Home Roofing – Choosing the Right Roofing Material
For people who are thinking about changing over to a metal roof for their home, you will find that there is a lot of choice here. You have the traditional wood roofs, then the metal roofs, and you have asphalt shingles. These are all well and good, but if you want something that will last you a while and that can be easy to maintain, you will find that metal roofs are your best bet. Before you take a look at the different types of materials, though, it will help for you to understand why this type of roofing is better than others.
Homeowners who are looking for roofing materials that are greener are going to find that a lot of these choices involve composite shingles. These are made from recycled materials, and so they are considered to be green roofing. If you are worried about saving the environment, then this might be the right choice for you. However, you should know that there is some controversy surrounding these so-called green roofs, and you should take them with a grain of salt.
One reason that there is some doubt regarding green roofs is that they are thought to be less durable than traditional asphalt shingles. Of course, this may not mean anything to some homeowners, but asphalt shingle roofs are actually much more durable than they look. These roofs are designed to be extremely strong and to stand up to some abuse. They are also, though, the least expensive roofing material to install, so this is definitely a positive point on their own. In fact, it is because of this that they are typically considered to be a green roof, since they help the environment to a great extent.
Home roofing materials have different levels of strength. They can be very light and easy to install, or they can be very heavy and sturdy. In the case of asphalt shingles, they are usually light and do not cost very much, so they are considered to be the least expensive roofing material to install. However, they can crack, and because they are commonly used for commercial applications, they can be leaking and have parts that are not intact at all times. This means that you could have a faulty installation and very little to no repair involved.
Green roofing material, on the other hand, would be considered a premium roofing material. The asphalt that is used in these installations is harvested from waste material, meaning that there is little waste from this application. This, in turn, makes it very easy for companies to recycle the materials when they are no longer needed, meaning that it is very easy to ensure that you have less waste when installing these types of roofs. This reduces the need for as much recycling and helps to keep the costs of the roofing material down as well. Therefore, while it is true that you may not get as many years out of an asphalt roofing material, it is definitely an investment that will give you more than a lifespan of five to ten years.
Lastly, you will find that there are some benefits to using mineral granules for your Home Roofing. These granules are easier to install than rolls or shingles, since they are all pre-made and require little to no extra effort on your part to install them. They do have their drawbacks, however, such as having to cut them down and replace them after they break down. Also, because these roofs are so easy to install, you will find that you spend less time repairing damage from heavy snow and rain, and they are more fire resistant than rolled roofing material.