Roofing in Kettering

Kettering at a glance

Kettering had 57,862 people at the 2020 census, the most populous suburb in the Dayton area. It borders Dayton, Oakwood and Riverside to the north, Centerville and Washington Township to the south, and Beavercreek to the east.

What that means for your roof

Kettering grew fast after it became a village in 1952 and a city in 1955, so streets are lined with ranches, split-levels and Cape Cods from the 1950s and 1960s. Many of those roofs have been replaced once already, some with a second layer on top. A full tear-off is often needed next time; see roof replacement.

Low slopes and additions

Ranch homes often have long, gentle roof slopes, and later additions and enclosed porches may have nearly flat sections. Those low spots collect leaves and snow and are common leak points; see flat and low-slope roofs.

Named for an inventor

The city takes its name from Charles F. Kettering, the inventor who lived at Ridgeleigh Terrace from 1914 until his death in 1958. The farmland settled from the late 1700s became Van Buren Township in 1841, and the population passed 38,000 within three years of incorporation. Decades of mature trees now shade those streets, which is pleasant in July but means gutters fill fast in fall; see gutters.