How to Choose the Right Roofing Option

The current world offers various options when it comes to roofing your home ranging from man made products such as sheet metal, asphalt and plastic polymers to using natural materials such as slate or wood. One can be caught up in the confusion of which product to choose and this article is meant to help you make the best decision as far as this is concerned. You need to understand that each option has its merits and demerits in terms of durability, cost and how eco-friendly a product is just to mention a few of the aspects that needs to borne into your mind. This article will outline some of the factors to consider when choosing a roofing product and the brief account of the commonest roofing products will be given.

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Things to look out for in each of the products:

The factors you need to put into considerations include:

• The durability of the roof
• How the roof will cope with  natural disasters for instance hurricanes or wildfires
• How it is compared to the roofing frame that will hold it
• If it has enough slope
• Whether the look of the roof will complement the color of the rest of the house
• How eco-friendly and recyclable the product is
• Whether the local building codes allow the use of a certain roofing product
• The cost of the roof

The type of house that you want to construct will have a huge impact on the type of roof that you would want to use. Key factors that might limit your choice are the slope of the roof and the strength of the roofing frame. If you reside in areas that are more vulnerable to wildfire or hurricanes you need to select a product that is fire resistant with good wind resistance. However you need to note that during the roofing process, adjustments can be made to make the roof more resistant to wind or fire.

The various roofing products include:

a)  Asphalt Shingle Roofs

This is by far the most commonly used roof product in the current world. Its popularity can be attributed to its cost effectiveness and the ease of installing it. This product is made by impregnating fiberglass with asphalt and its surface is completed with granules which are sand-like. The roofing market provides to forms of this roofing product; a standard single thickness type and another model which is thicker and laminated, the latter is more expensive. This product can last for about 30 years and it goes for about $50 per square, the price being dependent on the type of shingle that you will settle for.

b)  Wood Roofing

Roofing products made from wood have been in use for many years, and our century is no exception to this. It’s generally a good roofing product but some areas which are more prone to wildfires have roofing codes which forbid its use. The roof made of wood are usually made from woods such as cedar, southern pine, redwood or shingles which are sworn or either split. It lasts for about the same time as the asphalt roofing, that is for about 25 years but it is more expensive.

c)   Metal Sheet Roofing

Metal roofing involves the use of the various metals in roofing your house. You can choose to use steel, aluminum, copper, lead or either copper and asphalt. For the copper/asphalt varieties you can install them as shingles but the other types are made to be used as seamed roofs. Seamed roofs consist of vertical lengths of metal which are joined by solder. You will need to spend about $250 per square for this type of roofing. But it is durable and fire resistant.

d)  Tile and Cement Roofing

This type of roofing is popular for houses made in the Spanish Colonial way or Mission style. These products are generally expensive but they are very durable and equally heavy, hence the need for a stronger roofing frame.

e)  Slate Roof

This arguably the best and most durable roofing material. It is quite durable and can last for a century or more and cases of reinstallation of used slate roof speaks volumes about its durability. They come in different forms depending on the state of origin. It is however among the most expensive materials to use for roofing with a square of slate going for about $800.

The above roofing materials are the more commonly used and you can make a comparison and choose a roofing product that is suitable for your house. It is good to consider not only the cost but also the durability, fire and wind resistance capabilities of the roof and the weight and cost of installation just to mention a few of the factors.

Written by True Son Exteriors, the best roofers in Columbia, MO.