Preserving the Heurich House: The Roof

You may know that the Heurich House Museum’s conservatory originally had a glass roof. But were you aware that the Heurichs replaced the glass with tin-plated steel in the 1920s? 100 years later, it’s time for another upgrade. The roof now suffers from leaks caused by years of corrosion, both above the conservatory and the rest of our historic building. 

With help from a grant from the DC Commission of Arts & Humanities, we plan to restore and replace the conservatory’s degraded roof system with copper sheeting this fall, which will provide much-needed long-lasting protection. The roof above the north wing (our exhibit space) needs a similar fix.

The Columbia Historical Society updated the building’s main roof in the 1980s. That project included adding a layer of foam and a rubber membrane above the original tar-covered concrete. Much like the conservatory roof, however, the rubber membrane is degrading and has become much more susceptible to leaks and other damage. 

Repairing the entire roof system is a critical step towards protecting our historic building and helps ensure the safety of the people who visit and work on our property, a fundamental baseline requirement for any work we do.

On the more positive side, the building is still protected against lightning strikes! On top of the turret and around the main roof, there are a number of copper air terminals. These attract lightning and direct it to metal cables that run down the side of the house instead of through the house’s pipes or other, more dangerous conductors. 

Make sure to comment your questions for Preservation Director Dan to answer next month!