If you are constructing a new home or if you are replacing the roof on your existing home, you need to select a roofing material. You can select from numerous roofing materials, including asphalt shingles, metal panels, cedar shakes, concrete tiles, and slate shingles.
Learning about the benefits that slate shingles have to offer allows you to make an educated decision as to whether this is the right roofing material for your home. Here are some of the benefits associated with slate roofing shingles.
1. Slate Is Durable and Long-Lasting
Perhaps the top benefit associated with slate roofing shingles is that they are durable and long-lasting. Slate shingles can withstand many weather elements, including rain, hail, snow and extreme temperatures.
Due to their durability, slate roofing has a long lifespan. When properly installed and cared for, the roof has an estimated lifespan that can range from 75 to 150 years. If you install a slate roof on your home, you should never need to install another roof on your home during your lifespan. This is a huge perk to those who plan on living in their home forever and want to ensure the home need little maintenance and care as they reach their senior years.
2. Slate Is Environmentally-Friendly
The second benefit associated with slate roofing shingles is that they are environmentally-friendly. One of the ways that they are better for the environment than other roofing materials is that the tiles do not give off any volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, when they are being produced and manufactured, something that items such as asphalt shingles give off.
Another reason that slate is environmentally-friendly is because the stone can be recycled and used for other purposes once it has reached the end of its usable life as a roof shingle. Some other roofing materials cannot be recycled at the end of the roof’s lifespan, and instead, wind up in a landfill.
3. Slate Roofs Are Fire Resistant
Slate roofs are among the most fireproof roofs on the market today. Slate stone is completely fireproof. This means that the slate tiles themselves will not catch on fire. This gives you peace of mind that if a firework or burning debris from a nearby fire lands on your roof, the exterior roofing materials will not catch on fire.
The interior materials that are used for roofing, including the membrane and insulation, can still catch on fire. However, with slate stone covering these materials, it is much harder for them to catch on fire, which offers a lot of protection for your home.
4. Slate Has a Low Water Absorption Rate
One last benefit associated with slate roofing shingles is their low water absorption rate. When it rains, the shingles are less likely to absorb water, which helps to prevent leaks from occurring. A low water absorption rate also decreases the chances of mold or mildew growing on your roof.
Lastly, a low water absorption rate can be key if you live in a place that has freezing temperatures in the winter. If your roof absorbs water, the roof is more likely to freeze and ice dams can begin to form.
Ice dams can be damaging to your roof. The weight of an ice dam can cause the roof to cave in. Decreased water absorption reduces the chances of an ice dam forming, which reduces the odds of this catastrophic even from happening.
When it is time to replace the roof on your existing home or install a roof on a home that is being newly constructed, Precise Roofing & Contracting is here for you. We can help you determine if slate roofing shingles are a good choice for you and then provide you with an estimate. Contact us today to get started.
