Composite Shake Tops Mountain Condos
Replacing Roofs for Snow Protection in Big Sky, Montana
by Marcus Dodson, Publisher
Imagine getting 257 inches of snowfall each year on your roof. That’s more than 21 feet of snow. The residents of Sunrise Ridge Condos in Big Sky, Montana, don’t have to imagine this abundance of snow because they live it every year. Which is why, when it came time to replace the real cedar roofing on their 58 homes, they took the task very seriously.
“Our condos are in an area with extreme climate conditions that’s tough on roofs,” said Charles Dubroff, the association’s lead board of directors member on the reroofing project. “We wanted a roofing product with a long life and warranty. Plus, we also desired positive environmental aspects and fire-resistancy.”
Surrounded by forests, the need for a fire-resistant roofing product reflects the owners’ ever-increasing concerns about wildfires. Residents wanted to make sure the products going on their roofs were certified to meet WUI requirements.
The team at Roof Top Solutions from Rigby, Idaho, came in to assist owners of the 14 duplexes and ten triplexes at the Sunrise Ridge Condo Association with a product they believed would serve them well. They set up a trial with DaVinci Roofscapes synthetic shake products on several buildings. The result? The composite roofing met the challenges of both the harsh environmental conditions and the need for WUI-rated products.
Made of virgin resins, UV and thermal stabilizers as well as a highly-specialized fire retardant, the DaVinci composite tiles are ideal for mountain areas that are susceptible to wildfire conditions. In addition, the state-of-the-art shake tiles resist fading, rotting, cracking, and pests.
Moving Forwards
After the successful test results, the Roof Top Solutions team installed the DaVinci Multi-Width Shake roofing in a Tahoe color on all the condos along with the community clubhouse. The authentic-looking shake tiles beautifully accent the wood, brick, and copper structures.
Since the roofing is both Class A fire and Class 4 impact rated, residents can sleep easier at night. During the day, easy maintenance lets them enjoy time on the slopes rather than time fixing their roofs.
“I couldn’t be happier about our choice of roofing companies or roofing products,” said Dubroff. “We’re looking at these roofs lasting us many decades.”
Fire & Snow Safety
To help the property owners truly enjoy life more, the team at Roof Top Solutions installed extensive snow retention systems on the individual units, many of them from Rocky Mountain Snow Guards.
“By installing snow guards, fences, and bars in specific patterns on the composite shake roof the snow is held back to melt and release slowly,” according to Zach Stopyro, Director of Technical Services and Installation for DaVinci Roofscapes. “This is much safer and prevents avalanching.”
“With the DaVinci tiles, whether it’s heavy snowfall, falling limbs, or flying embers from a wildfire, property, and owners are kept safe,” said Stopyro. “These durable roofing tiles are ideal for mountain settings where they can easily handle all types of extreme weather conditions.”
While snow can be beautiful, in certain areas it can also be very dangerous and difficult for roofs to handle. Luckily, the Sunrise Ridge Condos have been outfitted for any potential snowstorms that are headed Montana’s way.
