Historic church restoration · West Reading, Pennsylvania

Sacred Heart Church and School Roof Restoration

A devastating May 2014 hailstorm swept through the Wyomissing area and shattered clay roof tiles at Sacred Heart Church and School in neighboring West Reading. Erik Larsen coordinated the reroof with handmade Ludowici flat clay tile and polished stainless-steel gutters. The roofs were replaced by Thanksgiving.

Read the church’s reference ↓
Sacred Heart Church chapel with its clay tile roof
Sacred Heart Church chapel · Ludowici flat clay tile

Materials and workmanship

Flat clay tile and polished stainless steel

Larsen worked with Ludowici to coordinate tile production, tear-off, and installation. The church also brought him back to install standing-seam metal after it reconfigured a roofline.

Completed flat clay tile roof slopes with the Sacred Heart bell tower in the distance
Completed Ludowici flat clay tile roofs
Crew installing flat clay tiles at Sacred Heart
Bell tower work in progress
Long tiled roof slope and gutter above the church’s stone wall
Flat clay tile along the church eave
Flat clay tile above a metal gutter and downspout on a stone wall
Polished stainless-steel gutter and downspout
Custom snow guard rail above the gutter where the roof valley meets the corner
Roof valley and gutter with a custom snow guard rail
Close-up of a polished metal gutter above the stone wall
Polished stainless-steel gutter detail

Original written reference · July 20, 2015

In the church’s own words

“The tiles were handmade to order, and he was able to coordinate manufacturing, demolition, and installation in a timely manner.”

Rev. Monsignor Joseph A. DeSantis
Sacred Heart Church · West Reading, Pennsylvania

Read the full reference letter transcript

July 20, 2015

To Whom It May Concern:

Sacred Heart Church in West Reading, PA was in the center of a historic hail storm on May 22, 2014. The church’s Ludowici ceramic clay roof tiles were shattered by the intensity and size of the hail on 2 sides of the buildings. We were challenged to find contractor’s capable of replacing the roofs of our buildings. Ludowici requires a workforce trained to their standards to install their product in order to assure full warranty (75 years).

We solicited bids from various contractors and found Erik Larsen to stand out from the others. His knowledge and interaction with the manufacturer was important. He was able to show the adjuster why there was more damage that could not be seen and in helping us to get all slopes of the roofs replaced. His workforce is Ludowici approved, experienced, and recommended. The tiles were handmade to order, and he was able to coordinate manufacturing, demolition, and installation in a timely manner. Our roofs were replaced by Thanksgiving before the first sign of snow.

We were thankful for the excellent job Erik Larsen did for Sacred Heart Church. In addition to the Clay tile installation, we had him install a standing seam metal roof to replace a previous asphalt roof after we reconfigured the roof line.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. Monsignor Joseph A. DeSantis

Related restoration

Saint Joseph Church and School

See how Velco coordinated hand-blended Ludowici clay tile and custom copper work around an occupied church and school in Bryan, Texas.

View the Saint Joseph restoration →