What to consider when choosing a roofing material?

Your home is one of the biggest investments you can ever make in your life. Hence, it is just right to keep it in perfect shape at all times. Protecting your home starts with choosing the right roofing material. If you are going to search around, you will notice that there are so many types of roofing materials to choose from. To narrow down your choice, you should consider the following:

• Cost – One of the most important considerations is the cost of the roofing material. The cost varies depending on the type. Of course, you can only buy what you can afford. So, check beforehand how much are you willing to spend on the roofing material.
• Weight – different types of roofing materials weigh differently. Hence, the weight of the material is an important factor to consider as it could affect the structural integrity of your home.
• Weather – The climate in your area can significantly affect the condition of your roof. If you are living in a place with a humid climate, then you have to choose a roofing material that is heat-resistant. The same thing goes in areas with unforgiving winter. A professional roofer can help you distinguish which roofing material works best.
• Color – Gone are the days when the roofing color selection is limited. Today, you can find a huge array of color for your roof. The more color choices, the better the aesthetic appeal will be.
• Care and maintenance – the roof needs tender loving care, especially if it is made from delicate materials. How much time are you willing to spend on caring for and maintaining your roof. A roofing material such as metals needs regular up keeping.
• Aesthetic appeal – You have to consider the visual appeal of your roof. Hence, it is important to choose a roofing material that is aesthetically appealing. If you want a traditional appeal, then you can go for asphalt shingles. There are also other materials for your desired visual appeal such as modern roofing materials, industrial, and classic.
• Life cycle cost – It pertains to the total cost of owning and maintaining your roof throughout its entire lifespan. To know more about the life cycle cost of your roof, you need to ask the advice of a roofing expert.
• Durability – Choose a roofing material that is durable enough to withstand harsh weather condition. A roofing expert can help you choose the most durable roofing material.
• Architectural style of your home – The architectural structure of your home plays a huge role when choosing a roofing material.
• Roofing application – Where are you going to apply the roofing materials? Is it for a brand new structure? Is it to replace an old roof? Is it an addition to an already existing roof? If you are going to use the roofing material to a new structure, then you will have a huge array of option. If you are going to add it to the existing roof, then you need to match the material with the existing roofing material. Hence, making your roofing material selection limited.
• Ownership – Many homeowners consider roofing expenses as an investment. If you are thinking of reselling your home when the time comes, then you need to invest in high-quality roofing materials. As you know, the roofing structure can increase the resale value of your home. If it is not made from the best roofing material, then the value of your home will depreciate, especially if you are going to sell your home after 20 years or so.
• Consider the building code – Working with the roof entails following the building code in your area. There might be some restrictions that will hinder you from installing some types of roof.
• Municipal requirements and residential community requirements – aside from the building code, some municipalities have their building requirements too. They have certain type and the grade of roof that needs to be followed. Those who are living in a private community do need to adhere to the building covenant.
• Consider your surroundings – Another important thing that you should not forget to consider is your surrounding environment. Some conditions that can affect the durability and longevity of your roof includes algae, mold, and mildew. They can appear on your roof if you live in a surrounding with trees over your roof or living in an oceanfront view. A humid climate can affect your roofing material too. Therefore, it is important to choose a roof that can handle any harsh environmental situations.
• Functions – the pitch of the roof can greatly affect the type of roofing materials. For instance, if you have a steep roof pitch, the ideal roofing material would be cedar shake or shingle. Avoid using wood as it sheds water faster. If your existing roof has a lot of corners or edges, then the most appropriate roofing material is slate. Why? Well, slate can be cut in various shapes and sizes. So, using such material would be beneficial as you can easily match it to the architectural features of your home.
• Energy efficiency – The cost of energy consumption continues to soar high and so homeowners are looking for ways to cut down the cost of energy. One way of doing so is by using the right roofing material. Roofing materials that have energy-saving properties are a bit expensive than the regular roofing materials but you will surely get your money’s worth. You will enjoy the saving in the long run. Aside from helping you save energy, you are also doing something good for the environment.

As you can see, choosing the right roofing materials is not that difficult. Although, there is a lot of things that need to be considered, most of them are common sense. The things mentioned above are just some of the things you need to keep in mind when choosing a roofing material. There is a lot more. To increase your chances of finding the right roofing material, you need to consult a roofing professional.

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