The roof serves an important function in a home for obvious reasons. Generally, the longevity and quality of your roof depends on your choice of roofing materials. That said, it is important to choose the right roofing materials that will provide you the best protection you need.
Fortunately, there are now a wide range of roofing materials available in the market. This makes it easier to find the materials that will suit based on the homeowner’s preferences in terms of style, look, and other special requirements depending on the home location.
Planning to turn your dream home into a reality this year? Or, are you planning for a re–roofing project this 2019? Your choice of roofing materials can instantly add value and curb appeal to your home. You may want to consider the following top choices for roofing materials this 2019:
Asphalt Shingles remain as a popular choice for roofing among homeowners. Many homeowners prefer them over other roofing materials because of their reliable performance in providing protection against the weather elements and they are more economical and offer more attractive options that can easily suit a variety of home styles.
In the most recent years, the demand for metal roofing is remarkably rising. This is mainly because of a growing evidence it offers better protection from extreme forms of weather conditions including hurricane winds, heavy rains, hail storms, and airborne embers coming from wildfires that could potentially land on the roofs of the homes.
With a Class A fire rating and the highest available rating, metal roofing is found to be capable of withstanding flames which can last up to four hours. When compared to other roofing materials, high quality metal roofing provides extra layer of protection from fire driven by gusts of wind. They are also heavy and durable enough making them capable of withstanding the damages from severe storms and hurricanes.
On the downside, metal roofing can be a sizeable investment as they are more expensive compared to asphalt shingles and wood roofing materials. Replacing them can also be very costly. But overall, metal roofing are preferred by a growing number of homeowners because they make attractive roofing styles, they have impressive strength and protection, and they are expected to be able to last several years later compared to its other counterparts. It’s also good to note that they are fully recyclable as well.
Wood can easily add natural beauty and accentuate your roof. Popular choices for wood roofing materials include cedar, cypress, pressure–treated pine wood, and redwood.
With their natural and unique aesthetic appeal wood shingles and wood shakes can be channeled across various architectural home styles. Treated wood are also durable, have longer lifespan than asphalt shingles, and some types of wood offer natural insect resistance capability. In terms of sustainability, you can’t easily beat wood shakes and shingles as some of them come from salvaged trees and when they need replaced they can be turned into wood chips or can be decomposed in a compost pit.
When choosing wood though, it’s important to consider that they are not allowed in some areas where wildfires are prone to occur as untreated wood can easily catch fire. Woods are also typically high maintenance, more complicated to install, and repair and replacements can be very costly.
The ancient roof tiling option is now making a comeback with a modern twist. Roof tiles are now available in stronger and modern looking styles. Traditional roof tiles are now also reinforced in terms of strength and durability. There are also blended floor cement tiles which are more lightweight and easier to work with. Roof tiles offer a striking appearance and they are also incredibly durable. Some types of roof tiles also provide natural cooling effects as they can effectively reduce penetration of heat into the home interior making them energy efficient.
On the flip side of the coin though, roof tiles are heavier and more difficult to install. They also tend to break easier so they are for complicated to repair in case of damages.
Slate roofing provide adequate protection while providing an enhanced look to your home. Clean and trimmed, they can provide a more professional look and easily add curb appeal to a home’s architecture. Good slate roofs do not require a lot of maintenance and modern synthetic slates are lightweight and incredibly long lasting. However, if you choose the traditional genuine slate roofing materials, they are heavier and require costly and stronger support. Installing and repairing slate roofs also require the expertise of a professional roof contractor because they tend to be more complicated and once they’re improperly installed they are prone to developing leakage issues.
In this modern age, solar shingles or "tiles" are already starting to make waves among a number of homeowners. Solar roof tiles are now more innovative and designed to look more exactly like the standard tiles. There are also some of them that are available in several styles to choose from. With a solar roof tile and the right location, you can have a sustainable home with significantly reduced, and even zero costs, on electricity.
The biggest disadvantage when choosing solar roof tiles is that they can be very expensive and by far there are only few contractors with sufficient knowledge on how to install and repair them properly. Solar tiles are perfect for when you want to go green and you can afford to splurge on expensive roof tiles, which will ultimately pay for itself over time with little to no cost on energy bills.
There are several factors to consider when choosing the best roofing materials for your home. Since roofing can be an expensive investment, here are some questions to consider to help you come up with the best decision:
