After fire, many switch to more resistant roofing

More than a month after the Waldo Canyon Fire, neighbors are looking at ways to keep their homes safe. Experts say updating your roof is a good defense.

Many are already switching from wood shakes and wood shingles roofing to new material that is more fire-resistant. Scott McIntyre, owner of Total Roofing says since the Waldo Canyon Fire, more people are making the switch.

“Fear has been a huge motivator for people to start calling,” he said.
Mcyntire says people saw what could happen.

“The houses that had the wood shakes on them, a lot of them burned down,” he said.

In 2002, the city passed a fire safety ordinance. It says if you redo more than 25 percent of your roof or install a new roof, you must use Class A roofing materials. These include metal, concrete, clay tile, and others more resistant than wood shakes and wood shingles roofing.

“The wood shakes are a great roof,” McIntyre said. “The only problem is, they’re a huge fire risk. When they put them in, they didn’t think about the future and the fire.”

City Council President Scott Hente is familiar with the situation. His Mountain Shadows home was close to the fire, but it was saved. He said his Class A roof resisted the fire embers. But in fires like the Waldo Canyon Fire, it’s not always a gurantee.

“Having a perfect roof is not always the best answer,” he said.

Still, Hente and McIntyre agree it’s a good precaution to take.