No More Boring Roof | Cost-effective Alternatives to Traditional Roofing

Boring Roofs

Traditional roofs are installed with 3-tab asphalt shingles for majority of the residential buildings and rubber roofing for commercial buildings. Property owners are often left with limited choices for the most expensive investment of their property. Lack of affordable roofing options is also a limitation for the roofing companies to substitute the boring roof.

Boring roofs serve the purpose and meet the standards for fire, high-wind, algae-resistance, impact-resistance, and so on. However, if a house owner wants to express their individuality and personal style through the roofs, the choices are limited. That may be due to the availability of the material in an area or local home owner association regulations.

Local weather and humidity is also a major reason why many are stuck with the boring roofs. Roof material that is easily prone to rust and high winds cannot be applied in coastal areas. Weight of the material is also a major consideration and structural strength must be tested.

Matching the other external parts of the building such as the siding, trim, soffitt, fascia, gutters, stone, landscaping, and so on is also a challenge with the boring roofs.

Homeowners are looking at alternative solutions to avoid the boring roofs and get maximum return from roofing investment. Generating energy, reducing the heat in the area, increasing the energy efficieny of the building, providing stunning curb appeal, and so on are the latest expectations from the roofs.

Alternatives

Metal Roofs

Metal roofs with aluminum are the alternative choice for boring roofs. The material is resistant to high winds and rusting but is prone to dents from hails. For large commercial properties, metal roofs provide a way of cooling down. Metal roofs can be painted and installed in curved panels, providing a beautiful look to the building.

White Roofs

White roofs are painted with reflective coating to act as an additional protective layer and reduce the heat effects. Some states such as California recommend white roofs to increase building energy efficiency. White roofs are suitable for warmer temperature areas to increase the overall efficiency of the building. However, they may not be effective in areas with extreme cold.

Concrete Roofs

Concrete roofs provide a stronger protection for the buildings and are resistant to high winds. However, concrete roofs are prone to cracking and water seeping through the walls. Concrete roofs may not be suitable for areas with heavy snow and ice.

Roof Pavers

Roof paver pedestal systems are installed on top of wood, concrete, or metal roof decks. This enables to create roof spaces for modern use and is extremely popular in high dense population areas. Roof pavers and terraces can be installed with screw-jack pedestal. This provides an interesting and efficient way of roofing.

Source: Westile

Solar Roofs

Solar roofs are taking over the world as the best alternative to boring roofs. Several federal and state rebates and tax cuts have driven property owners to install solar roofs. Solar roofs can be installed as solar panels on top of the asphalt shingles or solar tiles which interlock as shingles and have embedded solar cells for energy generation. Special electrical permits and utility company permissions may be required to set up the solar roofs.

Green Roofs

Green roofs are a creative way to reduce environment pollution in urban dense population areas. In the concrete jungles, green vegetation can be planted on the roofs. Moss is the worst enemy of a roof and property. However, green roofs are set up in a way to avoid water penetration and with minimum maintenance plants.

Several layers of substrate and mat-system are set on top of the roof to facilitate the planting and growing. Green roofs are popular due to the low maintenance and self supporting ground cover plants.

Some cities such as Denver recommend rooftop gardens for all buildings. Several large facilities such as the Ford, have benefitted from the Green Roofs. Also, known as living roofs, the green roofs are capable of reducing the temperature effects on the buildings and the environment.

Wind-Turbine Roofs

Boring roof alternative Wind Turbine Roof

Wind-turbine roofs are another alternative to boring roof that can generate energy on the roof top. A mini wind turbine capable of generating one unit per hour can be installed. The peak wind requirements of the turbine to operate may vary from 6 miles per hour or more. However, weight and wind turbulences are a major consideration for wind-turbine roofs. Special permits may be required to install the wind-turbines on the roofs. Sometimes, neighbors may not be happy as the turbines may fall off and damage their property as well during the storms.

A combination of the alternatives is possible such as solar and wind-turbines, metal and solar, green roofs and roof pavers, and so on. This way, overall installation costs and maintenance can be controlled.

Modern shingles in variety of color blends such as blue, brown, red, pink, black, green, super white, grey, wood, cedar, slate, and so on are available as an alternative to the boring roofs. The type of roofs an be changed with material such as wood, slate, concrete, stone, and other luxury material.

Special permits, licenses, certifications, and other requirements must be considered before installing alternatives to boring roofs. Environmental agencies and utility companies are some related departments. Cost, long-term effects, and maintenance aspects must be considered.

Expert contractors can suggest the feasibility of the alternatives and combinations. Sometimes, your passionate choice may not be suitable for weather conditions or city rules in your area. Hiring one contractor for all related work also may reduce the installation cost of your dream roof.

No More Boring Roof!

Find Alternatives to Traditional Roofing