When choosing a roofing material, many homeowners consider its longevity and durability. If you are investing in such a large project, you want a roof that will protect your home well for a long time. But when it comes time to choose a material for roof replacement, there are multiple factors to consider.
While longevity is important, it’s not everything you need to research. The material’s quality and durability, along with your design goals, will impact what type of roofing material you’ll want to invest in. If you are looking to sell your home within the next five years, you may also want to consider a popular roofing material that homeowners look for. After all, roofs do contribute majorly to the exterior look of a home and have the potential to greatly increase curb appeal. Before you make a big decision like this, let’s go over some common questions related to roof replacement.
What Impacts A Roof’s Longevity?
Weather
Different locations will expose roofs to harsher weather conditions. For example, if your roof is in a humid climate, it may be susceptible to higher water damage. Certain roofing materials don’t do well in harsher climates, which means that it’s important to research which roofing material is best for your climate before installation.
Maintenance
The amount of maintenance you perform on your roof will help determine its longevity. Annual inspections can catch roof leaks and other potential issues. Missing or damaged flashing and shingles can be replaced as well. If you’re consistent with roof maintenance, it should greatly improve your roof’s longevity.
Correct Installation
Another important factor contributing to a roof’s longevity is the roof installation. Roofing companies who skip crucial steps just to get the job done will create roofs prone to easy damage. It’s also important that when you do need roof repairs, your roof company handles repairs with professionalism and attention to detail. At Perimeter Roofing, our team is well-trained to handle both roof installation and repair with perfection and efficiency. You can count on us to get the job done right the first time.
What Are the Longest Lasting Roofing Materials?
Slate
Slate is the longest lasting roofing material, with a history of lasting over 150 years. This roofing material is a type of stone that’s laid directly on top of the roof. It’s heavy, extremely durable, and resistant to mold and warping. Slate is a very beautiful material, with its traditional, historic design that entices homeowners. One downside to slate is its extremely heavy weight. You have to be careful about putting a slate roof onto a home, because not every home can support the intense weight. It may even require extra trusses. There’s also the cost to consider. Slate has a long life expectancy and is a premium material, which means it’s going to be very expensive.
Concrete
Concrete is a common roofing material, which comes in a variety of shapes and colors. Concrete can replicate other roofing materials, like slate. It’s fire resistant and also very durable. Cement is also very heavy, which means the roof’s underlayment needs to be very strong.
Clay
Clay is another long-lasting roofing material, with a long history of use. Baked clay can be used on homes, as well as clay tiles. Clay tiles can come in a variety of styles and color choices.
What’s the Best Roofing Material?
While these three materials are extremely long-lasting, they do come with disadvantages. Their high price tags and heavy weight means they won’t be a good fit for every home. When considering your roof material, just going for longevity may not be the right choice. You’ll want to consider the roofing material cost, design, and construction. More common roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles, are a cheaper alternative and will last about 10-20 years. Or, architectural asphalt shingles have an average of 30 years, with wood shingles lasting 30 years as well. Metal roofing materials can last anywhere from 40-80 years. These are all great options, which are cheaper roofing materials that will protect your home and still last a long time.
At the end of the day, there is no one best roofing material. Every roofing type has its benefits and pitfalls. If you’d like to learn more about what roofing material would best suit the needs of your home or business, reach out to us.
Roof Installation Near You
If you’re considering a roof replacement or installation, Perimeter Roofing is the team for you! With an excellent team of experienced roofing professionals, we’re ready to take on any roof installation project. Reach out to us today with any roofing material questions! We offer roof replacement and repair in Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama.