Duluth · St. Louis County
Duluth and the North Shore.
Older hillside homes, wind off Lake Superior and long winters: roofs here are tested differently.
A different kind of roof weather
Duluth’s weather is shaped by Lake Superior. Winters are long, with heavy snow and strong winds off the lake, and spring arrives late and cool. Large hail is generally less frequent here than in southern Minnesota, but wind, snow load and ice are the bigger roof stories: wind-lifted shingles and flashing, drifting snow, and ice dams on homes where warm air escapes into the attic. Summer storms still bring damaging wind and occasional hail.
Duluth’s housing stock
Much of the city climbs the hillside above the lake, with many homes built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, from large historic houses to modest worker cottages. Steep lots, steep roofs, chimneys and older ventilation are common. Newer homes and commercial buildings fill out the neighborhoods farther up the hill and along the main corridors, many commercial buildings with low-slope roofs that have to handle drifting snow.
What we pay attention to here
On Duluth roofs we focus on the eaves, valleys, chimneys and wall flashings, plus attic ventilation, because that is where wind and ice do the most damage. Steep lots and narrow streets also shape how a job is staged, and we plan for it.
Planning around a short building season
The roofing season on the North Shore is shorter than in the southern half of the state, so planning matters. We document roofs year-round, schedule replacements for spring through fall, and use temporary protection when a winter problem cannot wait. On exposed sites we pay attention to shingle wind ratings and the fastening pattern that rating depends on, to drip edge and starter courses at the eaves and rakes, and to chimney and wall flashings, which take the brunt of wind-driven rain and snow off the lake.
How we work
We walk the whole building and document what we find before quoting anything. The record is yours whether or not you hire us. If a storm is involved and you file a claim, we work with your adjuster at your request.
Nearby and related
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The inspection costs you nothing. The record is yours whether or not you hire us.