Roofing Material

Roofing material and budget limitations are probably number one and two choices when it comes to building a new roof or re-roofing your home.

Listed are a number of the leading roofing materials used in our society today with a thumbnail sketch of the product. First up, wood.

Wood
Wood products are banned by many communities due to the fire danger. Be sure and check code for your community before committing to a wood product.

Shakes or Shingles look very good and can still be purchased. Shakes are usually split from a cedar block, at least on one side, whereas Shingles are sawn on both sides and are thinner than a Shake.

Standard Warranty for these products is 20 or 25 years which of course "depends" on many factors as does longevity which differs from warranties. Make sure you get a separate warranty from the installer/contractor to warranty his workmanship. Standard is 1 year for most roofing but you should look for someone who will give you a minimum of 2 years. For help on hiring a contractor ask these key questions for the insight you need to get a job "well done".

Life span may be lengthened with pressure treatments which will help prevent moss and mildew buildup, helpful when living in high humidity areas. At the very least we would recommend a pressure impregnated fire retardant treatment be applied to this roofing material whether you live in a high fire risk area or not. Make sure your fire retarded . . . oh, I mean retardant, is certified. We would not recommend any after installed spray on fire retardant as they are not affective.

Asphalt Shingle
Asphalt Shingle is the "conventional roof" of our day, in terms of popularity. It is literally everywhere. Cost has a large part to play in its popularity although designs have been improved so that it looks good also.

Here is a roofing material you can get Asphalt Shingle in a wide assortment of quality and cost. A very common average style shingle will provide good value for your dollar. Or, you can go to the other end of the spectrum and still get good value with a more defined design and color and better quality with a thicker product.

We like the Owens Corning Duration Shingle series for a very good quality shingle. They come in two classifications, The Duration and the Duration Premium. They differ in the definition of the colors, same colors but one has a higher definition or more contrast in colors than does the other. Duration is a 30 year shingle with a 110 mph wind rating. Duration Premium is a 50 year, or limited lifetime shingle, and has a 130 mph wind rating.

When it comes to warranty you can get either a standard warranty or a Preferred warranty. The later can only be offered by an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor. The Preferred warranty will cost you a little more but it is well worth the additional cost.

Warranties for most roofing materials are pro-rated meaning the value paid to you is reduced each year. With many manufacturers in the first 5 years the values do not change but thereafter the amount you receive when a covered problem occurs is reduced each year. The preferred warranty extends the unchanged 5 year period to a longer time frame dependent on the Owens Corning series of shingle you choose. For example the Duration Premium non-prorated period is extended to 50 years! This makes for a superior warranty in the industry!

Slate
Real Slate is very heavy and expensive. The product itself is expensive but the necessary underlying structure is more expensive due to the heavy duty truss support needed to carry the excessive weight of Slate.

We are concerned about the weight of such building material as Slate, Clay and Cement because of the damage caused in certain events. In a fire or heavy storm, for example, damage may cause the roof to cave in due to the weight of the materials used. This can not only cause unnecessary damage to the contents of a home but may trap people who would otherwise be safe under a light weight roof able to maintain its integrity in such conditions.

Synthetic Slate is one viable option to the real thing. InSpire synthetic Slate, for example, will give you the look and feel of real slate but be about the same weight as an asphalt shingle and have a Class A fire rating. Expensive? Yes, but much lighter and looks authentic, and, less than the real McCoy.

The InSpire Slate is made of resins and other fibrous materials that are placed under 100 tons of compression to form their desired shape. They come in many colors some with several colors distributed randomly on each slate. With this color pattern you will get a random coloration throughout your roof which gives it that authentic appearance you want.

Metal
There's a wide variety available in Metal Roofing designed to look like any of the materials previously mentioned. Design is exceptional from an asphalt shingle look to the look and feel of a Mediterranean Tile and from a wood Shake or Shingle to a Rustic Victorian look and feel.

Metal roofing is available in corrugated steel or a snap lock standing seam with Kynar 500 and Hynar 5000 coatings providing color stability and radiant heat reflectivity providing energy savings. Corrugated steel panels are the most reasonably priced roofs or you can go to copper for a beautiful and expensive roof.

You can also get an assortment of smooth metal shingles or stone coated steel shingles whose process dates back to World War II. Coatings used in WW II to hide shiny corrugated metal roofed factories from bombing raids were found to be excellent when they tried to remove the coatings. They were on to stay! Now greatly improved, on many fronts, they look better and are on to stay even longer.

The difference with Metal Roofing and other roofing materials is that you have much lighter weight, zero maintenance, longer life, sometimes by a factor of 3, and . . . on and on it goes. To view well over 20 benefits of Metal Roofing please click here.

As far as cost is concerned that to has come closer together in recent times than ever before. To view cost information please go to Metal Roofing Cost. While cost varies on the basis of many factors there's a wide range of pricing available.

Metal Roofing is becoming more popular each year. More people are wanting low maintenance living combined with low energy, green building and greater longevity. You can now accomplish all of that with Metal at a lower annual cost than most expect.

When choosing a roof for your home your budget may be the driving consideration. However, when reviewing roofing materials remember your roof is a major source of protection for your home, contents and life so choose with an all encompassing eye.

Before choosing the materials be sure to review your area's code. Compare fire ratings of similar and different materials. Notice the pitch of your roof and think about how much water, ice and snow it must deal with to determine not only the proper material for the roof but the products that go under the exterior roofing materials. Review the importance of reflecting the sun's radiant heat and the possible energy savings you will enjoy with some materials and not so with others. By taking as many factors as is possible into consideration you will be much better armed and prepared to make the right decision for you, your family and your project.

Roofing Material

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