roofing can last for 60 years or more, with repairs being as easy as replacing only damaged shakes or shingles. But, unlike artificial material roofing, cedar shakes or shingles can be recycled at the end of their useful life.  Cedar is well known for its bug resistant qualities. Cedar roofing can also help to keep insects away from the home, reducing or possibly eliminating the need for chemical pesticides. An investment in cedar roofing benefits the health of the home, its residents, and the surrounding Chicagoland community.

What’s Your Choice; Cedar Shakes or shingles?

The ultimate roofing decision lies in whether to use cedar shakes or shingles. It’s is important to understand the difference. Cedar shingles are cut thinner and will give a more uniform tailored appearance to the roof. Cedar shakes are thicker cut with more variety in the look and type of the wood. Shakes are cut from clear heartwood with no defects. There are two types of wood shakes: handsplit and resawn (heavy or medium), and tapersawn.  The handsplit process adds a natural rustic rooftop appearance. Handsplit and resawn shakes are sawn on the backside, but has the split face which captures the natural grain of the wood, exposed in installation to for the best appeal. Tapersawn wood has a semi-textured look because the shakes are sawn on both sides.  The tapersawn shake provides the naturally tailored look of a shingle with the sharper shadow-line of a shake due to the thickness of the butt.  This is the most popular style of cedar roofing material. In addition to their technical expertise, cedar shake roofers in the Chicago area can provide the best recommendations for the thickness and shake type to best accent the home.  Cedar shakes are distinctive, and a professional cedar shake roofer can make sure the installation is flawless.

When it’s all said and done, safety is the most important feature of a home. Cedar shake and shingle manufacturers generally treat the wood with a fire resistant product. When properly treated and properly installed by a certified cedar roofing contractor, it will meet all fire safety standards. There are even eco-friendly treatments available.

One of the added benefits of cedar roofing is that it adds to a home’s resale value.

The beauty of a cedar roof adds distinction and curb appeal. When a potential buyer sees the quality and maintenance record of a cedar roof, it is assurance that they won’t have to worry about what could be one of the most expense concerns.  A quality roof can make the difference in closing a sale and getting the best offers for a home.  This makes a cedar roof investment the best choice for ensuring that the value of the home is secure, even if it will be the family home for generations.

Choosing the Right Contractor

Finding a cedar roofing professional in the Chicago area can be easy, but it is important to know the questions to ask. The most important thing to know is that excellence is the goal. From the materials to the installation and timelines, you want to find a roofer that will deliver the best. First, look for stamps of approval such as an A rating from the BBB. Make sure the contractor can guide you in the following:

  • Cedar Wood Material Selection: As discussed, there is a wide variety of choices for cedar roofing. The contractor should be able to provide detailed guidance for the home. They should be able to give advice on the strength, durability, insulation, and safety of the wood choices to ensure that the project outcome will last as long as the home.
  • The Final Look of the Cedar Roofing: Maintaining the look of a community is always important. The right contractor will be able to share examples of their work in this region or other communities in the Chicago area. Not only will that provide proof of their work, it will also provide ideas for the current roofing project.

Everything that goes into owning a home is an investment, but none is more important than its roofing. When you look at the masterpiece that is a home, cedar roofing will always stand out as the crowning feature.

If you have an older roof that needs repairs/maintenance or feel it’s time for a replacement, you can count on the cedar roofing experts at Shake Guys to fulfill your needs with the finest talent and products available. We know the Northern Illinois communities like, Batavia, Deer Park, Kildeer, Long Grove, Lake Zurich and many more very intimately which allows us to mobilize quickly in times of need.

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