The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Page 14. Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, April 13, 1994 A HOME DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT FEATURE Don'5t pos",,tpone roofing work Many people in Ontario have their eyes glued te the skies thia spring, watching the birds return home from their winter sojourn in the south. If ýoure a homeowner, Ontarie s Consumer Ministry suggesta yeu pull eut a pair of binoculara and onjoy the view -- then focus the glassea on your roof. "After the long, icy winter, people should take a good look at their roof for signa of damage that needs repair,' says Marilyn Gurevsky, a manager wth Ontario's consumer services bureaus. "People are sometimes tempted te postpone roofing work because of the cot. But this is almost alwys mstake," she says. "lFi;n=ig eut about any problema the roof may have, then getting soins estimates on what it will cost te repair now can give you timne te save up for the work and te shop around for the best contracter." To check the roof, focus the binoculara on the shingles firat. Signa of wind or weather damage te asphalt shingles -- the roof-coveing most commonly used in Ontario -- shouid stand out. Shingles that are cracked, curled, looe or missing are sfignala that repaira are needed. If many of the minerai granules have been lest from the shingles, that means they're worn. A note of caution: whether you spot a single crack or ses that hait' the shingles are midssing, don't climb on the roof for -a coser look. Unless you are familiar with construction work, you won't be safe stepping on a steep, slippery "WRoofing problema can deveiop at any time, but you shouid begin te expoct soins trouble when your roof reaches the age et' eight te 10 years," says Gurevsky. Most roof shingles sold teday are made te iast about 15 years, but the lifespan et' eider shingies may be leas. As weil as damaged, worn or missing shingies, consumera shouid look for other signa eof coînmon probiems: *Motal flashings around the chimney or in the valîsys at roof' joints that are corroded, cracked or have llfted indicate that water may have seeped in and damaged the roof' dock. On a-roof less than 10 years old, metal flashinga can normally be patchod. But on an eider roof, itI replacement is usually necessary. *If shingles along the bottein eof the -roof appear raised, it may be a igri ef damnage frein ice damming -- a problein in many Canadian homes. In winter, snow at; the te p Of the roof melts when warmed by heat escaping from the attie. The water flows down the roof under ths snow and freezes again at the unheated edge of' tho saves. The ice acts as a dam, pushing mors meited water back up the roof and under the shingles, where it cari ieak through. a Have a look in the attic for signa of water leakage. Special trouble spots are the points where rafters or beams pass under a roof junction, the rafters along the eaves and around plumbing-system air vents and chimney. Ites prd:babiy time te replace the roof if it is more than 10 years oid and you find warped, watermarked or rottod wood at a couple of these locations. Once you've decided the roof needs repaira or repiacement, you'Il want te find a reiiable contracter. "Start by getting roforences from friends and noighbours," says Gurevsky. '"hen cali three professionals for quotes and get ail the details of the work in writing -- both the estimate and on the contract. Most reputable roofers provide a oe- te two-year guarantee on labour." The contractor ahould take the tims te discusa each phase of the work with you. Gurevsky saya roofing work is fairly straightforward, se you can get an idea of how good a job a roofer will do by asking a few simple questions. 0Will the old shingles be tomn off and disposed ef? Shingles need only be removed every second or third time thoyre replacod uniesa they1re fi vry bad shape or there's damage beneath. The woight frein tee many layera of shingles on a roof can cause structural damnage te a building. If the shingles are being removed, ask how long it'1l tako. This wili tell you how long you'll have te put up with a mess in the yard. 0 la eaves protection te be installed& Eaves protection combats the problein of roof damnage from ice damming. Ites a roll-on material made te standards approved uinder the Ontario Building Code, laid on top of the roof deck frein the saves te a foot above the exterior wall. It will prevent water that dees back up from leaking through the roof. e Wat dns o ënglos and metal flashinga will be used? Shingles with extended warranties will last the longest. Ini general, good shingles are guaranteed by the manufacturer for a minimum of 15 years. A competent contractor will be able te, heip you choose a good-quality shingle. Soins will offer guidance on choosing a celour that complements your home. Gurevsky advises choosing a ahade that contrastas sightly with your exterior walls. But she suggests consumnera shoulct avoid very light colours because they make any damage higly visible. For more information on roofing or any other aspect eof home renovations, telephone the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association at (416) 391-HOME or the Ontario Home Builders' Association at (416) 443-1545 in the Toronto area or toli free at 1-800-387-0109. Home safetytIÏp By Ffrt Alert HOME SECURITY Make a complete invontory list of your possessions -- including serial numbers -- and mk valuable items with an engraving or marking kit. At least one-fifth of items stoien from households are recovered by police. Saving the past for thle future Trees mansion had touch of elegance Bythe Whitby Local Archit"dural CSuervation Advisory Comumittee (LACAC) The Samuel Trees hous at Dundas and Henry streets was tern down in 1958. The Town eof Whitby purchased ths property te build a new tewn hall. The. new building, completed in 1960, ssrved as the administration building until 1977 when everything was moved te Rosland Road. The main branch of the Whitby Public iàbrary has occupied the building since thon. MTany other cities and towns across Canada have iost some old buildings se, Whitby is certainly net unique. Fires have claimed many of these buildings that played such an important raie in the social and economic life eof the community. Natural disasters have aise, taken their toli, such as the loss eof the steeples of St. Mark's United Church during a windsterm in 1929. But the wrecker's bail has taken many of our treasures. The Trees hous was designed by H.R. Barber, an Oshawa architect, for George Young Srnith. The hous was buîlt in 1877, shortly after the~ boom years that saw the expansion et' expert trade in lumber, grain fleur and other products from Whitby Habour. This fine mansîon was originallyCalled the ' Old Orchard Block.' Te main building was 44 by 20 foot and built over a fuît basement. The spacieus entrance hall was 10 fet in width. The rooma were beautifully and tastefully finiahed, ornamented in stucco, with decorative cornices. The VWhitby Chronicle tan the following description in Novemnber 1877: 'Th/e building will be pmuvided with al te latest modern appliance8, for the conuenience aind comfort of the househokL Lighted with gas, heated with hot water, and have hot aznd cold water in each room. " The report continued te say: 'The outbuildings will be fully in keeping with the premises. Prom the outside, the edifice presents a handsome and imposing appear- ance and is a great credit ta the propriet ors good taste. " In 1883, ornament.al ironwork was installed on the tower and mansard roof of the residence Vo add the finishing touch of elegance. George Young Smith was judgeofet the surrogate court of the County of Ontario. and wa, :ulsc THE WRECKER'S BALL has destroyed many of Whitby's treasures, including the Samuel Trees house, built in 1877 and torn down in 1958 (photo taken in 1925). The Whitby LACAC works to preserve such historically or architecturally significant buildings. deputy-reeve, reeve and mayor ot' Whitby from 1876 to 1877. H1e was al%. a mem ber of' the board ot' education for a few ypars. Whitby Archives photo Ho was oe of a group of meni who purchased Trafalgar Castie froin the original owner, Shteriff Reynolds, and turned it mver io the Ontario Ladies' Coilege. For may eatra Smith served as a diretorandpresi dent oet he ceilege. In 1910, ho meved eut of' the hous and sold it to Samuel Trees. Trees established a blanket factory, Samuel Trees and Ce., in 1909 on Brock Street, north et' Mary. Tho factery closed when ho left town in 1958. In 1929 ho bought a buckie factory, Whitby Malleabie Iron & Brasa Co., whîch ciosed in 1964. Trees was a bachelor whe lived with a housekesper. Ho was a member of' the Rotary Club and was the last commodore of the original Whitby Yacht Club in 1941. Although the ide cf demolitions has been slowed, many significant structures buit during the Towris early and formative years are endangered. LACAC was established in Whitby in 1978. One of thvir objectives is to designate historicaldly or wichitecturally significant structures uinder the Onta-rlo Ileritage Act. 'Mis wilI help to prevent Ioss&'s such as~ the Trees hou se. 0',I- 1.4. Ir';' fau