Your roof protects your home and adds to its overall aesthetic. When you're planning a roof replacement, you'll need to choose from a range of materials. Here are some advantages of installing a tiled roof.
Durable And Low Maintenance
Typically made from either terracotta or concrete, tiles are incredibly durable and able to withstand most elements thrown up by the weather—whether you live in a windy region, a fire-prone area or along the coast. In windy conditions, tiles fare better than lighter materials due to their weight, which helps hold them firmly in place. As well, both concrete and terracotta are non-combustible, so if you live in a fire-prone area, they're a safe choice. Coastal areas are notorious for corrosive salty air, but for tiles, this won't matter as they are impervious to rust. Your tiling will need little upkeep from you, and if particular ones do crack or damage, you can just replace those rather than a whole roof section.
Design Versatility
When choosing a roof, you need variety so you can match the roof to your environment. While both terracotta and concrete tiles offer diverse colours and shapes, sometimes concrete provides a touch more. With either though, you will have alternative profiles that match a variety of architectural styles: modern, brick veneer, Queenslander style or workers cottage. Different tile shapes suit various roof pitches, so you can match a tile to your roof's steepness also. Some tiles are flat and rectangular, and others are highly fluted. You also need to match the roof colour to the siding, trim, garage doors and the landscape. Both terracotta and concrete offer choice, from ochres to charcoals to blacks.
Thermal And Acoustic Qualities
The roof plays a significant role in the temperature within your home, whether it allows the sun's heat to enter or whether it enables warmth to escape from inside. Both kinds of tiles have a high thermal mass, which means they absorb heat from the sun and release it hours later at night. This quality regulates the temperatures within a home, keeping it more constant throughout an entire day. You might live in a hot climate and rely on cooling night air to cool your home. In this case, terracotta has the lower thermal mass of the two and so may provide a better solution. But some tiles include technology, anyway, that causes them to reflect rather than absorb the sun's heat, making them suitable for hotter regions. Another benefit of both kinds of tiles is that they reduce external noise from rail, hail, aeroplanes and traffic.
Contact a roof replacement contractor for more information.
