Case Study: Minimizing Upkeep for Historic Baltimore Home

The suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland are home to many historical communities where natural slate roofs have been popular for more than a century. Natural slate is a top choice for both aesthetics and durability. However, it requires ongoing maintenance that can come with high costs.

After spending more than $500 on repairs annually, one Baltimore resident was faced with a decision: continue repairing his deteriorating roof, replace the natural slate, or look for other options. Ken and his wife decided it was time to replace.

While researching his options, he compared natural and engineered slate, finding that natural slate would prove much more costly to purchase and install, and Ken would be left with the same annual maintenance (broken slate, exposed nail holes, cracking and pyrite discoloration, etc.) he hoped to leave behind. After the home had been supporting the heavy natural slate for 85 years, reducing the weight of the roof was also important.

Aiming to replicate the durability of quarried slate and to preserve the historical appearance of this home, they found an ideal solution for his retrofit project in Ply Gem Roofing Engineered Slate, a high performance, more affordable product. The lighter weight, combined with the benefit of pre-blended and sorted shingles, resulted in a more efficient installation time. Ply Gem’s 50-year warranty gave this homeowner the peace of mind that his new roof would look and perform better than natural slate for decades to come.