Roof Replacement Near Main and Maple in North Canton, Ohio

What makes roofs near Main and Maple different?

This is where the town started. It was platted in 1831 as New Berlin, and the crossing of Main and Maple was its center. The village took the name North Canton in 1918. By then the Hoover Company was the main employer, and its plant was on East Maple Street, a short walk from these houses. People who worked there built close by. The houses that survive from the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s are the ones on these blocks.

Builders of that time liked height. Bungalows, Cape Cods and narrow two-story houses carry roofs that rise 8 to 12 inches for every foot of run. Dormers break up the slopes, and nearly every house has a brick chimney.

What does a steep prewar roof need at replacement?

• Safety setup. Above about 8/12 a roof cannot be walked. Roof jacks, planks and harness anchors go up first, and the work moves slower per square.
• A full tear-off. Many of these houses have been shingled over the top once. Ohio's residential code stops at two layers, and a tear-off is the only way to see the wood.
• Deck repair. Houses of this age were often decked with boards, not plywood sheets. Boards can crack, cup or leave gaps wide enough for a nail to miss. Bad ones are replaced before underlayment goes down.
• New flashing at every wall. Each dormer has two side walls and a front, and each meeting of wall and roof needs step flashing.
• Chimney flashing in real metal. Tar at the chimney is the most common leak on these blocks. See skylight and chimney flashing repair.
• Ventilation that suits the house. A finished upstairs under a steep roof leaves little attic. Ridge vent helps only if air can enter low.

What about porch roofs and low additions?

Front porches and rear additions on older houses often have a much shallower roof than the main house. Asphalt shingles need a minimum slope to shed water. A roof flatter than that needs a membrane, which is not offered here. The owner checks each section, and the photo report says which parts can be shingled and which cannot. Nobody should sell you shingles for a roof that ought not to have them.

Do the trees matter?

Yes. Older lots tend to have older trees, and shade keeps a roof damp. Moss takes hold on north slopes, and seeds and leaves collect behind chimneys and in dormer valleys. Ice and water shield in the valleys and at the eaves is the defense when wet debris and snow sit there through a thaw.

Where does the permit come from?

From a building you can probably see from your street. These blocks are inside the city, so permits go through the City of North Canton Development Services Department, Building and Permits Division. The office is on the top floor of City Hall at 145 North Main Street and is open weekdays from 8:00 to 4:30. Applications are filed on the city's online portal. Our post on permit steps at City Hall walks through it.

How long does a replacement take on these houses?

An average house is commonly done in one to two days. Steep pitch, two layers and board decking all add time, so a prewar house tends toward the long end, and rain can push it further. Your written quote is one flat price either way. The extra hours on a steep roof are priced in before you see the number, not added after.

Where should you start?

With the free roof inspection. The owner inspects every job himself, and on these houses he looks at the chimney, the dormers and the layer count first. His photo report lands in your inbox that same day. If the roof is sound apart from one leak, roof repair in North Canton may be all it needs. If not, see what a full roof replacement includes. There is more background in our post on Hoover-era houses and their roofs.