roofing materials
The roof, besides its basic function of covering your head, protects
your home from the elements. Different roofing materials provide
different quality and durability.
While choosing roof materials take into consideration the light it will
be able to refract or allow to enter into the rooms. Including
polycarbonate in your material will allow light penetration in addition
to protecting your roof against UV light and against harsh weather.
Asphalt is an economic roofing material. It is a preferable material for
sloping roofs. Roofing granules embedded into the shingles protects the
asphalt from the UV rays. Composition shingles is another popular
roofing. It is a higher breed of asphalt or fiberglass. They need low
maintenance and can be nailed to the roof. They allow you to walk on
them and the higher quality shingles even provide fire protection of
Class A. However they are not pleasing to the eye and are not as durable
as tile or metal.
Wood gives a timeless essence to your roof. It insulates the immediate
loft below it. Air is allowed to circulate through the small openings in
the felt over which wooden shingles are placed. Thus letting your home
breathe. But maintenance is high on wood. It is susceptible to insects,
mold and rotting.
Tile is a favourite option as it is sturdy and remains in tact for
decades. Damaged ones can be easily replaceable. Today a variety of
colours are available that make the tiled roof more appealing. Colour is
added to the tile and hence wares off after a while. Tile does not rot
and is fire resistant and require negligible maintenance. The only
drawback is its weight. Sometimes extra roof support is required to
carry its weight. Due to its excessive heaviness, instead of clay
lighter materials are now used to make the tile lighter.
Slate offers advantages similar to that of tile. Long lasting,
fire resistant, rot and insect resistant. It is available in a variety
of natural colors and can be laid down in different patterns. Concrete
is another viable roofing material. But the ingredients of concrete
include recyclable products or polished plastics and metals. However
concrete is known to stand the test of time. It offers resistance
against fire and corrosion.
Being economical in purchasing roof materials is wise. But at the same
time understand the material you are selecting. There is a misconception
that the roof is to last forever. Any roofing requires repairs after 10
years at least. Today various materials are available from natural straw
to man made plastics. Sod is used in some energy efficient homes.
Selecting the right roofing material will provide more light, more
cooling indirectly reducing energy bills.
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