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Why a
Metal Roof Cap?
Besides the aspect of this being the crowning
jewel of a classic Victorian style house or a cute gazebo; when roofing
a structure like this where the roof comes to a peak with a 4, 6, 8, 12, or 16 sided roof
it is always a
problem for even the most professional roofers to figure out what to do
at this peak to bring the roofing shingles together, making it look right, and
seal the peak from rain, as seen in these photos to the right.
Another important
issue is roof venting, that for some reason is rarely implemented into these
roof designs, but is still very important. You can read more about this on
our Roof Venting web page and how we combat this
issue.
 
This
happens to be a good example of high quality roofing work, but you can see where it
would still leak through the top seams. If the roofer caulks these seams at the top it would last for
several years, but who would know to strip it clean and re-caulk
it before it begins to fail and cause dry-rot? It was very nicely done, but
it will clearly not be able to seal
the rain out. Also, this is a popular place for birds to roost
(and poop). For these issues a steeper copper roof
cap has proven to be the
best lasting solution and can add a nice finishing touch.
Additionally the copper will help to retard the growth of
moss and mildew on the roofing below, just like zinc does. A zinc plated
steel cap may be cheaper, but the zinc coating will dissolve off within 10
to 15 years. Then the rusty steel will permanently stain the roofing below, so
copper is clearly the best metal to use and not have to worry about it again. We
supply the stainless steel screws as well, so the copper roof cap can be safely
removed and reused when re-roofing is needed.
For custom work
like this, the cost of the metal used is only a small fraction of the cost, so using a
cheaper metal would only save about 10%. It seems silly to use
anything less than a good thick copper so the cap will stand up to a century of
the elements and several
re-roofings. Copper will last 5 to 10 times longer than steel, so it is the best
value in the long run.
Note:
We do not intend to be misleading with prices listed on these web pages for roof
caps made prior to to 2006, but as you may know metal and fuel prices have doubled since then
and we have had to compensate. So keep in mind how the prices listed may not reflect
the current cost accurately. They are here as a guide to see what these cost at that time. You
can go to our Latest News web page to read more on
this subject. |