Has your home’s roof taken a beating this year? Damaging storms may have taken a toll on the performance and appearance of your roof and it may need replacing. But how do you choose a new roof? It’s a big decision – There are so many options in roofing colors and patterns – where do you start going about selecting a roof that will complement your home’s colors and architecture?
First decide on the type of roof. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
Fiberglass Shingles Look for fiber glass-based shingles with grades and warranties from 20-50 years. You can find durable, beautiful color-blended lines of shingles in many shapes, colors and dimensions. There’s a wide array of colors to suit any trim, stucco or siding color. Some shingles have self-sealing adhesive strips and a wide nailing zone for ease of installation so your roofing job is complete in no time. Some of the major manufacturers of shingles have color tools to let you mix and match colors on standard houses to see their effect or upload your own. You can change the roof, siding, trim styles and colors.
Cedar Shakes A natural wood roofing that has the highest insulation value of any of the wood substitutes. It’s a renewable resource and takes no energy to grow. They can withstand 130 mph hurricane force winds. Less damage and fewer repairs mean less impact on the environment. There are different levels of fireproofing – just like with all roofing materials. Cedar is natural – it doesn’t leach harmful chemicals – they just biodegrade.
Tile, Slate Roofing You can choose from synthetic slate and shakes to natural clay roof tiles. The look imparts an Olde World or Rustic feel that is beautifully unique with textures and colors reminiscent of hand-hewn stone, tree bark, and many other materials that look perfect with a grand European type architecture. (Think English Country House with cobblestone-look tiles).
Once you have chosen your style get samples (as large as possible sheets or panels, don’t make this big decision based on tiny color samples from brochures). At different times of the day in different lighting, place it up next to the colors of your actual brick, stone, or siding of your house to make sure they go well together. Take a look at your property and see if it blends well there – compare to decking colors, railings, lighting posts, walkways. Take cues from your landscaping colors.
When you’ve found a few final roofing samples that you like, check with your contractor to see where they’ve been installed in our area. You may want a colorful accent roof that draws attention – like a Spanish Tile. You may want a roof that blends inconspicuously with the bark on surrounding trees. Ask for addresses where they have installed roofing so you can see “the big picture”. You will be surprised what different roofs look like on a an entire house.
Once you have chosen your roof – let your contractor know and they will order the materials. The contractor will remove all old roofing debris and make sure they cover your valuable landscape so it doesn’t get damaged. A reputable roofer will thoroughly clean the surrounding area of nails, Roofing Companies Pinellas County chips, trash – so make sure it’s included in your price. How it’s installed is most important: the roof should properly breathe with proper ventilation so ice won’t form under the roofing. Make sure they install the newest in weatherproofing materials so you have a quality foundation.
The next storm? No worries, your handsome new roof is your first defense against the harsh elements Kick Out Flashing Brick and properly installed, it will give you peace of mind that your home has modern protection.
