Is it safe to heat with wood with a Cedar Shake roof?

[Moddoo]

TTT

Roofing season is getting close.

I wanted to bring this up again for any more input.

I am still on the fence.

 

[turnkey4099]

TTT

Roofing season is getting close.

I wanted to bring this up again for any more input.

I am still on the fence.

It was mentioned only once so I will repeat it:

Check with your insurance first. A lot of them will not allow new shake roofs, even treated ones. Of course if your agent doesn't know yet about the stove, you might have a problem there. My agent did a full inspection down to measuring clearances on my installation before he would renew the policy. My BIL in BC built a log cabin and got approval for a shake roof but was warned that in case of fire it would not pay for a new _shake_ roof.

I don't get the attraction for shakes. They are labor instensive to install, costly for material and they are a fire hazard particularly where wild fires occur. If it is the looks, there are manufactured one that give the look, the same long life and no hazard.

Sure they do look nice, and are a nice 'old timey' touch but there are better materials and methods now that weren't there 50 years ago.

Harry K

 

[MS-310]

I wouldnt use cedar shakes..... I know for a fact fire spread is increased by using a cedar shake roof, but in fake-life if you clean your flue and put a make sure nothing sparky comes out you should be ok.

Lets think here, the time you would worrie about it is when its windy. It mite pull some spark out of the flue and get under the shakes then the wind keeps blowing.... and then you get a fire.

Food for thought.

 

[chainsawaddict]

My take on it is this. Heating with wood is enough work already, cutting, splitting, chimney cleaning(dont get me wrong, i enjoy it) but why add a worry. The last thing you want is to be lying in bed hoping that no embers are floating out of your chimney.

 

[046]

agree it's minimal dangers... but risk is higher. the insurance company also thinks so too.

mine had a wood roof until aprox 4 years ago. I was starting to get problems finding insurance companies due to huge raise in replacements costs of wood. so I finally changed to composition shingle.

first cedar shingle roof lasted 40+ years and was original roof. that was great service. so I replaced it with another wood shingle roof over all the objections.

used to worry on 4th of July weekend. kids would fire off bottle rockets. summer is when you should worry, not winter when wood roof is likely moist.

Thanks for the info.

I like shakes a lot, and no one else near me has a shake roof.

So far, I am getting the feeling that it is not very dangerous.

However, if you have ever started your stove fire with some shake scraps, you know why I'm worried.

 

[Moddoo]

Thanks guys.
I can already see myself worrying about it while I am away at work or sleeping.
I don't need the stress.
Plus, walking on the roof to clean the chimney or snow is hard on cedar.

I can probably sell the cedar and get enough for a nice (asphalt) 40 year architectural shingle roof, plus all the underlayment and accesories.
Elk makes a nice shingle. They seem to have the most consistant and square product I've used.

 

[user 19670]

put a screened cap over your fireplace flue.

You've never done such a thing have you?
Been there, done that. NEVER AGAIN!
ALL the smoke went into the house because the screen clogged up very very quickly.

 

[046]

I've always run my fireplace with a screen in place. this is long before fireplace insert was installed. never had any problems ever..

how large was holes in screen? you need a rather course screen to prevent clogging. also my fireplace has always burned hot and clean. almost no creosote buildup even after years of burning...

You've never done such a thing have you?
Been there, done that. NEVER AGAIN!
ALL the smoke went into the house because the screen clogged up very very quickly.

 

[user 19670]

I've always run my fireplace with a screen in place. this is long before fireplace insert was installed. never had any problems ever..

how large was holes in screen? you need a rather course screen to prevent clogging. also my fireplace has always burned hot and clean. almost no creosote buildup even after years of burning...

Can't remember details now after 30 years. Here is what happened. I used newspaper in the flue to create the draft. The resulting draft swept the burning paper and ash up to the screen and blocked it good.
Won't repeat that experiment again.
I figure if it is fine enough to block sparks it is too fine and if it is coarse enough to not block in service it is wide open to sparks.

 

[trimmmed]

Better check with your home owners insurance first

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