Don't Just Replace Your Roof, Upgrade
by William Gerard
When your roof reaches the end of its lifespan, you have an opportunity to upgrade the look of your house and improve the function of your roof. Don't just install a slightly different shade of shingles, install a whole new roofing material. It might cost you a little more money to use a different material on your roof, but as long as you buy the right material, you should get more value for you money.
Venture away from the Sea of Asphalt Roofs
Asphalt shingles are the most common roofing material on the market today. They are ubiquitous in nearly every neighborhood across this country. Their popularity does not come from being the superior roofing material on the market. Instead, they are one of the least expensive roofing materials. Thus, their popularity reflects homeowners' desire to save money more than any advantage of using asphalt shingles. If your goal is to save money, keep an eye on future costs and how your choice of roofing material can help you keep those costs down.
Longevity Makes a Cost-Effective Roof
The longer a roof lasts, the less money you have to put into replacing your roof. For example, if you install a hard slate roof on your home, your roof can last for up to two-hundred years. In other words, you may never have to worry about replacing your roof again. In contrast, asphalt shingles only last 15-20 years. Thus, you would have to replace your shingles 10-14 times before you have to replace slate even once. Other long-lasting materials include cedar, metal, and clay.
Energy Efficiency Creates Constant Savings
Some roofing materials—read asphalt shingles—absorb heat from the sun and then radiate that heat into your home. If you can stop this heat before it has a chance to enter your home, you can keep your home much cooler. Metal roofing will naturally reflect heat away from your home. Metal roofing that has been treated with an emissive coating will release what heat it does absorb and most of that heat will go into the atmosphere. Thus, by using metal roofing, you can reduce your cooling costs by up to 40%.
If your roof has reached the end of its service life, take the opportunity to install a roof that will cut future costs. It might cost you a little more money to stray away from asphalt shingles, but you have the opportunity to break the cycle of replacing your roof every other decade and/or to cut your cooling costs. Don't just replace your roof when you can upgrade and increase your savings.
For professional roofing services, contact a company such as Ringer Roofing & Skylight Inc.
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About Me
Do you know how to tell if you have problems with your flashing, loose shingles, or damaged tar pitch? Well, I didn't either until I experienced some of those issues on my own. One day, I realized that my roof was leaking and that I needed to find a solution fast. After contacting a professional roofing company, they were able to solve my troubles and teach me the signs of trouble. I want you to avoid the same types of hassles, which is why my blog is filled to the brim with information about roofing and home ownership. You never know, these tips could really come in handy!