Whether you’re living in a coastal town, in the mountains, in the hustle and bustle of the city or even in your quiet farm home, our homes are never complete without a sturdy and long-lasting roof. For thousands of years, roofs have been an important part of any household. Not only do roofs increase the aesthetic value of your home, it also provides the much-needed protection again flowing rain, snow, strong winds, and sometimes even hailstorms. Without a roof, our home would have a significantly lower life expectancy as the elements of nature will compromise the integrity of our home’s foundations.
Just like any building material that we use for our home’s foundations, roofs use special types of roofing materials and equipment that’s tailored towards resisting water damage and high winds.
In this article, we’ll be discussing in detail all the things that you need to know about roofing, roofing materials, maintenance, replacements, and the various factors that you have to consider.
The most important part of any roof is the roofing material that usually comprises the majority of the roof’s body. You can find a plethora of different roofing materials in the market and most of them have their own unique characteristics and designs. Moreover, each roofing material that you’ll find in your local builder’s depot will fair well on certain weather conditions. We’ll be discussing it in detail in this section.
Over ⅔ of the residential homes in this country have asphalt shingles as their roofing material. Not only is this material easily manufactured and readily available in your local builder’s depot, it can also withstand heavy rain, snow, and sometimes even strong winds.
One of the downsides to asphalt shingles is that it has a limited lifespan and it most are quite susceptible to high winds. Roofing specialists also have to tread lightly on asphalt shingles since it’s also vulnerable to collapsing from weight and impacts. If you’re living in an area that has a mild weather, then asphalt shingles are one of the better choices.
Architectural shingles were the answer to the somewhat fragile nature of asphalt shingles. The composite nature of mineral granules being incorporated towards the matrix gives architectural shingles more overall durability and longevity. Architectural shingles have a lifespan of around 25 – 35 years.
Wooden shingles are quite prevalent in homes that are situated in colder and wetter climates. Since the colonial era, wooden shakes and shingles have been the best choice in protecting homes from snow and retaining much-needed heat.
Wooden shakes are generally thicker in terms of width and have longer lifespans. Since shakes are thicker, they provide more insulation to your roof.
Metal roofings are one of the most highly sought after materials that you can find in the market. Not only does it have a lifespan of around 40 – 50 years, it also can withstand some of the strongest winds recorded in the United States. The only downside to metal roofing is that it does not fair well on high pitched roofs.
Flat roofs tend to use specialized materials that have different characteristics than conventional roofing designs. EPDM and other rubber roofing materials tend to be cost-effective. You’ll be spending around $5.00 to $8.00 for every square foot for higher quality materials.
When choosing the right roofing material, you have to weigh in on certain factors. There are certain roofing materials that fair better on certain conditions. Just because a product is expensive and does have high quality, it will not guarantee that it will fair well on certain weather conditions. Metal roofing tend to be great for colder climates since it can let water flow without any resistance, resists the effects of ice dams and can withstand strong winds. Clay shingles tend to be effective on warmer climates since it can deflect excess heat from the roof and does not crack easily when exposed to extreme temperatures.
Since each roofing material has its own unique characteristics and manufacturing process, each has its own life expectancy. There are also certain factors that influence the lifespan of certain products and materials. If you’re going to place fragile and low-quality shingles on areas that are prone to high winds, then the lifespan will significantly decrease due to harsh weather conditions.
At the end of the day, having the right roofing material for the right conditions and factors will definitely extend the lifespan of your roof. It’s always a good choice to perform regular maintenance since this will provide you with a good glimpse of the overall health of your roofing Randolph NJ. If you’re not confident in your roofing skills, no worries, there’s also a roofing contractor ready to help you out in any situation that you find yourself in.
You can give us a ring or reach us via our contact form by clicking here.
Contact Us