Your home is where you should feel most comfortable and safe, and it’s probably where you spend the majority of your time. Your roof plays a hugely important role in keeping your home that way. Unfortunately, most homeowners don’t take a close look at their home’s roof often enough, and this neglect can sometimes lead to damage going unnoticed. When your roof is damaged, it leaves the rest of your home susceptible. New England winters can break down your roof prematurely with harsh winds and inclement weather. When it’s time for a new roof, it can be a difficult decision to make with so many options out there. We wrote this blog to outline the similarities and differences between two of the most popular roofing materials available today, metal and asphalt roofing.
Metal Roofing
The materials used for metal roofing are typically copper, steel, and aluminum. For homes, aluminum and steel are the more popular options for their durability. Durability is one of the key strengths of metal roofing; it performs well under almost every weather condition. Longevity is one of the advantages of metal roofing as well. On average, they last about 40 years thanks to their ability to withstand strong wind and harsh snow and rain. Metal roofs are typically fairly low maintenance, with debris, snow, and ice just sliding right off of it in most cases. Metal roofs don’t need to be inspected very often in comparison to roofs made of over materials. Impacts on metal roofs can be noisy, though, which can be a downside living on the coast. Another downside of metal roofs is their cost. Metal roofing, on average, typically costs about three times as much as their asphalt roofing counterparts.
Asphalt Roofing
Asphalt roofing shingles are typically made of fiberglass coated in a layer of asphalt material. They’re the most popular roofing material in the country, partly because of their low cost. Asphalt shingles are one of the most affordable roofing options. They don’t skimp on quality, though. Asphalt roofing shingles are a great value, able to last usually about 20-30, with a high-quality product and installation. Because asphalt roofing shingles have been so popular for a considerable amount of time, there is a huge range of styles available to homeowners today. Installation of asphalt shingles is also fairly quick and easy, but atypical shingle styles can cause installations to take a little longer. A couple of weaknesses of asphalt shingles would be their durability in comparison to metal, they don’t last as long, but as we mentioned, they are MUCH more affordable and a great value overall. There can be some maintenance with asphalt roofs as well. You’ll want to have basic inspections performed semi-annually to ensure that your roof is still protecting you well.
Conclusion
Both asphalt and metal roofs will perform great in Rhode Island homes, but we give asphalt the advantage when it comes to affordability and style. Asphalt roofs may not last as long as metal roofs, but they typically look nicer and more uniform in your neighborhood, plus they’re quite substantially cheaper, while still providing more than enough protection for you and your family. If you’re interested in replacing your home’s roof with an asphalt roof, contact our team at RIHI The Home Improvement Specialist today. You can reach us at (866) 563-7293 or using our contact form.
