When it comes to the various types of roofing available to protect your home, you have many options. Some people think they are limited to the different types, and a lot of it depends on what your climate is where you live, what types of elements you plan on your home enduring, as well as how energy efficient a certain type of shingle can actually make your home be. In this guide, we’ll explain a little bit about the different types of roofing available for purchase.
The Four Most Common Types
Here are the four most common types of roofing that you’ll find for homes:
Asphalt shingles are the most common style of shingle out there. There are numerous types of asphalt shingles available, and they can come in various levels of color and themes. You can choose fiberglass, organic, three-tab, or architectural shingles (there are more types than this however, and each style has its perks, as well as their own individual downsides). With asphalt shingles, these are the most common shingles, and can be the least expensive in the bunch.
Tiling is mainly the type of shingle you’ll look for when it comes for perfect class and luxury style. They can be made in different shapes (there are many homes that use rounded tile shapes) and they’re often ceramic and made in lighter colors to insulate your home and keep your house cool. If you have a Spanish style home, you’ll often see these on top of it. They also have a better lifespan than traditional asphalt shingles, but they come with a nice price tag attached to it. They can also be too heavy for your regular roof unless it’s reinforced.
Wooden Shingles are commonly used instead of tile shingles because they’re more durable than asphalt shingles (especially if they’re treated), and they can last a little longer than asphalt, though not quite as long as tile shingles. The biggest downside is that they’re more likely to catch fire than any other type of shingles (including asphalt). So if you plan on shooting fireworks, you may not want to shoot them over your home.
Steel or Tin Roofing
Most of the time, the homes you see with metal roofs are generally flat, or closer to a low pitch when it comes to the roof. You can get a low-galvanized steel, tin, aluminum, and even copper, which helps with the cost a lot, and it can actually last almost as long as a tile roof. The only downside is that when there’s hail or extremely heavy rain, you may have more noise unless your attic is heavily insulated. Metal roofs are still prone to the same problems as other roofs, but they’re much easier to maintain.
Conclusion
While these aren’t the only options. You also have the availability of buying slate shingles, but they’re generally a lot more expensive than other types of shingles out there. When it comes to picking the right shingle for your home, you need to think about the weather you’ll have to face, and sometimes even come to grips with the fact that your actual roof’s frame may not be able to handle a heavier material on it. Otherwise, you may need to do some reinforcement to avoid architectural problems or possible cave-in.