[MassHistPres] Slate Roofs and Insurance Issues

[Garrett Laws]

A) The owner of the slate roof (the insurance company for the owner of the
slate roof) is and always has been liable for damage from the snow sliding
off the roof.B) The neighbor should now consider themselves informed and
warned about the potential for snow to slide off of the slate roof and not
park their car under the roof if there is a large snow fall. Sorry, this
just seems obvious.
C) If the insurance company is interested in paying for the installation of
snow guards or snow loops, the owner of the roof should pursue the
installation.

1) The slate roof should not be removed because it is doing the correct job
that it has been doing for the life of the roof, and if it is truly Munson
black slate, it will be doing for at least another 100 years!
2) It would be a sensible thing for the owner of the slate roof to
investigate the quality of the insulation (if any) under the slate roof,
having this correct will save them money and reduce the potential for icing
and heavier masses coming off the roof.

Lets all try to think longer term here...
Garrett

PS Heating cables have the ability to cause ice dams if the melting water is
not properly directed from the roof and kept melted.

On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 3:39 PM, Kristi Chase <KChase at somervillema.gov>wrote:

>  I have received a call from a homeowner whose neighbor would like him to
> remove his Munson slate roof because it sheds snow where the neighbor parks
> his car.  The property is not listed as an LHD but retains much of its
> original character.  The homeowner has received a threatening letter from
> the neighbor's insurance company stating that he is liable for any damage
> done to the neighbor or his car and requesting that he replace the roof with
> asphalt.  Does anyone have the names of lawyers who might deal with this
> type of issue or have any advice I can pass on?
>
> Thanks to all,
>
> Kristi Chase
>
> Preservation Planner
> Historic Preservation Commission
> Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development
> City Hall
> 93 Highland Avenue
> Somerville, MA  02143
>
> 617-625-6600 x2525
>
> ******************************
> For administrative questions regarding this list, please contact
> Christopher.Skelly at state.ma.us directly.  PLEASE DO NOT "REPLY" TO THE
> WHOLE LIST.
> MassHistPres mailing list
> MassHistPres at cs.umb.edu
> http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/listinfo/masshistpres
> ********************************
>
>


-- 
Cheers,
Garrett

Garrett Laws, Manager
The Copper & Slate Company
Fine Roofing and Exterior Finish Carpentry
238A Calvary Street
Waltham, MA 02453
Ph: (781) 893-1916
Fax: (781) 893-2041

Copperandslate at Gmail.com or
GLaws at hbuilders.net
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.cs.umb.edu/mailman/private/masshistpres/attachments/20090714/2418f0af/attachment-0001.htm>