It is a universally accepted fact that roofs are one of the most important necessities in one’s house. They play an important role in determining the houses’ shape and size. It is also understood that roofs should be of the best quality and should be maintained regularly for maximum life and surety. For this, the roofs should be made from excellent quality of materials and tools. To Know more about roofing materials check here - Charlotte Commercial Roofers.
There are certain questions that need to be considered before selecting the roofing material-
- The weight of the material and if it will require any form of special framing?
- Are there a lot of options in colours and sizes for the material chosen?
- Is the material legal and does it meet the fire codes?
- Does the material sustain extreme weather conditions?
Some of the top six roofing materials are-
- Asphalt Shingles- Roof shingles consist of singe over-lapping elements that together make up the roof. These elements are usually flat and rectangular shaped. They are durable for about 15-30 years and are highly cost-effective. A tip when selecting shingles is look for shingles which have a decent hail rating- which is a good indicator for durability and quality.
- Metal- Metal roofing materials last for about 30 years- 50 years and are usually made from steel, cooper, aluminum or zinc alloy. This type of roof is ideal in inclement weather conditions and comparatively need much less maintenance than other roofing materials. They are very energy efficient in cold weather conditions as metal roofs absorb solar energy. However, metal roof are slightly more expensive when compared to shingles.
- Clay Tile roof- Also called as the Spanish Tile Roof, this type lasts for about 100 years. They are made from baking molded clay, and the colors available range from shades of white, yellow, orange and brown. Clay tools are resistant to strong winds and are cannot catch fire. Clay tiles however are a little expensive owing to the long manufacturing time.
- Slate roof- Just like clay tile roof, slate roof also has a life span of 100 plus years. Slate is a type of stone with immense thickness that is laid down on the roof. When using slate roof, it is necessary to check that adequate truss strength is there to hold up the heavy roof.
- Plastic polymer roof- Plastic polymer roof will last for about 50 plus years. This material is made into the shape of shingles and is made to look like slate. This roof requires low-maintenance but is harmful to the environment as they are made from plastic.
- Solar Glass- This type roof is known to known last for a the life-time of your house and is only produced by Tesla. It is highly energy efficient and very expensive and is the most sustainale form of roofing there is.