Roof Insurance Claim: Top 5 Reasons to Replace Your Wood Shake Roof

Whether You’re Filing a Claim or Facing Roof Insurance Difficulties, It’s Time to Replace Your Wood Shake Roof

Homeowners with a true wood shake roof should look to replace it promptly. For many, the chance to replace arises as they file a roof insurance claim for damage—but for other homeowners, a surprise hike in premiums or even an ultimatum from their insurance company will spark the need to switch over from wood shake to an alternative material.

At Anchor Roofing, we’ve seen many different roof types rise and fall in popularity. Here in Omaha, wood shake was a popular material to install throughout the early 2000s—but now, insurance companies are taking note of the risks and requiring homeowners to replace their roofs. Here are the top reasons you should schedule an Omaha roof replacement to switch your wood shake roof to a material that will last longer, avoid risks, and better protect your home from the elements.

It’s Reaching the End of Its Lifespan

The most common type of true wood shake roof is cedar, and a newly installed cedar shake roof will typically last around 20–30 years. Since most wood shake roofs were installed during the early 2000s here in Omaha, that means most remaining wood shake roofs are approaching the end of that lifespan.

As wood shake roofs age, they become thinner, wearing down from exposure to the sun and other elements. After 15 years, these roofs can become so thin that you start to see exposed tar paper on the roof—tar paper that is not designed for direct exposure to UV. The longer the roof remains in place, the more of the roof becomes exposed, heightening the risk of leaks and other problems.

You’re Facing Insurance Issues

As awareness of the fire risks of wood shake roofs grows, homeowners are facing trouble with their insurance providers, either while filing a roof insurance claim or when their policy comes up for renewal.

For some homeowners, the insurance company may require them to replace their roof in as little as 2 months. After that period, they may be dropped from coverage entirely. Other homeowners may simply face a sudden hike in their premiums due to the inherent risks of wood shake roofs.

As the storm season approaches, homeowners should consider replacing their wood shake roof to make sure they’re still eligible in the event they need to file an insurance claim.

They’re Difficult to Repair

Wood shake roofs have poor repairability compared to other roofing materials. As a fairly inflexible material, you can’t simply pull the nails out of wood shake to make basic repairs, and matching the color of an aging wood shake roof is virtually impossible. Materials like traditional asphalt shingles and synthetic shakes are much more readily patched and repaired in the event of minor roof damage.

They’re Vulnerable to Pests

As a further reason to replace your wood shake roofs, it’s important to note that this material is perhaps more vulnerable to pest intrusion than just about any other. Insects are often a significant problem for homes with these roofs, as bugs like silverfish love to make their homes in the damp wood and feast on mold. 

Bats may also be an issue, as wood shake roofs don’t get overly hot and are prone to gaps that are perfect for bats to hide in, particularly under roof ridges.

If you’re faced with pest problems in your home and you have a wood shake roof, it may very well be the culprit.

You Can Still Achieve a Similar Look

Nowadays, there are numerous synthetic roofing options made to emulate the look of wood shake roofs that homeowners love. Products like CertainTeed’s Presidential Shake do an excellent job of reproducing the texture of wood shake without the inherent risks and drawbacks. This means homeowners who love that rustic feel on their home can still retain that curb appeal.

Replace Your Wood Shake Roof Before It’s Time for an Insurance Claim

Storm season is in full swing here in Omaha, and at Anchor Roofing we’ve already been hard at work helping homeowners throughout our service areas recover. The last thing you want at this time of year is to face insurance coverage problems due to an aging wood shake roof.

If your home still uses wood shake roofing, the time to replace is now! Contact our team today for an inspection and estimate on your roof replacement.

Join the growing list of happy Anchor Roofing Customers.