Whether getting a new house or considering a roofing replacement, the roof material is imperative for the look of a home as well as for the costing department. Since most people are either undecided or uninformed about diverse roofing materials, this article will explore and cover the most popular roofing options.
Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles are the most common roofing material holding a statistic of 70% of all single-family houses in the US because they are so easy to install that even one person can install them single-handedly. Asphalt shingles are still dominating the market because they are super affordable and durable enough (easily lasting from 15 to 40 years).
There are 2 types of asphalt shingles: organic and fiberglass shingles, each having their own look and advantages. While the fiberglass one starts with a fiberglass mesh that is covered in asphalt and topped with granules, organic shingles, on the other hand, offer better stability being built from recycled paper saturated in asphalt and coated with granules.
Pros of asphalt shingles
- Fiberglass shingles provide fire protection
- Friendly-looking stylish appearance
- Cheaper than other materials and still durable
- Wide-ranging selection of colors and styles to perfectly fit the house look
Cons of asphalt shingles
- Frequent Roof Installation might cost overall higher than metal or slate materials
- Frequent weather changes can cause cracks to the asphalt shingles
- If one layer needs replacement, all layers must be torn off the roof
Wood Shingles and Shakes
Wood shakes are the most elegant out of this list, consisting of pine trees, cypress, redwood, and cedar. All these types of wood combined do not only offer a natural, timeless exterior but a sound insulation system as well if installed correctly.
Wood shingles are machine-cut pieces providing a smooth and clean surface and uniform edges, while the hand-cut wood shakes bring a rustic-style look, and they are also more expensive due to thicker wood.
Pros of wood shingles and shakes
- Last longer than asphalt shingles
- Offer natural and organic beauty style
- Contain natural oils making them resistant to insects and moisture
- Can be recycled
- Has twice the insulation effect of asphalt shingles
Cons of wood shingles and shakes
- Pine tree wood is vulnerable to insects so it might rot faster
- More expensive and harder to install than asphalt shingles
- Wood shingles need high maintenance if untreated
Metal Roofing
The cons of metal don’t have to be mentioned as everyone knows it can last a lifetime, it’s resistant to both fire and insects and keeps the temperature of the house low by reflecting the sunlight. Metal roofing is manufactured in rolls bringing various options like traditional metal roof style and tiles look-alike roofing.
However, most are still rigid sheets with vertical panels and modular panels roofing. Usually, the metals used are Zinc, cooper, lightweight steel, and processed aluminum.
If speaking of cons, all these advantages come with the highest price in the roofing department with the cooper roof leading as the most expensive roof material. Metal is much noisier than other materials when it rains. Despite the durability monopoly, when hit by heavy objects, metal is likely to dent, and replacing it would be very costly.
However, such cases are rare enough to conclude that over time, continually replacing and repairing other types of roofing materials, might cost higher than metal roofing overall.
Roof Tiles
In the roofing business, tiles are number one in terms of the variety of colors and architectural styles. Unlike the past, when there was only one option considered ancient nowadays, today, roof tiles count three versions: durable traditional clay tiles, stable but easy to work with concrete tiles, and fiber cement tiles made for lightweight strength.
Roof tiles make great replacements to fire-prone locations, are resistant to moisture, insects, and fire, and most importantly, provide high insulation and energy conservation. On the contrary, this type of roofing is quite expensive and might also crack underfoot.
Now that you know everything about the most popular roofing materials, feel free to contact the best roofing company in California and get a roofing contractor to choose and buy your favorite roofing with us here at Semper Solaris.
