Rotting Pine Shakes/Quotes

Many Calgary communities built in the early 1980s have pine-shake roofs, but the rotting has not been as prevalent to date as it has in northern Alberta. Many building inspectors and roofers believe the more moist conditions in Edmonton and fewer hours of sunshine leave shakes more susceptible to the black fungus that causes the decay.

Not all untreated pine shakes have problems or will have problems. Thousands of roofs are in good shape. And many homes use shakes treated with preservatives. Since mid-1998, only treated shakes conform to the Alberta Building Code.

Untreated pine shakes, sold with a 25-year warranty since the mid-1980s as a cheaper alternative to cedar shakes, have been prone to premature rotting. Some roofs have rotted after just three years and many of the estimated 30,000 affected homeowners have had to replace their roofs in less than 10 years.

Calgary Herald