Roofs protect, preserve, and shelter your home from the elements. If you’re planning a repair or roof replacement, the materials you choose will ultimately determine the overall safety of your home and have a huge impact on how the house looks and feels. A roof will also affect long-term maintenance and energy costs. The two most common roof types are asphalt shingles and metal roofing. Here is a guide to the two types and the pros and cons of both:
Asphalt Shingles – Shingles usually come in rolls, stacks, or sheets, and their design is mostly composed of a granular upper surface and an asphalt layer over a fiberglass base. The shingles are typically nailed into wooden roofing structures, with one shingle layered over another as they’re applied up the roof’s slant. A shingle roof typically costs $2 to $6 per square foot.
Metal Roofing – Metal arrives in long, flat sheets. When applied, the sheets are folded into a certain pattern, depending on what the customer wants, either into flat-seam metal roofing shingles, or corrugated metal roofing. The design allows the sheets to interlock and fasten with one another while the surface is held to the wood frame below. The price ranges from $8 to $16 per square foot.
Now that we know what each material is, what are the pros and cons?
Asphalt Shingles – When working with asphalt shingles, cheap is the word. Shingles are easy to find, inexpensive to install, and very budget-friendly. Additionally, shingles are relatively strong, and very easy to work with. However, they don’t hold snow very well, are vulnerable to damage during intense weather, and, since they don’t reflect heat as well as metal roofing, there’s no savings for cooling costs in the summer.
Metal Roofing – Metal roofing is low-maintenance, durable, quite popular, and might even save you some money on energy costs. It lasts from 40 to 70 years, roughly 20 years more than asphalt shingles, and can add value to your home. The high cost might turn some away though, and the material is heavy and can be difficult to install.
The type of roofing material you choose really comes down to your personal preferences. The experts at Southern Exteriors are here to help guide you in this process, guaranteeing the highest quality service and materials. If you’re looking for roofing services near Manchester, TN, or around the Southeast, call us today at 678-661-4438 to get a free estimate!
