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City Bans Wooden Roof Shingles in Wake of Wildfires

City Bans Wooden Roof Shingles in Wake of Wildfires

Construction: Owners, Builders Worry the Code Changes Could Be Costly

BY MANDY JACKSON

Builders and Scripps Ranch homeowners watched closely as the San Diego City Council considered changes in the city’s building codes that could add thousands to the cost of building a house.

San Diego’s Building Department estimated that it would cost up to $20,000 in additional construction expenses to build new homes and to rebuild the 349 Scripps Ranch houses destroyed by the October wildfires.

In response to widespread fire damage, the City Council voted 7-2 on Jan. 20 to ban wood shingle roofs on new homes and on houses where 25 percent or more of the roof will be replaced. New roofs must meet more strict Class A, rather than Class B, standards.

In the aftermath of the fires, Councilman Brian Maienschein, whose District 5 includes Scripps Ranch, said the council wanted to give homeowners some guidance on safe roofing standards as they rebuild.

“Wood roofs have been shown to have significant safety problems,” Maienschein said. “It is the most significant factor in whether a home burns or doesn’t burn.”

Mike Levesque, 2004 president of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County and president of the San Diego division of Greystone Homes, said, “Banning the wood shingle roofs is a good decision.”

For most new development, concrete and tile roofs are already standard practice.

San Diego’s Fire-Rescue Department recommended changes to the building code in collaboration with various city departments.

In 90 days, the council will review other more costly building code changes after city staff studies them.

“I think there was a number of proposals there that sounded good to me but I want to see some more analysis,” Maienschein said.

Changes should effectively improve safety to justify increased construction costs, he said.

The Fire Department’s proposals include requirements for: sprinklers in all new homes; exterior walls made of fire resistant material; boxed eaves, which enclose the underside of roof overhangs; additional protection for attic and eave vents and fireplace chimneys; fire-proof roof gutters and down spouts; and no exposed wood fences, decks, or garage doors.

With San Diego’s high-priced housing market, builders warned city officials before the council vote that methods should be proven to protect homes from fire before building code changes are adopted.

“Everyone in this situation is emotionally charged,” Levesque said. “It’s a good idea to look at the science behind it.”

In addition to the city’s review, the local Building Industry Association is working with the National Association of Homebuilders on a study that looks at what burned in last year’s fires and how effective new building requirements would be.

Levesque said builders have already learned that fewer homes were destroyed in areas of San Diego where brush management plans were maintained.

“I’m curious to see how this report comes back. I want to see how current practice performed against what was done 20 years ago,” he said.

Homeowners preparing to rebuild in Scripps Ranch were particularly concerned about changes to the building code because insurance policies may not cover the extra cost.

Bloomington, Ill.-based State Farm has more than 1,500 insurance claims from homeowners in San Diego County due to the wildfires.

State Farm spokesman Scott Smith said the company’s standard homeowners insurance policy covers only building code changes and upgrades made prior to the loss.

However, Smith said, “People with wood roofs will have enough money to replace their roofs with (concrete) and probably extra money, unless they choose highly specialized decorative roofs.”

State Farm’s policyholders seem to have enough coverage to pay for their loss, but there are still several steps left before homes are rebuilt, Smith said. However, he added, the process is going smoothly so far.

On Jan. 27, the council will consider changes to the city’s brush management regulations, such as requiring more space between homes and certain types of vegetation.

Other public safety issues will be addressed throughout the year, Maienschein said, including increased fire department equipment purchases and staffing.

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