Roofing in Newport, RI: Historic Homes and Bay Wind

What does the Historic District Commission say about roofing materials?

The commission's roofing policy treats slate, standing-seam metal, wood shingle and tile as significant materials. It says synthetic substitutes, such as artificial slate, are generally not appropriate. In plain terms, if your house wears one of those four, a like-for-like repair or replacement is the safe direction, and a cheaper lookalike may be turned down.

Properties in a locally designated historic district need a Certificate of Appropriateness before exterior work, and that includes roof replacement. The sequence matters. Match any quote to the commission's roofing policy before you order materials, because a roof priced in one material and approved in another means a second quote.

A roofer who works in Newport regularly will know this and raise it first. One who does not mention it at all deserves a follow-up question. The guide to historic-district roofing in Newport and Pawtuxet goes through the steps, and slate, cedar and historic roofing covers the materials.

Can a Newport house get a simple repair without a review?

That depends on the address and on the scope of the work, and we cannot answer it for your street. Whether a repair counts as ordinary maintenance or a change needing a Certificate of Appropriateness is a question for the commission and the city, not for a call line. A roofer who has worked in the district can usually tell you which side of the line a job sits on.

What helps most is a clear description. Note which material is on the roof now, whether it is original, and exactly which parts need work: a few slates, a ridge, a section of cedar, the flashing around a chimney.

Photograph the damage from the ground and keep the shots dated. Then call, and ask the roofer whether they would contact the commission before work or leave it to you. See roof repair for how a repair visit usually runs.

Why do Newport chimneys and flashings need extra attention?

Colonial and Federal houses in coastal Rhode Island often have masonry chimneys rising through the roof, and each one is a joint between two materials that expand and move differently. The metal that seals that joint is exposed to wind-driven rain off the bay, and when it lifts or cracks, water follows the chimney down into the wall.

Repairing it on a historic house is not always a matter of caulk and a patch. The flashing may be copper or lead-coated copper, and the work may sit under the same review as any other exterior change. Chimney flashing and repair and flashing repair explain what a roofer looks at around the stack and why a surface smear of sealant rarely holds.

How do bay winds change what Newport homeowners should look for?

Bob's landfall here in 1991 sits in the record next to widespread roof damage around Narragansett Bay and a surge of 12 to 15 feet. Sandy in 2012 also caused widespread roof damage across the state. Neither is a forecast, but both explain why a Newport roofer looks closely at slate that has slipped and fasteners that have worked loose.

After any strong blow, walk the yard first. Look for slate fragments, cedar shingles or ridge pieces on the ground. Stay off the roof and out from under damaged areas. If water is coming in, emergency roof tarping is the stopgap that keeps the house dry while the right material is sourced.