If you are thinking about remodeling your home, it is essential to choose the right roofing material for your circumstances and budget. While you can find many beautiful choices, comparing the pros and cons of different options can help you decide which one meets your needs the best.
Metal Roofing
Metal roofing can be a great choice. These roofs tend to stand up better in windy conditions. They also are fire resistant and may give your family extra seconds to get out of your home in the unlikely event of a fire. Most metal roofs will last over 50 years. There are many different styles of metal roofs available. You can find them that are treated to help keep your home cooler. You can also find stone-covered metal roofs that upgrade the look of your property. Stone-coated metal roofing requires special expertise, so you want to make sure that your installer knows how to do it right.
Asphalt Shingles
By far the most popular roofing choice in America, asphalt shingles are available in three different types that you may want to think about choosing. Three-tab asphalt shingles are often the cheapest roofing option available, but they tend to blow off from high winds. These shingles also tend to lose their covering, which may allow water to get under them. They will last for about 20 years. Dimensional asphalt shingles will cost you more upfront, but you are also more likely to love the look of these shingles that have subtle wavy lines built into them. They stand up better during storms, so they have about a 30-year life span. Architectural asphalt shingles are even more expensive, but they are the thickest choice available. Therefore, they stand up very well, and they often have a 40-year life span.
Concrete Tiles
If you live in an area where the wind often blows roofs off homes, then using concrete tiles on your roof may make sense because they are resistant to wind uplift. Hail and limbs that are blown around during a storm usually do not hurt them. If you are building a new home, then it can be designed to handle the weight of concrete roof tiles. Otherwise, you will want to have a study done to make sure that your home can handle the weight of these tiles. They generally last about 50 years.
Clay Tile Roofing
Another option is clay tile roofing. These roofs will never decay or rot, and they are resistant to insect damage. One of the disadvantages of tile roofing is that they cost at least triple the price of an asphalt roof, but you may never need to replace your roof. They also work as an excellent insulator, which helps to keep your energy bills down. Properly installing these roofs is difficult, so work with a professional roofer who has lots of experience.
Wood Roofing
If you are concerned about the environment, then you may want to consider having a bamboo roof installed. These roofs are quieter if it is raining outside than metal roofs, and they help to keep the inside of your home comfortable throughout the year. Most bamboo roofing comes in sheets the same size as corrugated rolled roofing. Bamboo roofs are more likely to bend during wind storms than break, which may mean that you can bend them back into shape once the storm is over.
Another option in wood roofing is shake shingles. You can find real and manufactured shake shingles. Before using the real ones, check your local zoning laws because they are outlawed in some areas and you may have a harder time getting insurance on your home. Meanwhile, manufactured shake shingles are designed to be safer while providing the same look. You can find these with Class A fire ratings and in forms that will withstand winds up to 110 miles per hour.
Zinc Roofing
Zinc roofing is an attractive option for many upscale homes. While there are some problems with new zinc roofs leaking, they can be coated to protect against this problem. Over several wet and dry periods, they will develop their own coating that does not leak. They must, however, be installed by a professional because there must be an air pocket between the zinc and the roofing deck.
There are many different types of roofing available. Choose the ones that interest you the most, and talk to a roofer to get their expert opinion.
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