5 Things to Consider When Choosing a New Roof

4 minute read

The roof of your house is one of the most significant aspects of your entire home. Your very well-being depends on the quality of your roof, because leaks could cause serious damage to the structure not to mention your possessions inside. An average the roof of a new home needs to be replaced everything 20 years or so. Depending on where you live, and what the climate is like could affect how long your roof lasts. If you live in a colder climate with lots of snow, and ice accumulating on the roof each year then you might need to replace it sooner if there is any damage sustained. For example many people in Boston this year are probably in the market to replace their roof because they got socked with an abnormally high amount of snow this year. If you are in the market for a new roof to replace your old one, there are a few things to consider when making your roofing choice.

The Roofing Material

Most roofing material is made of asphalt shingles, but they do come in a variety of materials for you to choose from. Some other examples are wood, slate, plastic, or a combination of materials. Where you live will make a difference as well, because housing material that is better for warmer climates varies from material better suited for snowy cold climates. The asphalt shingles are the most common type used, and they are long lasting and very affordable. Slate is a great material to use in warmer climates because it can come in lighter colored material making it not absorb heat as much, which in turn will keep the inside cooler overall. Asphalt shingles are best for colder climates that get a lot of snow because it acts as insulation to hep the home retain heat better.

The Style of the Roof

When picking out a new roof, you also want to take into account the style of home you own. How much surface area you have in that area is also something to consider. Do you want something standard, or are you more interested in some artisan- crafted shingles to really make your home stand out from the rest? Three slap shingles are the usual standard, and there are websites available that you can upload a picture of your house to see what different styles of roofs would look on your home. There are many different styles to choose from such as Mansard which is sloped on both sides with a flat top. A hipped roof style is very common for a cape cod style house because it has four inclined sides that come to a peak at the top. A gambrel roof is one that has two sides, one with a shallower slope, and one with a steeper slope. Dormer style is the type of roof that has windows built into it for a certain architectural look that is popular on the east coast.

The Color of the Roof

Now you can amp up the style of your home by choosing different colored roofing shingles. This will add a unique style to your home that you can enjoy for years to come. Some colors that you can choose from for your roof are forest green, slate gray, and aged copper. The options in color choices are endless, so it’s up to you to determine your color preference. You do want to keep in mind though, that lighter roof colors reflect light while darker roofs are going to absorb light making the interiors potentially warmer. So if you live in a warmer climate you should go for a lighter or white roof because it will repel 75% of the light making it less costly to air condition the space under the roof. If you live in the north you can probably have a darker color roof, because the weather is colder for much of the year.

The Durability

You want your roof to be made of quality materials, and to last for as long as possible. Here at Advanced Windows USA, we only recommend the highest quality material to repair and replace roof structure. GAF is the premier manufacturer of roofing shingles, and all their products pass the AC438 requirements for best durability. So you never have to worry about sub-par material. We only use the best that will stand up to wind, rain, and extreme temperatures. Your roof will squarely protect your entire home for many years to come. Just so you don’t worry, the GAF offers a Lifetime Limited Warranty for the life of the roof, and even covers wind damage up to 130 MPH.