From natural materials like slate and wood, to manmade products such as asphalt, sheet metal and plastic polymers. There are more types and styles of roofing to choose from today, than ever before, they all can add a distinctive design element to your dwelling. So which one is right for you?
What to look for in a roof?
- How long will it last?
- Is it too heavy for the existing roof framing?
- Does the roof have enough slope?
- Will the look compliment the style of the dwelling?
- Are the materials eco-friendly?
- Is the type of roofing allowed by local building codes? i.e fire rating
- And finally, how much does it cost?
Asphalt Shingles
Materials: Made of fiber glass impregnated with asphalt and coated with mineral granules- Colour Range: Vast amount of colours to choose from
- Weight: Very light weight
- Natural Look: Yes
- Slope: Can be used on fairly low to steeper sloped roofs
- Fire and Wind: Good fire resistance and wind resistance
- Ease of installation: Yes
- Cost: Inexpensive to moderate
Metal Sheeting
Materials: May be composed of steel, aluminium or zinc alloy and copper- Colour Range: Yes selection of colours
- Weight: Lightweight
- Natural Look: No
- Slope: Available for low to steep roofs
- Fire and Wind: Yes is resistant
- Ease of installation: Yes
- Cost: Moderate (steel) to expensive (copper)
Concrete Tile
- Materials: Made from a mixture of cement and sand
- Colour Range: Yes selection of colours
- Weight: Heavy, requires reinforced roof framing to support
- Natural Look: No
- Slope: Available for moderate to steeper sloped roofs
- Fire and Wind: Good for fire resistance, fair to low for wind resistance
- Ease of installation: Slightly complex to install
- Cost: Moderate
Slate
- Materials: Made from natural slate rock
- Colour Range: No
- Weight: Heavy, requires reinforced roofing structure for support
- Natural Look: Yes
- Slope: Steep sloped roofs only
- Fire and Wind: Good for fire and wind resistance
- Ease of installation: No
- Cost: Very expensive
Thatch
- Materials: Made from reed grass, straw, sedge (Cladium mariscus)
- Colour Range: No
- Weight: Very heavy
- Natural Look: Yes
- Slope: Steep sloped roofs only
- Fire and Wind: Not resistant to fire but if installed correctly low to medium resistant to winds
- Ease of installation: Moderate
- Cost: Maintenance cost is very high
In conclusion, your roof makes up a third of the total size of your dwelling, it is the most important defence, against protecting you from the elements, it makes sense to make sure your roof covering is installed correctly.
There are 2 types of warranties to keep in mind when erecting a roof for your dwelling, the one is the manufacturer’s warranty which covers defects in the roofing material. The other may or may not be issued by the roofing contractor to handle problems, arising from improper installation.
Similar to energy-efficient appliances in your home, roofing products can provide energy-saving qualities too, by reflecting solar energy, this will decrease the amount of heat transferred to a home’s interior. Actual savings will vary based on geographic locations and individual building characteristics.
