[MassHistPres] Slate Roofs and Insurance Issues

Wed Jul 15 12:24:17 EDT 2009

I'd expect if the slate roof homeowner brought the issue to his/her insurance company, the company would solve their problem by immediately cancelling the insurance policy. 

In your reply, please include my original message. AOL users please note!

David Temple 
David F. Temple, Inc. 
300 South Street 
Medfield, MA 02052 
508-359-2915 

--- On Wed, 7/15/09, Dennis De Witt <djdewitt at rcn.com> wrote:

From: Dennis De Witt <djdewitt at rcn.com>
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Slate Roofs and Insurance Issues
To: "MHC MHC listserve" <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Date: Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 11:26 AM

I would strongly question the last statement.  I can observe the action of a lot of snow under various conditions on steep roofs from my office windows.  The snow on asphalt melts or sublimates but generally does not avalanche.  The snow on some slate roofs avalanches with great predictability.

I would also question whether the fact that "you were there first" and it has been happening for a long time is an adequate defense if your roof unexpectedly drops hundreds of pound of snow (perhaps containing a broken slate or two) on someone out shoveling snow in his own driveway.  

Might be much better not to be confrontational but rather to invest in snow loops or fences.

Dennis De Witt 
Brookline

On Jul 15, 2009, at 11:03 AM, jdianeol at aol.com wrote:

I agree with Garrett on this.  The house & slate roof were likely there long before the neighbor or the neighbor's car.  Now that the neighbor knows that snow (and possibly ice) can fall off the slate roof and onto the aforementioned car, it would behoove the neighbor to park a little farther forward or back.  However, if the owner of the slate roof is concerned about this, they should take the letter from the neighbor's insurance company to their own insurance company (homeowner's liability coverage) to get their advice & input.  I'm guessing that one of several scenarios will play out:
A) homeonwer's insurance provider will say that auto insurance provider is full of %^$#%$# and can just TRY to get payment on a claim like that (in other words, go stuff themselves)
B) the insurance company's will work out a compromise on their own
C) the homeowner's insurance provider will offer an alternate solution that does NOT involve removing a perfectly good & solid slate roof which is of greater value to the insurance company since it has a much longer lifespan and much lower fire risk than asphalt.  

By the way, asphalt shingles would NOT result in reduced snow drop/potential for damage but would more likely INCREASE the problem. The asphalt, with a rougher surface than slate, will hold MORE snow on the roof until such point & time as the coefficient of friction has been met or exceeded and the snow drops onto the neighbors car.  Because this will take more snow/more weight to achieve than would be the case on slate shingles, the potential for damage to the neighbors car will be INCREASED with asphalt shingles, not decreased.

Diane Oliver-Jensen
West Brookfield

-----Original Message-----
From: Garrett Laws <copperandslate at gmail.com>
To: masshistpres at cs.umb.edu
Sent: Tue, Jul 14, 2009 8:04 pm
Subject: Re: [MassHistPres] Slate Roofs and Insurance Issues

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 
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-- 
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 

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