ROOF REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR

What most homeowners desire is a roof that’s not too expensive, requires no maintenance, and lasts forever. But most roofs need replacement – or at least repair – every ten years. By carefully choosing your home’s roofing material, you can reduce the cost of roof replacement.

You can realize the environmental benefits by selecting a light-colored surface or a material that doesn’t absorb heat from the sun, you significantly reduce your home’s cooling needs. When your attic stays cooler, your cooling bills go down.

When it comes to roofing, there are a wide variety of choices including Composition Shingles, Wood Shakes, Slate, Clay or Concrete Tile and Metal. There are also many modern products like plastic and fiberglass. Many innovative products have been developed to overcome the shortcomings of older roofing materials, meet the demands of modern building techniques, and conform to increasingly stringent building codes.

Composition shingles are an excellent choice for a clean look at an affordable price.  They come in a large selection of types, brands and colors. Versatile, they adapt easily to different applications. They are relatively easy to install, and in some applications can be nailed in place over an existing roof. They require low maintenance and can be walked on without damaging the material. Higher-quality versions are made from asphalt or fiberglass shingles. Their cost is offset by their outstanding durability.  Most brands offer Class A fire protection and are composed of recycled materials.

Wood shakes offer a natural look with a lot of character. Because of variations like color, width, thickness, or cut of the wood, no two shake roofs will ever be the same.  Many companies offer pressure-treated shakes that are impregnated with fire retardant and meet national fire safety standards. This pressure treating extends the life of wood shingles and provides better fire safety performance.  Installing wood shakes is more complicated than roofing with composite shingles, and the quality of finished roof depends on the experience of the contractor as well as the caliber of the shakes you use.

Clay roofing tile is a good choice for homes with a southwestern, Italian, or Spanish Mission design, or even for homes with a modern, clean look.  Clay tile lasts a long time.  Tile won’t rot or burn, and it can’t be harmed by insects. It requires little maintenance, and comes in a variety of colors, types, styles and brands. Most modern tile is kiln-fired into the tile making the color permanent.  Initial installation can be more complicated and expensive than other roofing materials for a couple of reasons.  Tile can cost more than other roofing materials and Due to it’s weight, extra roof support may be required.

Slate is actually slivers of rock formed into shingle-like pieces.  Slate is another roofing material that shows up on more upscale homes. Although slate is an expensive choice, it offers a very natural look and can be laid out in a variety of patterns.  The benefits of slate are identical to those of tile: a very long lifespan, good fire protection, low maintenance, and an invulnerably to rot and insects. It comes in an wide variety of sizes and colors. Like tile, slate can be very heavy, sometimes requiring expensive extra support.

Concrete tile is now a roofing material. Shingles, simulated wood shakes, lighter-weight tiles and concrete panels are being manufactured from a variety of fiber-reinforced cement products. Some are coated with plastics, enamels, or thin metals, and some contain recycled material.  Concrete tile generally has a long lifespan, requires low maintenance, offers good fire protection and is resistant to rot and insects. Many tiles mimic the appearance of wood shakes, clay tile and slate.  Style and color choices are expanding, and by mixing the cement with additives, manufacturers and making lighter and lighter products.

Metal roofs are becoming increasingly popular again.  Standing-seam steel roofing is the most popular residential metal roofing today.  But metal roofs can also be made to resemble wood shakes, clay tiles, shingles, and Victorian metal tiles.  Metal roofs are durable, fire retardant and almost maintenance-free. They are also energy efficient; metal reflects heat and blocks its transfer into the attic.   Steel roofs offer other environmental benefits as well. They are made from between 60 percent to 65 percent recyclable material. Because they weigh very little, metal roofing can be installed over existing roofs, eliminating the need to dispose of excess material in a landfill.

If you are looking for a professional roof replacement or repair contractor, HomeImprovementBids.com can help connect you to Pre-Screened contractors!