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Composition (Asphalt Shingles)
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Can be used on any house from contemporary to historic. False thatched roof with the wrapped roof edge on 1920s Tudor style. |
- inexpensive
- ranges from low-cost 3-tab shingle to architectural shingles with extra durability and style
- many colors, types, and manufacturers
- suitable for most residential applications
- easy to repair
- fire resistant
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- relatively short life-span (15–30 years)
- scars easily when hot
- subject to mildew and moss
- environmentally unfriendly
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Wood Shingles or Shakes
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Bungalows, ranch, contemporary, cottage, historic |
- natural look weathering to a soft grey
- offers some insulation value
- blends in with the environment
- easy to repair or replace
- long lasting if maintained (30–50 years)
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- expensive
- usually requires professional installation
- high maintenance
- tends to rot, split, mold, and mildew
- poor fire rating unless presure treated
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Metal (Steel, Aluminum, Tin, or Copper)
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Bungalows, ranch, contemporary, cottage, historic (virtually all) |
- available in different looks including cedar shingles, slate, or standing seam
- many colors
- light weight
- durable
- long life span (at least 50 years)
- low maintenance
- can be installed over existing roofs
- excellent performance in high wind, hail and rain
- environmentally friendly
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- may be difficult to install
- can be expensive
- may need periodic painting
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Tile (Concrete or Clay)
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Mediterranean, Italian, French Eclectic, Spanish Eclectic, Beaux Arts, Mission, and Prairie. May also be attractive on some contemporary or ranch style homes. |
- non-combustible
- many colors and styles
- attractive
- fireproof
- easy to maintain
- extremely durable when maintained
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- expensive
- heavy
- used primarily in new buildings because of weight and structural requirements
- installation and repairs can be tricky
- fragile; walking on roof may break tiles
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Slate
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Colonial, French, Italianate, Exotic Revivals, Chateauesque, Beaux Arts |
- beautiful, distinctive appearance
- fireproof
- long life span
- low maintenance
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- very expensive
- requires specialized installation
- heavy
- fragile
- high maintenance
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Concrete (Fiber Reinforced)
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Virtually any style of home |
- many colors and styles including shakes, tile, and stone
- relatively lightweight
- fire and insect resistant; meet many of the more restrictive fire codes
- low maintenance
- extremely durable
- resource efficient
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- can be expensive
- uneven quality among products
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Hot Mopped Asphalt with Decorative Stone
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Flat roofed California-style modern |
- inexpensive
- easy to repair
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- stinks
- health risk to installers
- fumes promote smog
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Engineered Rubber/Plastic
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Virtually any style of home |
- about 1/3 the weight of slate
- long lasting (30–50 years)
- cost effective
- attractive
- available in a large range of styles and colors with more appearing constantly
- made of reclaimed materials
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Eco-roofs
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Style of Home |
Advantages |
Disadvantages |
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Flat to moderately sloped roofs. |
- Environmentally friendly; filters rainwater through a roof system of vegetation and soil
- Low maintenance; can extend the life of the roof membrane substantially
- Provides insulation to even out climate variations; in particular, keeps houses cooler in summer
- Attractive
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- initially expensive
- unconventional in US, though used more than 30 years in Europe
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