Your roof is an often overlooked part of your home. Or underlooked, as it’s always a little out of view. Damage to the roof can cause damage to the rest of the house, and that damage could be ongoing in places you can’t easily inspect. If you’re looking to replace, renovate, upgrade or fix a roof, you need to understand what materials go on it that will keep it safe and stable for many years to come.

Here’s a list of 8 roofing materials to think about before you call a contractor.

1.   Asphalt Shingles

The most common and recommended type of material. It’s widely available and suits nearly all styles, and is made for all types of weather environments. It’s highly durable, but in case of replacement, easy to swap out.

2.   Metal Roofing

Metal panes and tiles are great for areas that get frequent heavy weather. They’re burn proof and heavy enough to be wind proof, but they’re not exactly silent. If you enjoy hearing the rain hit your roof, it’s ideal but it can also dent and corrode over time.

3.   Slate

Slate is heavy and waterproof. It’s mold resistant as well, ideal for regularly wet climates. However, it’s heavy and expensive, and surprisingly fragile.

4.   Rubber Slate

An alternative to slate without losing the benefits, it can be cut and custom-fitted to homes with the same lasting power as slate. However, it’s only more durable, not immune to damage, and will dent or break if exposed to too much force, like a satellite dish mount.

5.   Stone-Coated Steel

Patterned steel tiles that use the functionality of metal with the appeal of stonework and slate. They are weather proof, even fire proof, and interlock to provide a secure state for the roof so it won’t fly off overnight.

6.   Clay/Concrete Tiles

These are the heaviest kind of roof tiles, but also among the most effective at resisting inclement weather. They’re even tornado proof. Extra support has to be installed to keep the roof in place, but it can outlast even the most extreme kinds of weather and natural disasters. Ideal for warm, dry climates, as concrete is prone to both cracking and leaking.

7.   Green Roofs

A high cost but highly rewarding type of roof that combines the joy of gardening with the insulating properties of soil and grass. It’s a living roof layered with plants on the top and several layers of structural supports underneath to make it livable. It provides fresh air and a fresh look to a small home.

8.   Solar Roofs

Make your roof work for you with solar panel installation. Solar panels have advanced in recent years in terms of efficiency, durability and power conversion, allowing a home in a sunny, arid climate to essentially power itself throughout the year. Ideal for very wide roofs, as the power is measured by square feet.

Consult with Todd Huff Construction Inc., the best general contractor in Ventura county with over 30+ years of experience.  We will help you determine what kind of roof will work best for your home. Call today for an estimate and project design!