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FIND YOUR ROOFING AND GUTTERS CONTRACTOR NOW!
Give your entire house a face lift with the installation of a brand new roof! Whether you are looking for asphalt shingles or ceramic tile, a quality roofing job ensures you of a leak-free and beautiful home for years to come. Top it off with top-notch gutters and leaders, which will protect and maintain your roof for decades of hassle-free living.
Home Improvement Expo’s roofing specialists are the best in the industry. Certified and insured, our pre-screened contractors have the experience and professionalism to get your roofing job done right. Simply fill out the form for your free estimate; a roofing expert is guaranteed to contact you within 24 hours!
Your roof is a very noticeable part of your home, and also an essential one. When you choose a roof, you want the best combination of durability, quality, and aesthetics. Currently, there are several options out on the roofing market, enough to suit every taste and budget.
Common Roofing Options
Asphalt – Asphalt shingles are by far the most common roofing materials out there. Standard three-tab asphalt shingles are available in both solid colors and blends, and are one of the least expensive roofing options to be had. Asphalt shingles are also usually guaranteed for 20 to 30 years. The only ‘downside’ to asphalt shingles is the fact that they are so commonplace. Homeowners seeking the advantages of asphalt shingles with an added dash of style may opt for architectural shingle, a thicker version of asphalt that sometimes mimics slate or wood.
Wood – Wood roofs appeal to homeowners seeking a rugged, all-American style roofing. Wood shingles tend to vary in width, and weather over time. Wood shakes are thicker and rougher than wood shingles, further contributing to the pioneering look. Wood roofs require a more expensive type of installation, allowing the wooden shingles to ‘breathe’. Although their looks make them appealing, wood roofs do require some maintenance, including washing and/or oiling with wood finishing products. Properly installed and maintained, wood roofs can last between 30 and 50 years. (Fire codes in some areas forbid the use of wood roofing. Homeowners may then choose to go with an asphalt look-alike.)
Slate – Slate, while beautiful and long-lasting, is also quite heavy and very expensive. Because of these limitations, slate is not used in building very often nowadays. However, shingles made of recycled rubber and plastic can mimic the slate look. These substitutes are much more standard, and often come with a 50 year guarantee.
Metal – Metal roofing typically consists of galvanized, corrugated sheets. Easy to install, cheap and long-lasting, metal roofing has long been a staple for farms, sheds, and utility buildings. Metal shingles and copper roofs are also available, and are great choices for homes in snowy or agricultural areas. While copper roofs are extremely expensive and elegant, and standard metal roofs may be inordinately simple-looking and cheap, any metal roof should last for at least 50 years.
Ceramic – Ceramic tile roofs, although beautiful, are exceptionally difficult to install. The most common ceramic tiles are barrel tiles (distinguished by their half-cylinder shapes), but there are also clay tile in classic shingle shapes. Ceramic tile roofs require both a sturdy infrastructure and a labor-intensive process of waterproofing and installation. All told, installation for ceramic tile roofs may run as much as three times the amount of standard asphalt. The investment may be worth it, though, since ceramic tile roofs typically last at least 60 to 80 years.
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