Choosing a roofing material for your home isn’t so simple any more. As in many other industries, technology is expanding the choices available to home roofing contractors. And that’s great news here in the Midwest, where harsh winters, strong storms and brutal summer heat can put a lot of stress on your home.
Here are some popular options for roofing materials and the benefits of each:
Slate Tiles: It might be hard to imagine now with temperatures almost in the triple digits, but it’ll be snowing, no doubt heavily, within four months. Snow and cold can present a challenge for many types of roofs, but not slate tiles. Slate has a very long lifespan however; can be expensive when compared with other roofing materials.
Fake Slate: The industry is getting so good at making composite material shakes that they are beginning to look exactly like the real thing. Composite roofing materials weigh only about as much as asphalt, so there’s no need to beef up the roof structure. Fake slate is still relatively costly, though not nearly as expensive to buy and install as slate.
Asphalt: The old standby in the roofing business, this is still the most popular choice and the least expensive one—though for most roof types, this material works just fine. The sand-like granules in asphalt shingles may help your roof shed snow and ice during the winter. Laminated shingles, also known as “architectural” or “dimensional” shingles, are layered, and their thickness and depth make them look more like slate or wood shakes. These are becoming increasingly popular, partly due to falling prices.
Metal: Metal roofing materials include: steel, aluminum, copper, and alloy strips. Copper is especially beautiful—over time, it acquires a stunning green color—but can be expensive. Roofing contractors prefer metal roofs because they’re easy to install and they’re ultra-light weight – about half that of asphalt.
Wood: Once avoided because of fire danger, wooden shakes can now be treated to minimize such risks. This roofing material is also environmentally correct and because wood shingles shift in color over time, no two wood-shingled houses look exactly alike. Finally, wood shingles will provide an extra layer of insulation for your attic.
Of course, not every type of roofing material works on every house. If you’re having a dilemma, Storm Group Roofing is ready to walk you through the many choices and make a recommendation. Call us anytime at (612) 559-2449 to get started!
