If you’re the proud owner of a historic home, you understand these homes offer a distinctive charm to your community. Your roof plays a significant role in your home’s architectural character as well. Therefore, choosing the WRONG roofing material when it’s time to re-roof can diminish the historical charm of your home.

And because many historic districts require homeowners to maintain their home’s integrity and the neighborhood’s property value, reroofing is a necessary investment.

As the name implies, historic homes are simply put – OLD. Their roofs deteriorate over time and need replacing, typically more than once depending on the roof material.

The regular South Florida weather patterns of high heat temperatures and hurricanes pose a challenge for historic homes and selecting the best roofing material for your home is key.

We review the best roofing materials for historic homes in South Florida here:

Metal

Metal roofs are timeless and can last over 50 years, regardless of how high the temperatures peak in South Florida. This material is extremely durable, lasting longer than wood or asphalt. Painting it prevents rust, and when done regularly your roof can last almost indefinitely. Metal roofs complement cabins, cottages, and bungalow-style homes.

In the past, copper roofing was the first metal roof, and many historic buildings still wear their original greening copper caps. Copper roofs may last over a hundred years, but they are expensive. This is why zinc and tin metal roofs rose in popularity as the more affordable options.

To simulate the aged copper seen on original historic homes, you can certainly paint your metal roof silver or dull green to achieve this look.

Synthetic Asphalt Shingles

When it comes to reroofing a historic home in South Florida, synthetic asphalt shingles, also known as composite shingles, are an ideal material choice. These shingles are designed to last and can withstand the extreme temperatures and humidity that are common to South Florida’s climate.

Synthetic asphalt shingles require minimal maintenance and come in a variety of styles and colors that blend in with the architecture of the home. Additionally, these shingles offer excellent protection against strong winds, rain damage, algae growth, moss accumulation, and other weather-related circumstances.

They’re also affordable when compared to other types of roofing materials such as metal for example. With Native Roofing’s expertise in installing a variety of roofing materials on historic homes, you can be certain that your home will be equipped with the best available materials for maximum longevity.

Clay & Cement Tiles

Clay tiles have been around since the 17th century, making them one of the oldest historical roofing materials available that work well for historic home re-roofing projects. When properly taken care of, tile roofs routinely last 25-35 years, and some an impressive 50 years or more!

Impacts from falling or flying objects do pose a real threat to clay roofs, as the tiles can easily crack. Clay roofs are an excellent choice for Spanish or mission-style homes, and plenty of those exist in South Florida as well as Southwest and tropical regions.

Avoid walking on your tile roof as much as possible and replace cracked and broken tiles as soon as you spot them.

Review

Metal, synthetic asphalt shingles, and clay tiles are three of the most ideal roofing materials for historic homes because they provide that finishing touch that transports you back in time. 

It’s advised to consult with a historic advisor in your community to determine the guidelines on historic home renovations and remodeling.

When it comes to roofing, we recommend hiring only a licensed and insured roofing company in your area to protect your historical investment.

At Native Roofing, we stand behind our work and have over 35 years of roofing experience. Your historical South Florida home is in good hands! If you’re located in Palm Beach, Broward, and the surrounding areas and are considering a re-roof for your historic home, or need a roof inspection to ensure everything is intact, reach out to us here.

Broward: (954) 236-9986

Palm Beach: (561) 469-7930