Various Roof Types To Accommodate Your Needs
In any case, now that weve covered various roof types. Some specific applicable cases in which certain roofs are better than others. Established a checklist for choosing the best shingles for you. And provided examples of the top-rated roofing shingles.
You are well on your way to choosing the best type of roofing for you. Keep in mind that the best roof is the one that accommodates your needs. Climate, budget, and house.
Regardless of the type of roofing, there is always a chance of it getting damaged. Roofing can be expensive, so make sure that you have proper insurance and coverage to protect you from unseen expenses.
To find out whats best in your area, check out our roofer locator to help you find the best contractor in your area.
Determining The Right Roofing Material For Your Home
At the end of the day, determining which roofing material is right for you comes down to personal preference and your budget. There are times where certain roofing materials will provide a distinct benefit you should take advantage of, but for the most part, it boils down to what you want and what you can afford. Determining the actual cost depends on how long you plan to be in your home. For instance, a metal roof costs more per square foot than an asphalt roof. However, the metal roof will long outlast the asphalt roof, ultimately making it cost less in the long run. The upfront cost may be higher, but if you take advantage of the metal roofs full lifespan, youll come out money ahead.
First American Roofing knows roofs. With our GAF Master Elite® Contractor certification, we can guarantee you will get the most knowledgeable, professional contractors you can find. We want all your questions answered and to get you the roof you want and need. For more information or to get a free quote and assessment, contact First American Roofing. Give us a call at or email us at
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What Are The Top Rated Roofing Shingles
In some cases, top-rated does not equal the best. So before we take a look at the top-rated, lets remind you of a roofing checklist to help you decide.
Now that you know how to choose the best shingle for you lets take a look at the top-rated roofing shingle.
Using an Instron machine, which tests and determines how the strength and quality of a roof perform over time. And by simulating extreme weather conditions, and testing the thickest part of every shingle a consumer report has established these top-rated roofing shingles:
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Choosing The Right Roofer For The Job
No matter how much you spend on roofing materials, the project will only turn out well if you hire a great contractor. Finding a good contractor is the hardest part of home renovation projects for most homeowners. Nevertheless, its essential to find an honest, trustworthy professional contractor.
Talk to friends and family members to find a great local contractor. By asking for word-of-mouth referrals, youre less likely to end up dealing with an unscrupulous service provider.
Youre also more likely to find a trustworthy service provider if you stick to contractors in your community. Also, local contractors are familiar with municipal regulations. They also have established relationships with local suppliers and laborers.
As you search for a contractor, look for a service provider with a manufacturers designation. This accreditation indicates that a service provider has exceptional skills.
Resultantly, a brand is willing to stake its name on the credibility of that particular contractor. GAF, for instance, only awards the top 2% of roofing contractors in each market the status of Master Elite Contractor.
You should also check with the Better Business Bureau . The BBB keeps a record of consumer reviews about local service providers.
The organization also sponsors an accreditation program. A business must maintain fair and ethical business practices for an A+ rating with the BBB.
Standing Seam Metal Roof
The next roofing material is metal roofing. While there are two types of metal roofs, a standing seam metal roof is recommended for residential roofing.
A standing seam metal roof system is a series of metal panels that are locked together at the seams or seamed mechanically. This allows for the metal panels to expand and contract freely when the metal heats up.
While not as common as asphalt, standing seam metal roofing is becoming more and more popular in the roofing industry. However, itll be two to three times more expensive than an asphalt shingle roof.
The great thing about a metal roof is that its a versatile material. While you can get it as a full roof system, homeowners also add a standing seam metal roof accent to their asphalt roof replacement for a covered porch, dormers, flat roof facets, and more.
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In addition to stone-coated steel tiles, it may also be worth exploring standing seam or metal shingles roofing options.
Granted, thera are also Impact-Resistant Class-4 rated asphalt shingles designed to withstand severe hail storms, but most of the asphalt shingle products dont actually come with the hail impact damage warranty.
Class 4 shingles undergo UL 2218 testing to withstand impacts from a simulated 2 hail stone hitting a roof at speeds seen in severe storms without sustaining damage.
However, as you found with Malarkey Shingles that only lasted 5 years before getting damaged by a hail storm, Class 4 hail rating on shingles doesnt translate to the warranty coverage from the asphalt shingle manufacturer.
In fact, Malarkey Roofing Limited Warranty specifically excludes hail storms.
Lastly, there is also a rubber shingle product, Vermont Slate Solid Core by EuroShield Roofing, which comes with the replacement warranty coverage for Hail Impact Damage, regardless of the size of hail stones.
Get Started Planning Your New Roof Today
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Our platform is passionate about helping homeowners. We do our absolute best to find the right company at the right price for your unique needs. For instance, our local contractors can answer any of your questions, from Whats the best color for roof shingles? to Which roofing material brand offers the best value?
Bookmark 5Estimates.com and visit every time you need an expert contractor. After answering a few quick questions, you can sit back and relax and have the right contractors come to you.
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The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Roofing Materials
Advantages of Asphalt Shingle Roofs
- Asphalt 3-tab shingles are one of the most affordable roofing materials. The average cost of asphalt shingle roofing is $1.50 to $5.50 per square foot. Architectural asphalt shingles are also an option at a much higher price point $22 to 28 per square foot.
- Asphalt shingles are affordable to install. They can be applied directly over old shingles, providing the roof deck is in good condition.
- Asphalt shingles are considered Class A fire resistant withstanding a fire burning for up to two hours. If you live in a fire-prone area, discuss roofing options with your contractor as many other roofing types may be superior to asphalt.
- These shingles are readily available at most home improvement stores.
Disadvantages of Asphalt Shingle Roofs
- Asphalt shingles have the shortest life span of the roofing materials mentioned in this post. An asphalt shingle roof should last 15 to 30 years, but other roofing materials can last 50 years or more.
- Asphalt shingles are vulnerable to strong winds, heat, and storm damage.
- While asphalt shingles are recyclable and often used in pavement they are not considered environmentally friendly. Producing these shingles creates a lot of greenhouse gas emissions.
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Advantages of Wood Roofs
Disadvantages of Wood Roofs
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Wood Shakes And Shingles: 30 To 50 Years
Wood roofs have declined in popularity in Arizona over time and the quality of materials has seen a general decrease as well. Still, many homeowners like the aesthetic of a wood shingle roof and prefer it to other roofing options.
- Advantages of Wood Shakes and Shingles: Because wood shake roofs are such a layered system, they have a proven lifespan that can outlive other kinds of roofs if properly maintained.
- Disadvantages of Wood Shakes and Shingles: The main disadvantage of wood roofs is that they are not fire resistant without the addition of special chemicals. Because of this, some municipalities in Arizona have put restrictions on how much a roof can be made of wood shake shingles. Shake roofs can also be attractive to termites if not properly treated. Shake roofs are also expensive compared to other roofing systems.
- Eco-Friendly: Shake roofs are very environmentally friendly as they can be reused after use for various things, such as mulch, or can be converted into pellets for wood burning stoves.
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Cons Of Clay And Concrete Tiles
Difficult to install – Because clay and concrete tiles are heavy and require experienced roofing contractors, it can be difficult to find a skilled installer so none of the roof materials become damaged.
Expensive – The biggest disadvantage of clay and concrete roofing tiles is how expensive they are, which can cost more than ten times the amount of asphalt shingles.
What Is The Best Roof For High Winds
What is the best for winds speeds ranging from 50 mph to 150 mph? No problem with metal roofing. If installed correctly, metal does an exemplary job at keeping water out, and the wind away. A metal roof has a limited amount of seams and overlaps, making wind practically incapacitated when trying to get in.
A metal roofing lasts about 60 years. It excels at mobilizing snow and rain and preventing dampened roofing. This is only possible if the roofing was installed correctly, so an experienced specialist is more important than quality metal roofing.
Depending on the type of metal used, it can be very affordable. As corrosion susceptibility is variable on each type of metal.
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How To Make An Informed Roofing Choice
The EcoWatch team spoke with Todd Miller, a roofing and HVAC expert that has been in the first for over 35 years. Heres what he had to say about eco-friendly roofing materials.
A homes roof provides a lot of things for a home. It provides protection from all types of severe weather, whether that be rainstorms, heat, windstorms, firestorms or snow and ice.
A homes roof can also provide beauty. On a lot of homes, the roof is 50% or sometimes even significantly more of the homes visible exterior, so the roof is a really nice open palette to add beauty and looks to a home.
I think that homeowners are increasingly starting to think about how their roof impacts their homes energy efficiency. Theyre looking at that not only from an operational cost standpoint but from doing the right thing for the environment as well.
And another thing is that oftentimes, a roof is really great real estate to put solar on up on a home. It usually doesnt have as much obstruction and shadowing to it, and its often well-angled for the sun. So, roofs are increasingly thought of as being a great place to locate solar panels or a solar array.
My advice really is to start out by setting your criteria what it is you want to accomplish with your next roof. Once you set those criteria, you can use that to help you go out and use the internet or other resources to find a product that meets those needs.
Copper, which is a fairly high-end roofing material typically has around 35% recycled content.
Breakdown Of Costs By The Material Type And Installation Expenses
Heres the raw data on the cost of each type of roof for the material and installation. In most, there is a range of costs because both materials and installers are available in good/better/best options. You get what you pay for!
All costs below are listed on a per sq.ft. basis:
| Material Cost | |
|---|---|
| Tesla Solar tiles | $25 $45 |
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Roof Materials Rated For Longevity Durability And Cost
Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.
Kelly Bacon is a licensed general contractor with over 40 years of experience in construction, home building and remodeling, and commercial building. He is a member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.
Except for major remodeling projects such as renovating a kitchen or bathroom, installing new roofing is one of the most expensive home improvement repairs that a homeowner ever faces.
As with most home improvement choices, there is a direct relationship between quality and expense, and in the case of roofing, quality usually translates as longevity. With a roof, it rarely makes sense to choose a roofing material based sheerly on price, when spending a little more may give you a roof that lasts for as long as you own the house. A cheap roof is no bargain if it needs to be replaced every three to four years.
| Roof Material |
Regularly Inspect Your Rooftop
Often flat roofs require more effort to maintain than pitched roofs. However, with regular inspections of your rooftop, youll be able to make sure that your roof stays in perfect condition. Luckily, due to the nature of these rooftops, many issues can be spotted when youre on your roof.
Maintenance checks should be done regularly, but especially following a storm. This is when your roof collects debris from the wind, and rain could pool when debris blocks the drain. Unlike pitched roofs, youll need to get onto your roof to survey it. Luckily, getting up there is safer due to the flatness!
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Bipv Solar Shingles And Tiles
BiPV solar shingles and tiles are the newest roofing resource on the scene, made by Tesla in an attempt to revamp the aesthetics of traditional solar panels. These tiles are stylish and eco-friendly, providing complete solar energy for at least 30 years. However, they come at a price of $25-$45 per square foot, making them one of the most expensive options.
Getting The Best Materials For Your Home
As you can see, a lot goes into giving you a strong roofing system. Between the amazing roofing material options and choosing the best quality roofing elements, you could be well on your way to a solid roof for years and years.
Once you have found the best materials for your home, you need to find a quality contractor to install them all correctly. Thankfully, First American Roofing knows roofing, and we would love to work with you! Give us a call today to get started with your free quote!
If you want to know even more about different types of roofing and roofing materials, click here. And to get started on your new roof installation, contact us today!
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Which Is The Best Type Of Roofing House Digest Survey
There is no denying that the roof is one of the most important features of your home it protects your house and the people within it from all types of weather such as rainfall, weighty snow, and strong winds. If areas of a roof are not properly built or maintained, however, then that could lead to water seeping inside. This can damage a home’s structural integrity and possibly allow mold to grow, which could lead to health complications for yourself or loved ones, according to Muskoka Region. Your roof is also where important wires and ventilation can run their path through in order to get to the rest of the house. Additionally, a well-built roof can help to conserve energy instead of allowing warm or cool air to escape through any gaps or weak spots.
To avoid these types of ruin to your home it’s crucial to have a sturdy roof over your head. But with so many different kinds of materials available, how do you know which one is the best option? What type of roof you choose could depend on your budget, the size of your home, and what sort of environment you reside in. However, with the average cost of a new roof hovering in the area of $8,000, according to Forbes, you want to be absolutely sure that you are making the right decision. In a House Digest survey, we asked 606 people, “Which type of roofing do you prefer?” Here are the results.
Pros Of Asphalt Shingles
Cost-effective– While asphalt shingles can become an expensive roofing choice depending on the brand and weather conditions of your climate zone, they remain a more cost-effective roofing option than slate tiles or a metal roof. Asphalt shingles can also be made to mimic the appearance of more expensive materials like cedar shakes, wood shingles, or natural slate, which will give you a more sophisticated look at half the price.
Fire-resistant– Out on the west coast where wildfires are a major issue, its important to install roofing products that are resistant to fire and high winds. Thanks to its fiberglass mat and ceramic granules, asphalt roofing shingles typically carry a Class A fire rating, which determines how quickly a material burns. Class A is the highest rating a roof can receive.
Easy to install – One of the major advantages of asphalt shingles is how easy it is to install them. Because theyre so lightweight, require basic tools, and can even be installed over existing shingles, most roofers can complete the job within a couple of days.
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