With a lot of roofing contractors around your area, I’m sure you have been searching for the cheapest roofing material that they can offer. But, if you think about it, choosing the cheapest roofing material might not last long. So instead of saving for cheap roofings, you get to spend more because of replacing them from time to time. Roofing in Dublin GA would advise settling on those types of roofing that are durable and efficient.
When it comes to the topic of roofing, no one looks forward to a five-figure plus build. As a result, longevity plays a crucial role for most of the homeowners we do business with when it comes to renewing or re-roofing their homes. However, do you consider investing in something that is worth a penny? It’s only natural to want to get the longest value for the money invested today, so we’ve laid out the top 5 roofing materials to get the absolute longest life span to help you make your decision.
The Classic Composite Shingle Roof
The average life is 15 to 25 years, depending on install and shingle quality. There’s always a race between cost and longevity. Shingles are relatively cheap to manufacture and are quick to install and as a result, have a great balance between how long they’re going to last and how much they cost.
As a result of this mix, shingle roofs are easily the most popular type of install you’re going to see across America. But this also means that if you’re looking to get the maximum life span out of shingles, you’ve got to invest a little extra into a more premium brand, which will usually back up their materials with up to a 50-year warranty. Cheaply manufactured shingles, on the other hand, could fail within as little as 10 to 15 years, and improperly installed ones can fail within 5 years.
You can increase the longevity of your shingle roof by investing in at least a medium grade shingle and by avoiding acts like power washing your roof (something that happens commonly when people are trying to remove moss), while also making sure to regularly inspect and perform basic maintenance on your roof.
Standing Seam Metal Roofs
It has an average life of 40 to 50 years. Standing seam metal roofs have gained a lot of popularity because of their strength of build, long-lasting life, different look appeal (increasing home values), and the fact that many of them can be produced sustainably and are highly recyclable after the roof has worn out in half a century (versus taking up more space in the dump with a high degrade time like asphalt).
However, metal roofs come with a specialty kind of install and not all roofing companies are able to properly install standing seams, so you’re going to have to pay extra attention to the vetting process of your contractors and make sure they have proper credentials and a good history of installation.
Once a metal roof is in place, it doesn’t require as much maintenance as other options, though it will benefit from you walking on the roof somewhat regularly to check for any sealant failures and checking for any bent or damaged panels. Just make sure you don’t walk on the roof too regularly because this can cause problems as well.
Clay Tile Roofs
Spanish Style Clay Tiles has an average lifespan of 100 years. Tile roofs have been used for centuries and are iconic to the southwest and there are many historic Spanish tile roofs that have been standing for over 100 years that are still in good shape.
However, stylistically Spanish clay tiles often don’t fit much with the Northeastern aesthetic (although there are shingle style options available), being heavier on the wood, metal, and steel architectural styles. Clay tiles are best suited for homes that are designed to be Mediterranean, Mission, Spanish-style, or Southwestern style. Plus, they are a very heavy install – weighing much more than metal or shingles, this often means that you’ll have to invest a few extra bucks to reinforce the frame (add additional framing) of your home.
Shingle Style Clay Roof Tiles More Suitable to the Northeast. The one real drawback behind tile roofs is that they can crack, which is what usually spells the end for longevity (at least for the affected tiles). So you’ll have to keep on top of replacing cracked and broken tiles, and you won’t want to spend much time walking on them.
Wood Shake Shingles
Lasts anywhere between 35 and 40 years. Compared to asphalt shingles, Wood Shakes last significantly longer on average because they are much thicker than the average asphalt shingle. The thicker the shakes the longer it will last and the more it will resist damage from the sun from harmful UV rays (which degrade materials steadily over time and are the leading cause behind materials degrading).
However, one drawback is you can’t really sit there and forget about your shake roof. It will require more maintenance and it has a tendency to like to be babied. You’ll have to regularly remove any debris that accumulates between shingles and eliminate moss as soon as it appears, plus replace any that happens to split immediately.
Slate Roofs
Topping the list is the iconic slate roof, especially if we’re talking about homes around the Capital Region. They fit the aesthetic of the area, are extremely well suited to Colonial, European and French Chateau-designed homes, and have an extremely beautiful, distinctive appearance.
But the real kicker is you get all of that on top of the biggest benefit is its average lifespan is over 100 years! Slate is so incredibly durable that it makes it seem like every other roofing material is like having a tarp over your head. There are still slate roofs working properly and in good condition from the 1600s! That truly makes slate the only true “forever roof.” that currently exists. One of the reasons why it’s so durable is that Slate roofs are actual real stones that are laid down very thickly on top of the roof.
However, just like with slate you will have to invest in extra framing to make sure that your home can support the tiles properly and not buckle underneath the added weight, which is especially important considering the extra weight that regular snowstorms add to a given roof any given year around Albany and Saratoga.
The biggest disadvantage to a slate roof isn’t necessarily the materials themselves, but rather the cost. It can easily be $600 a square in material cost, so a lot of the time it’s not well suited to a strict budget.