Choosing the Ideal Roof Material for Your Home

The roof is a home’s first line of defense against the weather and other natural elements; home builders believe in the convention that a house can only be as good as the roof above its ceiling. Roofs actually do more than just protect the home; they also contribute to the overall exterior beauty of the structure. The single most prominent feature you can see from a distance is a roof; and you can tell a lot about the inside of a house just by looking at how well a roof fits above it.

Advances in materials technology have led to the availability of more roofing materials for today’s homes. The quality of each roofing material can be compared based on insulation, weight, and environmental sustainability. Listed here are the four general classifications of these materials:

Asphalt shingles – Most homes in the United States are installed with asphalt shingles mainly because they are the least expensive and they come in many shades to match different home designs. They are easy to install and to replace when worn out. However, they have low insulation properties, and are the least environmentally sustainable because they are petroleum-based.

Wood – This traditional material gives homes an earthy look and feel, and they are a green choice because of its natural source. Wooden roofs provide better insulation than asphalt roofs. The downside of wooden roofs is they are expensive and difficult to install, and special attention is required to prevent rotting, splits, molds, and mildew.

Tiles – Slate, concrete, ceramics, and fiber-composites are some of the tile materials used in roofing Michigan homes. Tiles are virtually fireproof, have high insulation properties and low water absorption indexes. Some tile materials like slate are heavy and can outlast the houses they roof, and break when stepped on. Most tile materials are environment-friendly choices, but are generally expensive and difficult to maintain.

Metal – The use of steel, aluminum, and copper in roofing Grand Rapids homes reflects the modernity and industrial culture of the city. Metal roofs are lightweight, low maintenance, highly durable, and environmentally sustainable choices. The disadvantages of this roof type are the high costs of the materials and installation and the need to repaint when color chips off.

You can read more about roofing materials from housedesigners.com and homerenovations.about.com. These resources contain articles with more in-depth information about the different roofing materials and how they compare to each another. If you like to have your roof fixed or replaced, you can go to a reputable Grand Rapids roofing contractor and ask for a quote.

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