Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-07
THIS. AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

A good roof, like the children of yes
teryear, should be seen and not heard.
There Is no feature OF house more
interesting and useful than its roof
Whatever beauty it may possess must
be secondary to its prime purpose Of
keeping out water however.
With the walls and the foundations
it shares this supreme duty, but 1t leads
them in sheer utility, for rain touches it
first, and leaves it last.
1t is. therefore, almost automatic with
builders and thoughtful home owners
that the roof must, above all, de al good
no matter how pretty 1t may be, is
falling short of its duty.
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A leaky roof does not necessarily
mean poor one; there are few roofs
put on house which will not develop
leaks, under certain conditions
1t might seem that after all these
centuries of building it should be pos
sible to construct roofs which we're
absolutely leakproof.
1t is possible, in theory, and often
proves so in practice, but, like most
other matters in which the hand of man
has a part, there can be no absolute
surety in this world.
A properly made roof, whatever its
material, should not leak. Neither
builder nor home owner expects 1t to
leak. But it may leak. On certain
types a nail may work up, literally
pulled up by the heat of the sun.
Then rain with a wind behind it may
blow into the slightly raised place which
ensues, and a real leak may develop.
There is no guarding against this and
similar leaks. The only thing to do is
to Ak them. Thus repaired roof may
be said to be. in many instances, a
much better roof than a brand-new and
untried one.
1t is when one comes to the appear
ance of a roof however that the human
element enters most largely. Here there
are as many tastes as men. What is
good-looking roof to one owner is not
so good to another.
Once the roof Is water-tight, the
matter of beauty is all important. Often
this resolves itself down to a general
question of fitness. The type of the
house has most to do with it. but size
and location play their parts.
Happily the period of what, in COM
mon parlance, is called a trick roof is
passing. One no longer sees pink roofs,
or those amazing combinations of
shingles which take on all the appear
ance of Scotch plaid.
Blends are different things entirely
There is no roof more happily placed
than that of properly BLENDED shingles,
which achieve a certa uniformity
which combines with the entire hous .
and its surroundings.
4 X X
Nor can there be any emphatic point
made against roofs which are merely
bright. These are not loud.
Often a white stucco building with a
vivid red roof is Supremely appropriate
when softened by plenty of surrounding
trees. and wide lawns
1t Is only when such roofs draw to
themselves the glance which should be
reserved for the dwelling as a whole
that one may call them too bright.
the three great standard shades for
roofs are green, gray and brown Many
like wooden shingles, owing to their
pleasant stains and a certain softness
Of outline which they lend to a roof.
The wooden roof, however, is not a
fre-restStant roof, and Is looked upon
aSkance by these who fear fire. as all
home owners should.
This proper fear, many believe, will
ultimately result in the abolition. espe-
cially in and near cities, of roofs which
are not flreproof, to certain degree at
least.
Those interested in the human house
will find it intriguing when walking or
riding around the city to pay particular
attention to the roofs.