4 Reasons Why Alternative Roofs Have a Great ROI

If you’re considering an alternative roofing material to replace your asphalt shingle roof, both metal and
clay tile roofing materials can offer you an excellent return on investment. Here are four ways they add
value to get you your money’s worth.

1. Fire Resistance

Some asphalt shingle roofs can have greater fire resistance than others, but tile and metal materials take it to a whole new level. Metal doesn’t burn, so as long as you choose a metal material that doesn’t melt easily (steel is a good option), you can attain one of the highest possible levels of fire resistance with a metal roof.

For a clay tile roof, you don’t even have to worry about melting. The only way a fire can bypass a tile roof is by going around it or through a gap. A well-installed, well-maintained roof won’t have these gaps, so tile roofing provides similarly extreme fire resistance to a steel roof. This is an enormous added value, especially in fire-prone areas.

2. Energy Savings

Fire resistance can give you peace of mind, but it’s not something you’ll be using every day. However, a cool roof surface can give you measurable money back on a daily basis. By reducing the unwanted heat gain throughout the summer, these cool roofing materials can reduce AC energy usage and even keep your AC from wearing out as quickly.

Tile and metal are both wonderful materials for anyone looking for a cool roof. Not only do they absorb less heat than a darker-colored roof, but both materials have a natural reflectivity to them as well. And neither tile nor metal collects thermal heat the way asphalt does.

The construction of these roofs also helps reduce heat accumulation. A clay tile roof tends to have air gaps between the tiles and the underlayer beneath. Metal roofs can be constructed this way as well. This means metal and tile roofs are less stable for walking on, but it also means there’s an insulating layer of air above the roof deck, reducing heat transfer to the attic.

3. Long Lifespan

While some higher-end asphalt roofs now offer 40-year warranties, you can get a longer lifespan yet from a good metal or tile roof. And with all the other benefits they bring, this cements their position as a great value for your money.

For instance, clay tile can have a lifespan of upwards of a century, and many good-quality metal roofs come with lifetime warranties from the manufacturer. This means that you could save money on roof replacements when you choose metal or tile over even a high-end asphalt product.

4. Lower Maintenance

Asphalt roofing needs to be kept clean on a regular basis; even an innocuous pile of leaves can cause a leak by trapping water against the surface of the shingles. Metal and tile are less likely to have this problem. And because they have longer lifespans and less likelihood of failure, they don’t need to be inspected as often.

In addition, metal roofing offers a unique benefit in winter: it can shed snow all on its own. If you’re used to trying to claw blankets of snow off your asphalt roof because you’re worried about the structural load, a metal roof could be just what you need. And as a bonus, metal hardly ever suffers moss and algae growth even in shady situations.

When you combine these four aspects with the environmental benefits of recyclability, weather resistance, especially of metal roofing, and enhanced aesthetics, you’ll see that metal and tile can both be wonderful alternative roofing materials for your next roofing project.

SUNVEK offers expert residential roofing services for metal, clay tile, and asphalt roofing, so no matter what you ultimately decide, we’re here for you. Give us a call with the specifics of your roofing project to get an estimate for the job.