A natural slate roof has a unique, timeless and long-lasting beauty that is yet to be matched by any other roofing material. In today’s post, local roofing company Barth Roofing Company, Inc. discusses the reasons why you should consider slate roofing for your next roof replacement project.
Natural Beauty
Slate is made from quarried stone that’s cut to size, which means you have a literal layer of stone protecting your home from the elements when you have a slate roof. One of the first things you’ll notice about it is how the slight changes in hue and imperfections on the surface creates a unique texture, both tactile and visual. As a naturally-occurring material, slate can vary in color depending on where it’s quarried. In addition to the popular dark gray color, you can find slate in hues as diverse as red, green and purple.
Long Life Span
A roof replacement is often described as an investment. Given that slate roofs last for more than 100 years, we’re not exaggerating when we say that it is one investment that would last more than one lifetime. It’s worth pointing out that you have to make sure that your roofing contractor uses long-lasting materials when building the roof framing and decking. In addition to the extended life span, slate is much heavier than sheet metal and asphalt shingles and will need framing that can carry that weight.
Protection from the Elements
Slate is one of the most resilient roofing materials available. It’s fire-resistant, wind-resistant, and doesn’t erode from years of rainfall. Decades of exposure to UV radiation will also have minimal effect, which means your slate roof will pretty much look the same over its service life. Many people even consider “weathered” slate as an aesthetic effect.
Sustainable
Roofs with shorter life spans will require replacement more often, which means more waste material to dispose over a shorter time. A standard asphalt shingle roof lasts up to 20 years, metal roofs up to 50 years. A single slate roof installation, with care and maintenance, is worth five new asphalt roofs or two new metal roofs, making it one of the most sustainable roofing materials available.
Searching online for a “roofer near me”? Call Barth Roofing Company, Inc. at (209) 833-9917 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.
The long life span that slate roofing has could be something we can use to our advantage. This way, we don’t need to constantly get it repaired or replaced year after year, thus leading to a lot more savings than usual if we picked a flimsier material. I’ll take your advice and ask a roofer from the area for some slate materials when we do some replacements.