Selecting Philadelphia Roof Shingles for Your Home

Roof shingles refer to roof coverings consisting of single overlapping materials or elements. They are usually flat and rectangular in shape, but they may also come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Shingles are made of different materials. These include wood, ceramic, cement, fiber, or even asphalt. The type of roof shingles to be used for your home should be determined even before construction begins. The main reason is that they play an important role in determining what materials and how the roof pitch is going to be and what construction method will be used. There are several types of roof shingles. These include, but are not limited to wood shingles, asphalt shingles, fiber cement shingles, stone shingles, metal shingles and plastic shingles. Detailed below is a list of the shingle types, tips, pros and cons.

1) Wood shingles

Wood shingles are one of the most commonly used shingles, with a long traditional use in wooden buildings. Two basic types of wood shingles exist: shingle and shake. The primary difference between the two is that shingle is sawn and shake is split. Wood shingles are fire hazards. They have, consequently, been banned by several organizations in different places, more specifically in urban areas where conflagrations are imminent and severe. However, wood shingles are easily accessible and can easily be crafted into custom designs and patterns.

2) Asphalt shingles

Asphalt shingles are relatively easy to install, are fairly cheap, long-lasting and are recyclable in some places.They do come in a variety of colors and styles. Asphalt shingles are mainly made of paper and fiber-glass. Others are made of wood. However, since wood is primarily made of natural oils, exposure to hot sun softens the oils and are gradually eroded. Ashpalt made of fiber-glass is currently the most commonly used shingles in the United States. Countries such as the United Kingdom have strict building and fire regulations which prevent the use of fiber-glass-based asphalt shingles.

3) Stone shingles

Stone shingles are relatively expensive to install. However, they can last even four centuries, depending on the slate quality used and maintenance. They are also recyclable. When slate roof lose their peg attachment, they start sliding out. Also, slates can start breaking up. When slates are heavy, the roofing philadelphia may start splitting along the roofing line. This, consequently, develops rot in the internal timber.

4) Metal shingles

Metal shingles are very resistant to fires. Hence, are usually used in fire-prone areas. Metals are also relatively expensive.

5) Plastic shingles

Plastic shingles are light-weight and cheap. They are not fragile. However, they are combustible.

6) Fiber cement shingles

Asbestos, material sometimes found in the cement fiber, has been banned for health reasons since the 80s. Asbestos shingles’ removal requires extra disposal methods and precautions.

It is therefore imperative that when choosing roof shingles for your home, several factors have to be taken into consideration. These include, but are not limited to, your budget, your home’s environmental conditions, known hazards such as fires, availability of shingle materials, durability, ease of transportation and installation. It is best to talk to experienced roofers at Reiter Roofing Inc to decide on the best shingles for your home.