Homeowner Preserves Historic Appeal and Increases Energy Efficiency with DECRA® Shake

The lightweight, DECRA stone-coated steel product was installed on battens in order to accommodate a solar collector system with energy efficiency and maintain the home’s appeal.

Don Bruen of Pride Roofing in Providence, Rhode Island, was approached by homeowners who had a home built in 1879 by Pardon Bosworth. Concerned with rising energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions, and the state of the environment, the owners of the Italianate-style home wanted to re-roof their home with a product that addressed these concerns. They also needed the roof to integrate with a solar heating system without jeopardizing the century-old appeal of the home.

An alternative to solar panels on the roof, which would detract from the historical appeal, is a solar thermal collector system that installs under the roofing material horizontally between the battens.

Dawn Solar is the maker of a solar hot water system that uses heat from the sun to heat the water in the home. In addition, as the water is pumped through the system, the cooler water flowing within the tubing on the roof aids in cooling the attic; the system requires the roofing product to be offset from the deck. Emulating wood shakes, and able to be installed on battens, the DECRA Shake profile in Granite was chosen for the project.

The battens not only provided a casing for the solar product, they also solved another problem – the stability of the roof frame and the uneven deck. According to Bruen, the deck was not level and the battens - fastened through the asphalt shingles and into the rafters at 24” on center – leveled the roof deck and provided structural integrity. The addition of the steel panels further enhanced the structural integrity and increased the shear strength.

Bruen, a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, likes the DECRA product because he can roof over the existing material thereby diverting it from the landfill. Furthermore, all DECRA products are 100% recyclable at the end of their useful life. By choosing DECRA, the owners were able to lessen the environmental impact of their material choice.

About DECRA With a proven commitment to quality and performance, DECRA Roofing Systems has over 50 years of experience manufacturing and marketing stone coated steel roofing systems. DECRA Roofing Systems are manufactured in Corona, California at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility registered by UL to ISO 9001:2008, OHSAS 18001 and most recently ISO14001:2004. For more information visit www.decra.com.