Roofing Material
There are many different types of roofing materials on the market today and each type of roofing material has its own appearance, qualities, disadvantages and advantages. When selecting roofing materials for your home, homeowners need to consider their budget, style of their home, and their homes location. It is best when selecting roof materials to choose a color and style first and then look for installation and quality that fits into your budget. Start by doing some comparisons of roofing materials including color, style, weight, material, and cost.
Asphalt shingles are by far the most popular roofing material because it is less expensive than other roofing materials but can have the appearance of traditional styled shingles. It is important to have the tiles not only match your home but the homes in your neighborhood. When doing comparisons of roofing materials, some of the more popular choices are using slate roofing materials on homes made of brick, metal roofing materials in extreme weather areas, asphalt shingles roofing material on sided homes, concrete or clay tile on stucco homes, and shake, slate, or wood on homes with wood exteriors. Before selecting your roof material, check your local building codes as some areas have fire rating standards or specific standards for historical areas. Some of the other roofing materials available include:
- Rolled roofing material
- Rubber roofing material
- Thatch roofing material
- Flat roofing material
- Palm thatch roof material
- Metal roofing material
- Various types of roofing materials for low pitch roofs
When selecting the color of the roof, homeowners should take their homes exterior color, style, energy efficiency, and area into consideration. There are unlimited choices of color in asphalt shingles while wood and slate tend to be in their natural color and form. In warm climates, lighter color roofs keep homes cooler by reflecting sunlight and in cooler climates darker colors absorb the suns heat, keeping the house warmer.
Sometimes overlooked, the weight of the roofing material is extremely important when selecting a roof. Per one hundred square feet, asphalt shingles weight approximately two hundred and fifty pounds whereas slate weight approximately two thousand pounds. Standard roof frames require strengthening on weights over six hundred pounds.
Cost and lifespan of the roofing material is also a huge factor in selecting a roof. Asphalt tiles are the least expensive with a life span of approximately twenty years, while slate often costs twenty times more but has a lifespan of over one hundred years.