Gary Linkous lives in a home built in 1937 and later placed on the National Historical Register of homes in 2000 as one of the outstanding homes located in Bluefield, W. Va.



Gary Linkous lives in a home built in 1937 and later placed on the National Historical Register of homes in 2000 as one of the outstanding homes located in Bluefield, W. Va.

The home was designed by architect Alex Mahood and originally had an asbestos slate roof in 1937.

The roof had remained on the house the entire 67 years with only minor problems. However, due to time, wear, and appearance, it became evident the roof needed to be replaced.

With the unique design of the house, its historical significance, and several major concerns of the homeowner (cost, appearance, efficiency), it was evident not just any roofing material would meet all the needs and concerns.

Scope of Project

The homeowner knew the asbestos slate removal from the roof would be expensive - an estimate of $14,000 was received. He was also concerned about the new “look” taking away the uniqueness of the house. Total cost and efficiency of a new roof also became a concern with the estimate of $14,000 just to remove the asbestos slate.

Shortly thereafter, the homeowner vacationed in Florida and noticed a unique metal roof being installed on a home, which originally had an asbestos slate roof. He liked the look and the fact it was being installed over top of the asbestos slate. Upon his return, he began searching the Internet under metal roofing. There he found ATAS Metal roofing.

The homeowner contacted ATAS directly from the Internet site. ATAS sent him literature and placed him in contact with a distributor and roofer in his area to complete the job and eventually the ATAS representative for his area, Shawn Green.

However, before a building permit would be issued by the city, the city required approval from the West Virginia Environmental Protection Agency be obtained since an asbestos slate roof was involved.

The homeowner contacted the EPA, which had never considered the possibility of “encapsulating” asbestos with a metal roofing material. After contacting the Florida EPA, at the owner’s request, the West Virginia EPA approved the request and contacted the city of Bluefield with permission to issue the permit.

“You may have helped solve one of West Virginia’s biggest environmental problems,” the West Virginia EPA told Linkous. “Have your roofer contact us if he needs more jobs.”

Frye Roofing in Bluefield, W. Va., completed the job to the complete satisfaction of the homeowner and officials concerned with the asbestos issue.

Selecting the Material

Several reasons stand out as to why the metal roofing was selected. The main reasons, in this case, were the cost and endurance of the metal roofing. Plus, the metal roofing could be installed over top of the old roof without the $14,000 price tag for asbestos removal.

The homeowner also viewed the metal roofing as a permanent roofing solution, which increased the value of his home.

The homeowner also liked the fact the metal roof reflected the heat from the inside of the house rather than absorb the heat. He also liked the fact the metal will not mold and mildew. This was a particular concern for the homeowner since his house faces south with the backside receiving a northern exposure where mold and mildew were unsightly.

Finally, the metal roof was selected for its beauty. The homeowner wanted to maintain the historical look of the house as much as possible. The color and style of the metal (the Advanta) more closely brought the home back to its original appearance than any other materials available in its price range.

For more information, visitwww.atas.com.