When installing a new roof, it’s crucial that you know which works best in Chicago’s varied climate, matches your home architecture, and suits your budget. You would also want your roofing material to be durable and easy to maintain so you can maximize your investment. Here are some of the most popular options and their beneficial features.
- Asphalt shingles
- . The majority of houses in the United States have this type of roofing, and it’s not difficult to understand why. It’s the least expensive of all commercially available types but it’s also the most elegant-looking. Finding a perfect match for your façade won’t be a problem, too, because asphalt shingles come in a wide range of colors and styles.
- Ceramic Tiles
- . When it comes to durability, ceramic tiles do not disappoint. As thick as a rock yet as light as a seashell, this material can withstand virtually all kinds of natural forces, from heavy rain and hail to hurricane and blizzard. Also, ceramic tile roofing can insulate your home quite efficiently during summer or winter.
- Slate
- . Identified as the most durable among all kinds of roofing material, slate is also the heaviest and the most difficult to install. This is why it requires a more solid truss and deck system. Due to its extreme durability and complexity of installation, slate is unsurprisingly the most expensive roofing material as well.
- Wood Shake
- . Although not the most durable of roofing materials, wood shake is perhaps the most natural-looking, which is often viewed as a valuable feature. Wood is also a good insulator so you can feel more relaxed in your home even with minimal cooling or ventilation.
- Metal
- . Those who desire a more modern appeal for their abode should consider having a metal roof. While most homeowners prefer the more conventional types that they’ve grown accustomed to, metal roofing is seeing a huge increase in popularity in recent years as more and more people are learning about its true advantages.
Of these roofing materials, perhaps what many homeowners find most fascinating about metal roofs are its numerous unusually desirable qualities, which aren’t found in other roofing materials. Some of these qualities even seem differing from a roof’s supposed functions. For instance, roofs are exposed to the sun so they are supposed to have a reasonable level of forbearance to heat. Metal, however, happens to have high thermal conductivity, which makes it unsuitable for applications that involve long exposure to heat, like roofing. Nonetheless, this issue can be fixed simply by coating the surface with a bright-colored, light- and heat-reflective paint. Here are some other amazing qualities of metal roofing.
- Lightness
- . Contrary to popular belief, not all metals are heavy, especially those that are made for roofing. Each piece of metal shingle or panel is just several millimeters thick and most types are made from a metal that is known for its lightness, such as aluminum, tin, and copper. Despite its thinness, a metal roof is guaranteed strong and durable.
- Toughness
- . Solid metals owe their unique properties to their unique molecular structure. Compared to that of organic materials, solid metals’ molecular structure consists of closely packed ions immersed in delocalized electrons. This allows the atoms to stick together even when forced to separate by hammering or rolling, and that’s why despite the thinness and lightness of a metal roof, it remains tough and strong.
- Flexibility
- . Metal roofs come in two main versions—shingles and long run. Metal shingles give you the appearance and vibe of a conventional roofing system while at the same time let you experience the favorable features of a metal roof. Long run metal roofs, on the other hand, look distinctly metal with its consistent, corrugated surface. What makes them flexible is that unlike asphalt shingles or tiles, they can be coated to fit your home’s exterior aesthetics.
- Durability
- . A lot of homeowners are reluctant to choose metal roofing because they are worried it might not last long, considering that metals are usually susceptible to rusting. While metal roofing isn’t meant to last forever, it does last for many years. You have to understand that not all metals rust when exposed to moisture. Some even repel oxygen from moisture and form a layer of protective finish, and those are the types of metal often used in metal roofs. Furthermore, coating your metal roof also helps extend its functional life.
Frequently Asked Questions about Metal Roofing
It’s not surprising to see homeowners being inquisitive about this contemporary roofing choice. After all, most of them only used to see it on commercial and industrial buildings. They only want to make sure that their investment will pay off. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about metal roofing.
Are metal roofs noisy?
There have been many complaints about metal roof being noisy when it’s raining or when it’s windy. Even the world’s top metal roof advocates cannot deny the fact that metal roof indeed noisier than other roof types when hit with droplets, hail, or strong wind. However, this issue can be fixed in at least three ways.
- Properly insulate the ceiling to provide a denser barrier between the roof and your interior space. This can help reduce the sound of raindrops or hail falling on your roof.
- Install underlayment apart from insulation. While insulation is placed on the attic itself, the roof underlayment is placed between the main roofing material and the roof sheathing.
- Make sure all the panels are tightly fastened. Just as a wobbly belt or cable in your air conditioner makes noise when the unit is running, a shaky metal roof panel also makes noise as the wind causes it to vibrate.
Are metal roofs safe in lightning?
Another common misconception about metal roofing is that it’s a lightning magnet. Although metals are a good conductor of electricity, they don’t attract electricity. There are a number of factors that influence lightning discharge and the metallic nature of a metal roof is not one of them. These factors include topography, geography, and the movement of the storm that creates the lightning. If anything, your metal roof can help reduce the damage lightning can cause when it strikes as it tends to disperse the extremely high voltage lightning carries.
Do metal roofs fade?
Metal roofs are originally colorless, or more specifically have a metallic gray color. They are pre-coated by the manufacturers so that when they are sent to your home, they are ready for installation. Therefore, if you notice that the color of your roof seems to be fading, you know that it’s just the paint reacting to the effects of the elements, and it can be restored by applying a fresh coat. However, most pre-coating for metal roofs are industrial grade so you can expect them to last for many years before recoating is needed.
Do metal roofs leak?
Roof leaks don’t happen naturally. They are always caused by either poor installation or damage on the roofing material. Therefore, you can prevent leak by making sure your roof is installed by a qualified roofing company in Chicago like Muller Exteriors and to maintain it on a regular basis. Regular inspection and maintenance allows you to identify areas where leak might occur and fix them right away. As for metal roofing, make sure all surfaces exposed to the outside elements are properly coated, all ridges and corners are plugged with flashing, and all nails have sealing around their heads.
Upon knowing these important facts about metal roofing, you can now more confidently consider it in your options. While there’s no question to the economic and practical benefits metal roof offers, the only way to make certain that your investment will pay off is to hire a professional roofing company to install it. That may cost you more than DIY but considering the plethora of risks you can eliminate as a result, it’s the most desirable option you have.
