How to Choose the Best Roofing Material for Your Home

Roof replacement is a significant investment and should take careful consideration into account, including lifespan and durability, climate compatibility, aesthetics and cost.

Asphalt shingles offer excellent value and installation is straightforward. Some are even equipped with reflective coatings that help keep homes cool while cutting energy bills.

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Asphalt

Asphalt shingles have long been the go-to choice of homeowners across North America for steep-sloping roofs. Not only are they aesthetic and affordable, but asphalt shingles may also withstand extreme climates better. Unfortunately, however, asphalt shingles can also be susceptible to damage during harsher climates than other materials and have shorter lifespans than alternative roofing materials.

Asphalt roof shingles come in various colors to complement most architectural styles, even those featuring texture-rich cedar shakes or slate tiles as part of their appearance. Asphalt shingles also add dimension and texture through different textures like those found on cedar shakes or slate tiles to provide texture and dimension in roof designs.

When shopping for asphalt shingles, be sure to select ones with an excellent hail rating. A higher hail rating indicates better durability; most product descriptions should provide this information; otherwise be sure to ask your contractor directly about it. A high hail rating indicates that they have been tested against impact from hailstones; this can prevent major roof damage.

Wood

Wood shingles and shakes add rustic beauty to any cottage, bungalow, Craftsman bungalow, Tudor or Colonial-style home, while also increasing its value and lasting 30-50 years. Their natural oils make wood highly-durable material that naturally resists rot, insect damage and weathering; however they require additional insulation in tropical environments for optimal performance.

Choose a durable roofing material when living in the tropics, where long sunny days and tropical rainstorms can expose roofs to intense sunlight that can damage certain materials. Furthermore, tropical rainstorms can also cause significant impact damage. Shingles made of cedar, wallaba, or teak are better equipped to withstand island life than others.

Slate

Slate roofing material has long been recognized for its high quality and longevity in roof construction projects. Slate is composed of metamorphic rock that can easily be cut and trimmed into thin sheets of different sizes and thicknesses to fit a range of architectural styles.

A properly installed slate roof can last hundreds if not thousands of years with proper care and installation, providing protection from extreme weather conditions such as hail storms, snowstorms, strong winds, ice damage and water leakage. Furthermore, these roofing materials are fireproof as well as mold, mildew and fungus resistant.

Slate roofs make a statement with bungalow, Cape Cod, cottage and Craftsman-style homes. However, it should be remembered that slate is one of the heaviest roofing materials, so any decision to install one would require reinforcement within your home’s structure and an increase in weight load bearing capabilities. Furthermore, authentic slate is one of the more expensive materials on the market; synthetic alternatives may offer similar aesthetic and durability at reduced costs.

Composite Shakes

CeDUR’s natural looking polymer shakes will not only add curb appeal and increase property values; they’re also low maintenance alternatives to wood shakes or slate roof tiles that require much less care to maintain.

These synthetic materials can be designed to resemble the look and texture of natural materials like slate and wood shakes with deep grain patterns, for instance. Some even feature chisel marks to replicate handcrafted texture and lookalike slate-lookalikes often incorporate recycled plastics or other sustainable resources for production.

Composite shingles are stronger than real shakes and slate roofs, easily standing up to hail damage without cracking like cedar shakes or rotting like wood, making them more durable. Some composite roof tiles even boast impact resistance ratings as high as Class 4, meaning that hail damage won’t destroy these types of roofs as easily.