What Kinds of Roofing Tiles Are Available to Install on My Home?

Roof tiles come in a wide array of materials and design options, in a multitude of shapes and sizes, which makes the selection of the most suitable variety easy and difficult at the same time. To help you determine the best solution, here are the most common tile types available today.

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Clay Tiles

Clay is one of the most traditional roofing materials, used for thousands of years to build durable and attractive roofs all over the world. The material is pricier than other options, but it is also the most long-lived solution – the investment you make into a clay roofing system will buy you a roof that can easily last for up to a century.

Clay tiles are also very resistant to the elements as well as to intruders, great for climate regions that get severe weather, such as heavy rain, snow or harsh sunshine as well as for areas where pests, such as termites, are a common nuisance. The solution comes with other benefits, too: clay roofs exude a kind of classic elegance that can complement buildings of any style and they provide excellent energy efficiency, keeping building interiors cool in summer and warm in winter.

If you are considering clay tiles for your next roof, you must know that the material is heavy, therefore it is very important to check whether your building can hold the extra weight. You will need one of the best clay roofer Longmont CO has to install this type of roof– the material requires special experience to mount.

Cement Tiles

Cement tiles are very similar to clay tiles in terms of features and appearance, but they are less expensive. This modern alternative to clay is also resistant to whatever weather comes along as well as to pests, offering a longevity of over 50 years. Like clay, cement is also a heavy material (some cement varieties are even heavier than clay), therefore it can be installed only on sturdy buildings and the installation also requires professional knowledge.

Metal Tiles

In the past, metal was used for roofing purposes only in the form of large panels and only on flat roofs. However, the material’s strength, durability and versatility has encouraged manufacturers to come up with other designs as well and by today, the roofing tiles made from metal have become extremely popular.

The metal varieties that these tiles are made from include zinc, copper, galvanized steel and stainless steel, all types available in a wide array of styles, sizes and colors. Beside versatility, metal roofs are also popular due to their longevity – with proper maintenance, your new metal roof can last for around 50 years – as well as due to the material’s light weight, its resistance to the elements and to pest attacks, the easy installation process and the low maintenance needs.

If the option appeals to you, roofer Longmont CO experts advise that you must also know that metal does not have very good insulating properties, therefore you should consider adding insulation under the roof to prevent unwanted thermal exchange between your building and the outdoor environment.