6 Best Roofing Materials Ranked by Durability and Cost
When choosing a new roofer in Cape Cod for your home, the most important factors to consider are longevity, cost, durability, energy efficiency, and sustainability of the materials that you choose. All of these elements apprise one another. For example, the durability of your roofing material or how well it holds up during severe weather. This is ultimately going to affect its longevity. The energy efficiency is going to inform the overall cost—if you choose a cheaper roofing material that is not very energy efficient, your electric bills will be higher.
While the material is incredibly mportant, correct installation can make or break your roof. Although DIY projects can be fun and cost-effective, don’t install your own roof unless you’re a trained expert. It’s also in your best interest to consult an expert before you purchase your material. You will need to consider the slope of your roof, the style of your home, and what roofing material is best for your climate. These are the six most popular roofing materials ranked here by longevity and cost. Use this guide to consider the unique advantages of each and choose the right roof for your home.
1. Asphalt Shingles
Asphalt shingles will last for about 15–30 years. They are, far and away, the most popular roofing material because of their cost-effectiveness. When it comes to durability, though, be careful. Never choose the cheapest asphalt shingles, even if cost is a major issue for you. Look for shingles that have a decent hail rating, a good indicator of impact resistance, and overall durability. we are the no 1 roofer in cape cod.
Roofing material manufacturers are not legally required to report their hail rating, so if you don’t see one, this isn’t a good sign. Hail rating is particularly important with asphalt shingles. Because they’re so common, their qualityanges wildly. Unfortunately, asphalt is a petroleum-based material. This means that it’s not the most sustainable roofing material option available. Fortunately, asphalt shingles are recyclable—just find a local shingle recycling center and they’ll ensure that your asphalt shingles don’t end up in a landfill.
2. Wooden shingles and shakes ($$)
This roofing material should last between 30 and 50 years. Wood shingles are typically made of fire-resistant woods such as cedar or redwood. While they last longer than asphalt shingles, they are not as durable. Although they are fire-resistant (and can be sprayed with a fire retardant), they are not fireproof. Wood shingles and shakes are also prone to cracking, so keep your eye out for a manufacturer with a good hail rating.
When it comes to energy efficiency, wood is a natural insulator—wood shingles are naturally about two times as efficient as asphalt shingles. And because they’re 100% natural, asphalt shingles are one of the most sustainable roofing materials on the market.
3. Metal ($$)
Metal roofing materials will ast about 30–50 years. Made of steel, copper, zinc alloy, or aluminum, metal roofs are slightly more expensive than their asphalt and wood counterparts. That said, they are significantly more durable.
Metal roofs are impact resistant and will serve you well in inclement weather (plus, the sound of rain on a metal roof is wonderful). Also, they need a lot less maintenance than most roofing materials. They are very energy efficient—while asphalt shingles tend to hover around the outside temperature (whether high or low), metal roofs act as a natural insulator. This keeps your home cooler during warm weather and warmer during cold weather. If you want the best metal roof in cape cod we are the best roofer in cape cod.
They are very energy efficient—while asphalt shingles tend to hover around the outside temperature (whether high or low), metal roofs act as a natural insulator.
4. Plastic Polymer ($$$)
Plastic polymer roofs will last for 50+ years and are an incredibly durable roofing material. Polymer roofing shingles are created to look like slate or wood shingles, but they require significantly less maintenance. Plastic polymer roofs have high hail ratings and they’ll hold up well in inclement weather. Unfortunately, they’re so durable because plastics are built to last, which makes them uniquely unsustainable.
If you decide to use plastic polymer, look for manufacturers that use recycled materials. That said, they are very energy efficient. Plastic roofs, like metal roofs, reflect energy rather than absorb it. This will keep your home cooler during the summer and warmer in the winter. Corey and Corey is the best roofer in cape cod.
5. Slate ($$$$)
A roof made from slate can last as long as 75–150 years. One of the oldest roofing materials, slate is also one of the most expensive. When it comes to durability, slate stands out from the competition. It’s both fireproof and virtually invincible in most inclement weather. Note that installation should be carefully executed—slate tiles can crack under the weight of the average person.
Slate is one of the most expensive materials because it will last for the better part of a century, and if the roof is properly constructed, more than 150 years. Because of this, slate is an incredibly sustainable roofing material. Roofing waste (specifically asphalt shingle waste) accounts for 3% of all waste in landfills. This is because homeowners have to replace most roofing materials every 30–50 years. A roof that could last three times as long as its competition is much better for the environment.
And slate is a naturally occurring material, which means that the manufacturing process doesn’t introduce toxins. Finally, because slate is one of the densest roofing materials on the market, it’s incredibly energy efficient, helping to regulate your home’s internal temperature.
6. Solar glass ($$$$)
Solar glass roofing should, incredibly, last for the lifetime of your home. Currently, although there are many roofers in Cape Cod that offer solar panels for your roof, Tesla is the only manufacturer that offers a solar glass roof. This roofing option comes with a lifetime tile warranty and boasts an extremely high hail rating. The energy efficiency and the cost of solar glass roofing are inextricably linked. Although it’s fairly expensive to install, you may qualify for a tax credit to offset the cost, depending on where you live.
Also, while we calculate the energy efficiency of most roofing materials in terms of how much energy they save, solar glass actually generates its own energy. Because of this fact, solar glass roofing is the most sustainable roofing material on our list.
7. Earth (SPANISH TILE) ROOFING
One more roofing material that scores well on the measurements of life span is dirt material or Spanish tile material – so named on the grounds that these rooftops were much of the time utilized among the early Spanish teacher’s hundreds of years prior in California, Latin America, and South America. The run-of-the-mill life expectancy of dirt tile material frequently outperforms 50 years.
Notwithstanding, there is a drawback to picking earth material. This kind of rooftop is to some degree more inclined to harm than a few different sorts of rooftops. The material doesn’t rot (like wood and black-top), however, breaks truly do now and again arise in the earthenware tiles. Assuming you select a dirt tile rooftop for your home or business, you genuinely should make a prompt move to supplant or fix any wrecked tiles.
8. WOOD SHAKE SHINGLES
A wood shake shingle is a specific sort of thick wooden material tile. Certain individuals view them as tastefully satisfying – however not every person generally settles on this. Wood shingles offer specific advantages, however, they don’t have anywhere close to the degree of life span as record material, metal material, or earth material. Overall, wood shake shingles regularly last somewhere close to 25 years and 35 years. Nonetheless, wood shake shingles are basically not a ‘set-it-and-forget-it’ kind of rooftop. Like some other kinds of wood roofing material, wood shake shingles require continuous support. Assuming that you pick a wooden rooftop, mindful upkeep is critical.
9.. Conventional WOOD SHINGLES
Conventional wood shingles don’t keep going very as long as wood shake shingles. This kind of wooden shingle is more modest and more slender and is undeniably more normal on rooftops in South Florida. They are ordinarily more affordable than are wood shake shingles, yet they won’t keep going as long. Obviously, this is not out of the ordinary. Wood is a natural material. Like any remaining natural material, wood will corrupt over the long run. However, there are sure advances that landowners can take to assist with broadening the life expectancy of a wood-based rooftop.
10. COMPOSITE SHINGLES
Composite shingles are really one of the most well-known roofing materials in South Florida and all throughout the United States. The life expectancy of these rooftops can fluctuate, however, 15 to 25 five years is a genuinely decent pattern gauge. What is a composite shingle? It is basically a mix of a few distinct materials – fiberglass, reused paper, and so on – that are framed together to make a material tile.
11. Black-top ROOFING
Black-top rooftops are additionally incredibly well known in Florida. Like some other sort of roofing material, these kinds of rooftops have two advantages and disadvantages. They are by and large viewed as simple to introduce and practical. Nonetheless, on the other side, black-top rooftops don’t rate close to as well as numerous other normal roofing materials regarding life span. A black-top rooftop can be anticipated to endure somewhere close to five and 18 years. That’s what this intends albeit a black-top rooftop can be less expensive toward the front, it can really wind up costing landowners more over the long haul. One of the different issues with black-top rooftops and life span is that there isn’t a lot that mortgage holders can do to expand the life expectancy of a black-top rooftop. Indeed, even with amazing upkeep, black-top material has specific cutoff points. Corey and Corey is the best roofer in cape cod.