Written by: Geoff Nudelman
We don’t give much thought to the roofs over our homes until we hear the pounding of a summer hailstorm or watch an impressive berm of snow thaw and slide off the side with a resounding thud. A roof is a home’s first line of defense against whatever Mother Nature throws its way, and it is increasingly becoming an important barrier against wildfire. For 307 Imperial Roofing, that means helping homeowners, builders, and architects choose materials that meet new fire standards without sacrificing aesthetics of a mountain home.
The importance of alternative roofing in an era of intensifying weather & wildfire
“All of the HOAs and many communities are now requiring homes to have a Class A fire and wind rating (the most stringent standard for building materials), which means replacing legacy cedar shake roofing that was prone to ignition,” says 307 Imperial Roofing Owner Cruz Moreno.
In 2021, Teton County implemented an initial ban on wood shake roofs for any structure within a wildland-urban interface, or WUI zone—essentially any forested area neighboring development. The ban was expanded last year to include all county land.
For now, the ban focuses on new construction and is inspiring luxury home builders to look at alternatives that provide the look of cedar shake, long associated with traditional mountain home style, but with the fire resistance to meet the updated code.
“ALL OF THE HOAs, AND MANY COMMUNITIES, ARE NOW REQUIRING HOMES TO HAVE A CLASS A FIRE AND WIND RATING, WHICH MEANS REPLACING LEGACY CEDAR SHAKE ROOFING THAT WAS PRONE TO IGNITION.“
Moreno says he’s seeing more clients turn to products like CEDUR to find that balance. The Colorado-produced polyurethane shakes come in four colors, are inherently noncombustible, and carry a standalone Class A fire rating. The material also “snuffs out” any embers by not igniting when a flaming material makes contact with the roof.
While other roofing products achieve that Class A rating “by assembly” and with the use of a fire-resistant underlayment during roof installation, CEDUR products meet those tough standards off the production line.
A tougher roof barrier against fire is also a lifeline for homeowners who are seeing insurers drop coverage because of the increased wildfire risk. Many companies are requiring homeowners to replace old wood roofing because of the potential that it will be the first part of a home to ignite in a wildfire. Moreno notes that installing a product like CEDUR is becoming a more popular choice—one that can be done in about the same timeline as a normal roof installation to meet the often-tight deadlines set by insurers.
-Images show Cedur Live Oak roof. installed by 307 Imperial Roofing.
“Homeowners like the product because it looks like the traditional cedar shake style,” he adds.
On the development side, CEDUR Marketing Director Jason Hyland says that the company has been seeing much more adoption of alternative roofing into spec mountain home building in ways that weren’t prevalent as little as five years ago.
“Many building codes are requiring these kinds of roofs and it’s helping to streamline approvals,” Hyland adds.
“HOMEOWNERS LIKE THE PRODUCT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE TRADITIONAL CEDAR SHAKE.“
He says that the company is looking to add a few more colors to its lineup over the next year and hopes to have a slate-like product in the future.
It’s becoming so popular that CEDUR developed an AIA-accredited course on incorporating alternative roof products into the design process. The goal is to help the industry get up to speed with what a new era of home construction looks like and how a polyurethane-based roof material responds compared to legacy materials in extreme environments like the Rockies.
The results mirror these legacy materials with little visual difference. 307 Imperial Roofing has worked on several high-end CEDUR installations throughout Teton County, from expansive compound homes to connected, multi-unit structures.
-Cedur Walden Roof | Cedur Shilon Roof | Cedur Shilon Roof
One of the company’s recent projects includes a five-bedroom, six-bathroom residence with more than 10,000 square feet of living space. The large footprint highlighted how CEDUR material can blend in seamlessly with a much more significant layout while offering the trademark protection of the synthetic shakes.
Perhaps the most well-known project featuring CEDUR Walden roofing products are at the ski-in lodges at Teton Village. The material was chosen in a rich brown to blend into the broader design of the resort and withstand both the tough conditions of a big winter season and high-exposure summer weather.
Luxury homebuyers throughout the Tetons and beyond can expect to see less wood and more alternative materials as municipalities explore ways to reduce large-scale fire risk while preserving the quality and design of high-end living in the Rockies.
“MANY BUILDING CODES ARE REQUIRING THESE KINDS OF ROOFS AND IT’S HELPING TO STREAMLINE APPROVALS.”
-Cedur Shilon Roof. | All Images installed by 307 Imperial Roofing.
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