Types of roofing material for your home

Arguably, the roof of your home is one of the most essential parts for countless reasons. One of the main reasons might be that it protects from elements while keeping your home warm and protects the home’s structure, among other things. The roof is also one of the parts that can boost your home’s value. While people might ask that it’s just a roof, right, you might want to say well, it is not just a roof; it’s one of a kind. Why? Well, because we provide different types of roofing materials, And no matter which type of roofing material you go for, all of them offer a unique structure and feature to your home. To understand more regarding the same, here is a list of various types of roofing materials and what are their benefits and drawbacks.

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles are one of the most common types of classic roofing materials that you will see on most modern homes. They are also easy to install and affordable options, which makes them easy to replace and repair whenever needed. However, based on the way they have been designed, there are better, durable options. They can last up to 30 years based on what they are exposed to, such as sun or wind. Unfortunately, once the granules on the asphalt roofing have gone away, the whole roof might need to be replaced.

Types

You can choose from various types of asphalt shingles, such as follows:

• 3-tab asphalt shingles
• Architectural asphalt shingles
• Luxury asphalt shingles

Benefits

Here are a few benefits of using asphalt shingles as your roofing material:

• Asphalt shingles are inexpensive, which makes them an affordable choice.
• Asphalt shingles are very easy to install as they are light and easy to cut as well.
• They can easily fit any style of home without looking out of place.

Drawbacks

Asphalt shingles also come with a few drawbacks, such as follows:

• They do not offer a unique look even though they do not set back on the appeal points. Your house might not stand out.
• These types of roofs could easily crack, which makes them sensitive to extreme temperature fluctuations.
• Strong wind might cause these types of roofs to detach, and your roof could be vulnerable to leaks.

Cost

The average replacement cost of asphalt shingle roof usually ranges anywhere between $4,286 – 6,429 at a price of around $1.50 to 4.50 per square foot.

Metal Roofing

Metal roofing has many options. These options are mostly available as they can easily withstand a beating while keeping away moisture and providing great UV protection. Costs could vary for metal roofing based on the style of roofing material that you choose. However, almost all types of metal roofing can withstand the impact of water, fire, or hail damage.

Types

Various types of metal roofing are available and can be provided as follows:

• Aluminum roofing
• Metal or steel
• Tin Roofing
• Copper roofing
• Zinc roofing

Benefits

There are certain benefits of using metal roofing for your house roof, and can be provided as follows:

• They are pretty durable due to the metal content in them and generally have longer life spans
• The glossy finish could provide a great aesthetic look to your curb
• Metal roof owners tend to save up to 40% of energy compared to other types of roofing materials. Metal roofing helps keep the house cool and reduces energy costs.

Drawbacks

Metal roofs aren’t perfect, which means some drawbacks come along with them and could be provided as follows:

• Metal roofs are more often prone to dents and peeling of paint.
• The installation of metal roofing needs to be proper; if not, then replacement and repairs could be expensive.
• Some people might find the rainfall sound on a metal roof satisfying; however, others might find it irritating.

Cost

A metal roof could cost anywhere between $7,000 to $110,000, with an average price of about $11,000. The costs could go even higher with specialized labour.

Wood Shingles and Shakes

Wood roofs are beautiful, but they are also quite expensive and have certain limitations. They are not as long-lived as some of the other roofing materials, which makes them a poor choice in areas that get a lot of rainfall or are prone to wildfire. Still, they are considered to be one of the most popular choices for luxury homes.

Types

There are multiple types of wood shingles and shakes that are available in the market and could be presented as follows:

• Cedar Shingles
• Wallaba shingles
• Teak shingles

Benefits

Here are a few of the benefits you get when you choose wood shingles and shakes:

• Since wood roofing lasts for decades, it requires only minimum care.
• While asphalt shingles are almost everywhere, installing wood shingles and shakes could lead to your house standing out
• There are various style options, and they can also be installed in countless ways, making each roof unique.

Drawbacks

The drawbacks of wood shingle when installed on your house roof could be provided as follows:

• Since insects love wood, there is a high chance that they could succumb to an insect attack.
• Wood is vulnerable to water, which might even lead to molding on your roof. Hence, an area with high moisture content could be a drawback.
• Wood has a great chance of catching fire as well, which again makes it quite vulnerable to fire.

Cost

Wood shingles could cost up to $4.50 to $9 per square foot, whereas wood shakes could cost up to $6.50 to 14 per square foot.

Clay and Concrete Tiles

Clay tile is made up of earthen clays moulded into interlocking or rolled shapes and has been fired for hardness. It is often left unglazed with an overall orange-reddish colour. Clay tiles are an excellent roofing material for areas with high-temperature climates or where salt air is present. Concrete tile is an alternative to clay tile. They have similar installation techniques. However, you will pay slightly less for concrete tile roofs.

Types

Multiple types of concrete tiles are available, such as follows:

• Barrel
• Flat
• Spanish
• French
• Interlocking

You also get a lot of varieties in clay tiles, and some of them can be provided as follows:

• Terracotta
• Mission style

Benefits

Concrete tiles are often Class A fire-rated and are hence resistant to high winds, hail damage, and even pests. They can easily withstand winds of up to 125 mph, which makes them better than other roofing materials.

Drawbacks

The two main drawbacks of concrete tile roofing are that they have higher costs and heavier weight.

Cost

Clay tiles could cost between $10 and 18 per square foot, whereas concrete tiles could cost between $10 and 20 per square foot.

Slate

A slate roof is an absolutely stunning type of roofing material found mostly in luxury homes. It is also the type of roof that will last longer—it can, in fact, easily last as long as hundreds of years. Slate roofing is just as it sounds: authentic, thin sheets of real stone. However, installing it will need special skills, and it is hard to find qualified installers.

Types

Manufacturers have offered multiple types of aesthetically beautiful types of slate roofing, such as follows:

• Natural slate
• Bituminous slate
• Concrete
• Metal
• Fiber cement
• Synthetic composite slate

Benefits

Well, if they are correctly maintained, these slate roofs can easily last as long as 100 years. They also have excellent fire resistance compared to other types of roof materials.

Drawbacks

Slate roofs, as expensive as they are to buy, could be costlier to repair and install.

Cost

Depending on whether you select hard or soft slate roof tiles, it could easily cost between $10 and $30 per square foot.

Synthetic Roofing Products

Synthetic roofing materials are surprisingly a great alternative to natural slate tiles. They are also lightweight and are created with engineered polymers combined with recycled rubber and plastic. Although they might not be as strong as actual stones, they are usually suitable for a long duration.

Types

There are two main types of synthetic roofing materials available: rubber and plastic polymer roofing.

Benefits

Synthetic roofing products could be a great addition to your roof if you value durability. They are also lightweight compared to felt, which makes them easier to handle and install. Their high UV and water resistance rates also make them a desirable material.

Drawbacks

Synthetic materials could actually have a negative environmental impact, so choosing them based on sustainability could be a bad choice. They could also be quite expensive. Despite their durability, there is a high chance of punctures in the roofing material if not handled carefully.

Cost

The average cost of synthetic or rubber slate tile could be between $9 and $12 per square foot.

Green Roofs

Green roofs, also called living roofs, are essentially small gardens on a roof. They are excellent at managing water runoff while also insulating a home and helping to provide a more sustainable environment. However, the cost of building and maintaining a green roof could be quite expensive. They could also require a lot of maintenance to ensure the plants remain alive.

Types

There are a lot of types of green roofs that are available and could be provided as follows:

• Extensive green roof
• Semi-intensive green roof
• Intensive green roof
• Solar garden roof
• Blue-green roofs

Benefits

Green roofs are often filled with a number of plants and vegetation, which brings a lot of benefits to every building. This includes the following:

• It helps improve the drainage system while reducing flooding due to excessive rainwater
• Increases the lifespan of the roof by handling fluctuating temperatures, UV light, and even wind and rain
• It helps boost the thermal performance by providing excellent insulation to the house and increasing the heat retention rate during winter.

Drawbacks

You might find that green roofs are more expensive to manage than traditional roofs due to the green plants that need to stay alive. The plants growing on the rooftop also massively increase the weight load.

Cost

The costs for a green roof could range between $10 and $30 per square foot, and the cost tends to rise with an intensive version of the roof style that requires an in-depth installation process.

Conclusion

The primary function, no matter which type of roofing material you are talking about, is to ensure that they protect you and your home from various elements. While all the types of roof materials have their advantages and disadvantages, each of them is based on the personal needs to be satisfied. Naturally, choose a roofing material that matches the aesthetic of your house while providing as much protection as possible. At times, you might not want to spend a fortune. In such cases, this guide will provide information on the types of roofing materials that will help you decide the best fit.

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