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What are the key factors in determining whether you should repair or replace your Cedar Shake Roof?

Missing Shakes, Broken Shakes or Rotten Shakes: If you only have a few shakes that are missing or broken you can likely have those pieces repaired and the roof will function properly. Exception: Your roof is shedding numerous shakes on a regular basis and the replacement of these is shakes is becoming tedious and predictable.

My wood shake roof is leaking. An isolated leak or two is not a problem that should [...]

Restoration of the copper dome and roof at the 115-year old courthouse is Cascade County, Montana is nearing completion, and residents are enjoying the beautiful new skyline as sunny weather returns.

As reported in the Great Falls Tribune, the project is expected to wrap up this April despite weather challenges over the last six weeks. The crew from Renaissance Roofing has been working on site for nearly two years, and is pleased to finally see the results of their craftsmanship. Project Manager Lon Gorsch said, “The guys are very proud of their work. They’re happy with how it’s turning out. The weather has been really rough… it was very difficult to work up there.”

The courthouse was built in 1903, and a 1913 article in the same Great Falls Tribune noted that “The Cascade County Courthouse has been the pride of the [...]

Attention Homeowners!

Winter rains when snow and ice dams are still present will likely cause significant problems to existing roofing systems. All sloped roofing systems are built on the concept that they are able to shed water. Sloped roofing systems are not waterproof, they are water shedding. So when we have rain that is dammed by snow and ice, it will find a way into the roofing system and into the house.

Stop Gap Measures
Unfortunately, when these conditions already exist, damage is likely. There is little proactive action that can be done at this point other than clearing snow and ice from roof and gutter systems. The immediate goal is to provide a path for water to escape the roof and move away from your home. We offer a quick, efficient solution [...]

Are you suffering from winter roof leaks?

If you have a leak in the winter months and it is not being caused by an ice dam, there is another likely culprit:  attic condensation.

You may pay to melt an ice dam, only to see the damaging leak continue. What you’ll discover is an inside job: Water vapor from inside your home, which has found its way into your attic. As this warm vapor cools, the moisture condenses into damaging droplets all over the wooden surfaces. Picture a cold glass of water in the summer, with a film of water on the outside draining onto your table. That’s the interior of your attic. Eventually, enough condensation can cause visible leaks, rot, mold, and a host of other serious problems.

What causes attic condensation? Warm, moist air rises up from the living space below, and gets trapped in your attic space. Since it is much colder outside, [...]

Since the fall of 2016, Renaissance Roofing has been hard at work restoring the historic roof at the Cascade County Courthouse in Great Falls, Montana. Much of the project involves the remanufacture and installation of the ornate copper metalwork on the 115-year old, three-story English Renaissance Revival structure.

Last week, a news crew from local station KFBB captured the final steps in installation of new copper balusters. You can view their story here.

Cascade County Commissioner Jane Weber was interviewed, and expressed confidence in the progress of the project, saying, “we expect this roof to easily last 85 to 100 years. We have a lot of critical things inside this building… beautiful architecture we’re going to be protecting for another 100 years.”

Completion of the project is expected in early 2018, and will include restoration [...]

Last May, we began work at the historic Brown County Courthouse in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The scope of the project included restoration of the original copper dome, as well as repairs to the concrete sub-dome underneath.

We are proud to announce that the project is now complete, and was finished on schedule and on budget. The local news station WBAY recently aired a detailed story on the project that can be viewed here.

“There’s a lot of historic decorative painting and plaster work in the building we wouldn’t want damaged because of a roof leak,” said Brown County Facilities Engineer Doug Marsh. “It’s about maintaining the building, protecting its integrity and extending its life, so the new copper dome should last another 100 years.”

The Brown County Courthouse was built in 1908 and has been a fixture of [...]

Here at Renaissance Roofing, we utilize a wide variety of roofing materials, and always go the extra mile to educate our clients about their options when restoring their roof.  We evaluate the architectural style and surroundings of the home or building, as well as the expected maintenance demands.  One very compelling choice for those who appreciate the elegant look of natural wood is Alaskan Yellow Cedar (AYC).

Available in both shingles and shakes (shakes are thicker, more irregular, and have a rustic look),  AYC is still a relatively unknown material for most property owners.  Even calling it cedar is misleading, as these old-growth trees are actually members of the Cypress family.  Grown in the Pacific Northwest, the short growing seasons produce thinner growth rings, and this translates to a heavier, stronger and more durable alternative to [...]

When choosing a roofing contractor, not every customer evaluates their safety record and training program. They should.

The lack of safety protocols and worker training on a roofing project can result in severe injury and/or other losses due to fire, building damage or loss of use. This leads to litigation that can go on for years, and expenses that could have been avoided if a culture of safety was instilled in every worker.

At Renaissance Roofing, we understand the inherent dangers of our business and are very proud of our safety record. We remind our customers that past performance is the best indicator of future results, and stand behind our 25-year history of safe roof restorations. We are committed to our training program, our use of personal protection equipment (PPE), fire prevention equipment, and fall protection gear.