What Are Cement Shingles and Why Should You Consider Them for Your Roof?

roofing product installation cement tile roof

Cement or concrete shingles are considered among the most resilient types of shingles in the roofing industry. Standing alongside slate, clay and metal roofing, they are also fire-resistant and capable of withstanding hail impact quite easily and are used by the Castle Rock roofing companies.

But what are these shingles  all about and why would you think of using them on your home? Below we will explore some of their main advantages and what makes them practical as well as an overall good choice for residential roofing.

What Are the Main Qualities of Cement Shingles?

Cement shingles are also called concrete shingles, and they are typically used for homes that need a strong and resilient roof. Think of Kansas with its strong winds or the northern states, where winter snowstorms can damage just about any roof. Here a concrete roof might be one of the best possible choices.

Aside from being strong and resilient, you might be surprised to find out just how many other qualities and benefits these roofing products actually have:

  • They are pretty affordable compared to slate and clay. Even though slate roofing does last longer, cement roofs are rated at above 50 years in most cases, so you can still expect them to last quite a long time as long as you take proper care of them. Also, cement tiles and shingles can often mimic the properties of clay, but they’re only about half the price of a clay roof.
  • Although their weight makes them difficult to handle and replace, it also keeps them in place so that cement roofing shingles will withstand much stronger winds than other varieties, including asphalt and metal roofing products.
  • Concrete roofs also reflect sunlight quite well. As a result, they’re not just great for keeping your home safe in the winter, but also to prevent sunlight from increasing the heat to an exaggerated extent and causing your AC to work too hard.
  • Finally, as mentioned earlier, concrete shingles can withstand the force of hail quite well. It’s worth mentioning that even compared to some metal roofs, which are known for their resilience, concrete shingle roofing will often have a similar or higher level of impact resistance.

Concrete Shingles vs. Tiles

It’s important to note that cement shingles are not necessarily the same as cement tiles. Tile roofing includes any type of roof that is arranged in a tile formation, where the tiles work together to sustain the roof in a similar pattern as that of a brick wall. As such, tile roofing is considered extremely resilient and is often times more costly than regular shingles.

Cement tiles are generally better but slightly more costly than regular cement shingles. They are also slightly more challenging to install and replace, so if you have trouble with them in the long run, then you might have to pay more for their repair. Overall, however, you’ll find that concrete shingles can offer just about the same level of protection as concrete tiles, so unless you need the absolute best protection from strong winds, hail or snowstorms, then getting a cement shingle roof will be quite a satisfactory endeavor.

What Are the Best Ways to Tell If Your Roof Has Suffered Storm Damage?

You don’t always need to consider replacing your roof after it has suffered storm damage. However, fixing it properly will often depend on how quickly you mobilize yourself to identify and evaluate the damage that has been done, and if necessary, to hire the appropriate roof repair Aurora contractor to get it repaired.

Storm damage leads to many owners having to replace their roofing systems entirely long before their projected lifespans come to an end. If you want to avoid having to pay tens of thousands of dollars for a brand new roof, it’s best to act quickly and deal with the problem before it’s too late.

Identifying Storm Damage

The quickest and easiest way to check and see if your roof has suffered storm damage is to get a sturdy ladder once the storm has passed and climb up to do a quick visual inspection of the roof. Make sure you fasten the ladder properly to prevent it from slipping, and use a harness preferably, especially when climbing to inspect a taller roof. Also, avoid actually walking on a wet roof, particularly when the slope has a greater angle.

Check the flashing first, and see if there is any immediately visible damage to it. The flashing of your roof is the first line of defense against rainwater, so a damaged flashing will lead to significant leakage almost all the time.

The next step is to see if the rain and wind has caused damage to your shingles. Asphalt shingles and materials such as wood can be affected heavily by the elements, so you should aim to check for damaged and missing shingles and shakes as well as cracks and other damaged areas that could be affected further by strong winds.

roof repair Aurora

If you don’t have the time to check on your roof or you simply don’t want to risk climbing a ladder and getting your hands dirty, you can always have a professional roofer inspect your roof for you. This initiative is a recommended on either way, since there might be smaller issues that won’t come to light during the initial visual inspection, and the trained eye of a roof repair Aurora contractor could help you get to the bottom of what might truly be going on overall.

Hiring the Right Roofing Professional

As you might expect, there are various specializations that residential roofers could have. Some know how to deal with installing complex and expensive roofs, while others specialize in difficult roof repairs.

For your inspection, you will want to hire a roofer that has a fair amount of experience dealing with storm damage and emergency repairs. It’s also a good plus if they offer preventive maintenance services, as the skills required for such services can play an important role when it comes to identifying subtle roofing problems.

Last but not least, it’s essential that the roofer you hire has enough experience to deal with unexpected and complex issues, and to find ingenious and unique solutions that will help you avoid spending a lot of money on your roof repair tasks. Experienced local roofing professionals will be able to spot issues that aren’t immediately apparent, and help you find the most relevant repair solutions for lowering costs, ensuring long term durability and minimizing turnaround times.

How Does A Roofing Contractor Use an Inspection to Find Roof Damage?

The roof is the topmost line of defense on any building, the component of the building envelope that is exposed to the harshest conditions all the time, be it strong solar radiation, rain, hail, snow, strong winds or the impact caused by airborne debris. While roofs are built from strong materials able to provide durable protection from whatever weather comes along, all that stress might cause damage that needs to be addressed immediately, but that only the trained eye of a professional roofer can see. One of the most important tasks in the roof care process is the identification of such issues through roof inspections performed regularly – here is how roofers use the inspections.

Inspecting the Building from Ground Level

The first phase of the roof inspection will consist of looking up at the roof from the ground to detect any structural damage, such as sagging that affects the roof or the gutters and to check for missing components, such as missing ridge caps.

Inspecting the Attic

Your roofer will probably ask to be shown the attic, too. A thorough inspection of the attic space is important because it can reveal the existence of leaks – these issues usually cause the accumulation of moisture underneath the roof that will lead to the formation of damp patches or small ponds on the attic floor or to the appearance of water droplets on the surfaces in the attic. Attic inspection is also instrumental for revealing any damage that affects the structural components of the roof, such as the rafters and the beams.

Inspection from Roof Level

If the roof is safe to stand on and to walk on, the roofer will put on adequate safety gear and will climb up to it using a ladder to inspect the structure inch by inch. During the inspection, the roofer will move carefully, paying special attention to the sensitive parts of the roof, such as the roof valleys or the areas covered in flashing. The inspection will also be extended to the roof vents and the gutters as well.

Recording the Process to Issue the Report

Your roofer will note and record any sign of damage revealed during the inspection and will use the notes, pictures and videos to elaborate the roof inspection report. After preparing the report, your roofer will discuss with you the details of the necessary corrective action.

roofing contractor Brighton CO

Why Schedule a Roof Inspection

According to one of the most trusted roofing contractor Brighton CO has, roof inspections can serve different purposes. The most common goal is to identify faults and to correct them to make the roof over your head strong and the protection provided durable, but there can be other reasons why homeowners want to schedule inspections. Roof inspection reports can reveal faults that should be corrected before a property is put out on the market, they are useful documents to consult before buying a house and they are also great tools in the hands of sellers to prove their building is as good as they say it is, thus inspiring trust in prospective buyers.

Do People Need to Clean a Flat Roof on a Regular Timeframe?

The program of periodic repairs and maintenance of a flat roof is fundamental to maintain its long-term performance and enjoy its protection no matter what. This way, potential problems can be detected in their early stages and bigger damage can be completely prevented. This preventative attitude will save you significant sums of money.

Houston roofing experts substantiate the a program of maintenance and roof repairs is fundamental and must be performed on a regular timeframe in order to maintain the long-term performance of your roof, detect vulnerabilities in their early stages and fix them promptly.

roofer Houston

Cleaning the roof should be a part of this regular maintenance program.

The best roofer Houston has confirms that a roof should be inspected twice a year, typically in spring and fall (after the leaves fall from the trees), but also after severe weather phenomena that may also bring debris on the roof (there is a lot of flying debris during a storm, especially if there are trees and other vegetation around the roof).

Debris tends to accumulate in the gutters, preventing water from draining safely. As for dirt, it accumulates on a flat roof as it does on any flat surface exposed to the elements; it has the potential to cause damage, because it maintains moisture and allows vegetation growth (moss, algae). Some roofing materials are more prone to these problems than others, but this does not change the fact that all flat roofs should be cleaned now and then.

Mold, spores and bacteria can also spread on the walls of the building and reach the indoor space. Besides, roofs are made of materials that allow not only protection but also thermal insulation of the building. If they are covered in dirt, they will lose some of their efficiency.

Flat roof cleaning operations

There are different operations for cleaning a flat roof. Regular sweeping is the most common and also easy to perform. There is no need for a professional roofer for this operation. Just make sure the person who does it walks on the roof carefully, to prevent damaging the cover materials, and uses a soft broom.

Although sweeping the roof will remove visible debris and most of the dust/ dirt, it is not enough for a deep cleaning.  That`s why a flat roof must also be washed, now and then, using a power washer. Roofing specialists use warm water, because it is more effective in removing not only the mud, smog, dust and soot on the roof, but also most of the moss and algae formation.

To remove unpleasant vegetation, there is also a wide range of chemicals available on the market; they have a fast action and are effective in the long run. However, this does not mean that they can be used randomly, as this practice may have undesirable effects on the roof and on the surrounding vegetation. Chemical roof cleaning must be left in the hands of specialists. They know best how to use substances like chlorine, sodium hydroxide or Trisodium Phosphate to remove vegetation and stubbornly adhered particles.

Do Tile Shingles Make Sense for the Texas Climate?

While many might ask this question, the answer can actually be broken down to a resounding YES! In Texas, tile roofing can be of great help because of its unique structure and texture, which not only makes it extremely appealing when compared with other types of roofing that Texas homeowners might have, but also provides you with a far more resilient roofing product in the face of high winds and powerful storms.

If you lived in Texas for a while, you already know that the weather here is pretty unpredictable. Like Kansas, Texas has its fair share of strong winds and even tornadoes. Featuring shorelines that link it to the Gulf of Mexico, it also faces its fair share of precipitation and even hurricanes coming in from the Atlantic. Also, Texas is located in the far south, just northeast of Mexico, where the weather can get extremely warm in the summer, and most roofing systems are severely affected by strong UV radiation.

Austin Roofing

Now, aside from snow, Texas has just about every challenging element that could affect your roof in a negative way. So tile shingles actually make a lot of sense for the Texas climate, for a variety of reasons.

First, the tile structure ensures that your roof will be more resilient than most. Arranged in tiles, the individual pieces that make up the roof support each other more, so it will be far more difficult for even one tile to be dislodged from the others, much less several. According to Austin roofing contractors, the result is that your roof is more durable and better able to withstand the destructive forced of the winds and occasional hurricane level storms that tend to hit the state from time to time.

Another thing to consider is that tile roofing is typically associated with some of the most durable materials in the roofing industry. Slate, concrete and terracotta roof tiles are all stylish roofing products made from some of the most long lasting and highly resilient materials in the industry, with both terracotta and concrete being able to withstand the test of the elements for well over half a century, and natural slate having a projected lifespan of more than 150 years.

Tile roofing is also associated with fewer leaks, fewer instances when hail or heat exposure would actually dislodge individual tiles and a lesser need for constant maintenance and repair, which can help you save a lot of money in the long run.

Compared to other types of roofing, metal roofing systems are typically the only ones that can truly compete against the durability and resilience of a tile roof. In Texas, a metal roof rivals the energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal of some tile roofs, but it doesn’t last longer, and it’s also not as capable in most cases to defend against powerful winds and hail storms, which can dent and damage certain metals quite considerably.

Tile roofs are virtually fireproof, and they never rust. Although they do have a few weaknesses, such as some being high maintenance and others developing mold more easily, it can be said that tile roof shingles definitely make sense for Texas’ changing and challenging climate.

What Are the Real Advantages of Installing a Residential Metal Roof on Your Home?

Whether you want to install a new metal roof for its durability, energy efficient capabilities or just the aesthetic value that it represents, all of these could be considered good reasons for considering a brand new metal roofing system. Cheap, resilient and low-maintenance, this is a type of roof that won’t give you a lot of trouble even if you live in an area of changing weather conditions and frequent storms and fires.

roofing companies Springfield MO

Affordable and Easy to Install

Ease of installation is one of the main benefits of installing a new roof made from metal parts, and in the case of most types of metal roofing, this is one advantage you’ll definitely be able to enjoy. Metal is typically cheap, reusable, easy to mold and easy to carry. It also doesn’t take too long to create the shapes and textures that you want, even if you’re looking for a unique set of metal materials for your new roof.

The relatively affordable cost associated with metal roofs is also a considerable advantage. You can minimize the overall costs by opting for a steel roof or a material like aluminum, instead of choosing a more expensive copper roof. Regardless of your choice, the durability, remarkable aesthetics and impressive, maintenance-free construction of a metal roof will definitely benefit you and your home in the long run.

Durability and Low Maintenance

Whether used for residential or commercial roofing projects, a metal roof can be very durable, and it has a projected lifespan of well over 50 years. That number can be improved further depending on the technological upgrades you opt for, and during the time you have a metal roof, you won’t have to worry too much about maintenance.

The obvious stressors that might have caused damage to roofs you may have owned in the past will no longer have any power. Metal roofs are very good at protecting your home against rain, wind, hail and thunderstorms, and they are excellent at reflecting UV rays to keep your home cool during the summer. Moreover, most metals only start to break down at temperatures of well over 1000 degrees, so you can rest assured that they will resist fires much more efficiently than most types of roofing products.

Because of their resilience, metal roofs don’t require much maintenance. Cleaning, painting and re-coating might be needed from time to time, and you do have to check for areas that were dented by strong impacts or affected by rust and water damage. However, most of the time such issues can be dealt with easily, and metal roof repair is not only pretty accessible but also quite affordable.

All these facts show the superiority of a metal roof compared to most other types of residential roofing. If you manage to also find one of the most experienced roofing companies Springfield MO hosts, that specializes in metal roofing installations, then you can be sure that your new roof will not only be affordable, but also built to last a very long time without the need for extensive repairs.

How You Can Extend the Life of Your Commercial Roof with These Common Roof Coatings

commercial roofing Kansas City completed project

Commercial roofing materials are made to endure a lot, but even the strongest material can do with a little help. Roof coatings have been invented to provide commercial roofs that help – these easy to apply materials are intended to improve the roof’s resistance to UV radiation, to prolonged exposure to water, to impact as well as to reduce the heat absorbed by your roof. Here are the most important benefits of roof coatings, all of them adding years to the life of your roof, and a few of the most common types of coating products.

Resistance to Water

Most commercial roofs are flat roofs, which means that they do not shed water as efficiently as sloping roofs. The water from rain or from melted snow that gathers and stays on the surface of the roof might damage the exposed roofing surface, causing cracks that can lead to the appearance of leaks. Water-resistant roof coatings seal the surface of the roof, creating a durable waterproof layer that can stand up to ponding water for long periods, thus preventing the formation of cracks and the penetration of water into the deeper layers of the roof.

Heat Reflectivity

One of the most common causes of roof damage and of excessive cooling bills is the absorption of solar heat by the roof. Roof overheating is known to be harmful for the building owner’s budget as a significant portion of that heat is transferred from the roof towards the building interior, too. Reflective coatings prevent both issues – these efficient, easy to apply coating products enhance the reflectivity of the roof, keeping it cooler and ensuring that your building interior does not overheat.

Improved Aesthetics

Rather than replacing their fading roof, many building managers choose to enhance the appearance of their roof with the help of coating products. Roof coatings come in many different colors and are applied in a way similar to paint, offering not only the benefits of more efficient resistance to the effects of the weather, but improved aesthetics as well.

Common Types of Roof Coatings

Roughly speaking, roof coating products come in solvent-based and water-based types – according to commercial roofing Kansas City specialists, here are some things that you should know about them:

  • Water-based coatings – the most common examples are acrylic coatings, preferred for their low cost, easy application and superior resistance to UV radiation. However, these products might be affected by the prolonged exposure to water and they cannot be applied when it is cold outside;
  • Solvent-based products – silicone and polyurethane are the most common examples. While they both provide superior resistance to ponding water, silicone works better in regions that get lots of harsh sunshine, but it is sensitive to tearing and abrasion and when the silicone layer gets damaged, it needs to be removed completely before the new layer can be applied. Urethane coatings usually consist of a combination of two layers of different types, one for UV resistance and one for water resistance and they are great for making the roof underneath cooler.

New and Creative Ideas for Your Residential Roofing Project

When it comes to the visual appeal and the functionality offered by modern roofs, the options available for attractive, efficient and durable roofs seems endless. Here are some interesting ideas to help you if you need inspiration to build a really attractive, unique roof on your home.

Choosing the Best Material and the Best Shape

The first two important decision to make when designing your roof should be about the shape of the roof and the material – after all, it will be the roofing material that will provide the weather-protection that you need with your structure, while the shape of your roof will fulfill important functional and aesthetic roles, too. The most common materials used for residential roofs are asphalt shingles, metal sheets or shingles, clay and cement tiles, wood and slate, but there are many newcomers on the market as well, such as synthetic and rubberized materials. The roofs covered in vegetation – the so-called green roofs – are also enjoying huge popularity these days.

The shape of the roof and the extra roof features you want will inform your material choice and will also influence the performance of your roof. The factors that you should consider when designing the shape of your roof are weather-resistance and aesthetics – the wetter the climate area, the steeper the sloping angle of the roof should be to allow any precipitation to roll down on the sides of the roof.

Lakewood roofing contractor

Playing with Colors and Textures

Modern roofing materials come in a wide array of colors and textures and many manufacturers are willing to execute custom colors for individual clients, so practically whatever color you want, you can surely get it with the material of choice.

Any knowledgeable Lakewood roofing contractor will tell you that the two approaches to choosing the right roof color are harmony and contrast. You can either choose a roof color that harmonizes with the colors used on your building for a neutral color for an integrated, organic appearance or you can decide to create contrast for a bold, striking look. You can also choose to build a roof with a color gradient or one that uses multiple colors. If you need a roof for a building in a hot climate area, lighter colors will give you the benefit of enhanced thermal performance as light colors reflect most of the solar heat that they come into contact with. Dark colors, on the other hand, absorb heat, therefore they are great for cold climates.

Many building materials, such as metal or clay, come in various textures as well, allowing you to create attractive, playful roofs either by using an unusual texture or by combining two different textures.

Don’t Forget the Gutters

Your gutter pipes are essentially functional components, but they can also be chosen to add visual appeal to your roof. Gutters are available in different materials, types and colors and you have a wide choice when it comes to the fasteners used for attaching them to your building, so you can use all these components to complement your overall roof design.

Why Get your Roof Cleaned Periodically?

Cleaning the roof is – or should be – part of regular maintenance, its importance being unquestionable: it prevents decay and very expensive repairs, increasing the lifespan of the roof and postponing the perspective of a roof replacement (which is quite intimidating for most homeowners).

Cleaning your roof can be a DIY project, or you can hire Thornton roofing specialists for this operation. It is not too complicated to do it yourself, but any attempt to do something about your roof on your own should not be taken lightly. This is unless you are very skilled, experienced and have the right tools, products and equipment for the job.

Thornton roofing pros can clean your roof

Let’s take a look at some things you must consider:

  • The cleaning products you are going to use must be safe for your type of roof. Look for trusty suppliers, who offer multiple formulas to choose from, created for different roof surfaces. You should also ask about preventative solutions, because reliable suppliers often offer these too.
  • Set aside enough time for doing the roof cleaning properly. With the right chemicals and procedures, you can do a good job and avoid damaging your shingles.
  • Make sure you protect the vegetation around the house, or opt for eco-friendly cleaning solutions, to prevent ruining your landscape.

If you still question the importance of roof cleaning, you should know that roof algae and debris accumulated in the gutters represent more than aesthetic concerns. Having algae on your beautiful ceramic shingles is surely unattractive, but you should be concerned most of all about its damaging potential. Algae are living things that spread, feed off of your shingles and also maintain moisture between them, which rushes the deterioration of the roof. Consequently, you will get progressively less protection, and the lifespan of the roof will be shortened.

On the other hand, roof debris tend to accumulate in the pluvial system, and when gutter and downspouts get clogged, rain water will infiltrate on the exterior walls and in the basement, causing from aesthetic to structural damage.

The perspective to replace your roof too soon is not great at all, especially considering the costs of such and investment and everything else involved in such a project. So, no, roof cleaning is not money spent in vain, as some people tend to believe.

Cleaning the roof involves two main methods:

  • Pressure washing
  • Chemical Cleaning (sometimes called Soft Washing)

Both of them have pros and cons. Pressure washing is better for concrete or metal roof, because the potential to cause damage is very low, compared to ceramic shingles that may be damaged, if the cleaning device is set on high pressure. On the other hand, some chemicals can be harmful to different materials and also cause problems with your landscape, but can be also very effective if you find the right solutions and apply them correctly.

If you hire Thornton roofing professionals to clean your roof, be selective and make sure they can guarantee that your roof and property will remain 100% intact.

Tips for Cleaning your Roof

Many people ask themselves why it is necessary to clean their roof. They question the importance of this task, considering it a waste of money, therefore they choose to largely ignore it. However, this is definitely not the right approach.

  1. The aesthetic part

The most obvious reason for periodic cleaning of the roofs is the aesthetic consideration. In addition to the shape and architecture of the building, the roof plays an important role in the exterior appearance of the entire property. The roof is not only an element that protects the house, but also one that influences its appearance, therefore its value.

New houses have a distinct aspect, mainly due to the vivid colors and the shine of the roof. But time puts its mark on it. Dust, dirt, smog – all of these affect the appearance of a roof, forming deposits that the rain can no longer wash. Thus the colors of the cover materials change, and spots appear on the surface of the roof.

Another factor that influences the aspect of roofs is biological. Some types of roof covers are made up of materials that allow unwanted vegetation build up: algae, moss, mold, lichens, etc. Starting with the north side, they gradually spread throughout the entire roof, affecting its appearance.

Loganville roofing

  1. The practical part

Apart from the unsightly aspect, a dirty roof may have other consequences. Dirt and biological factors can damage prematurely the covering materials and even the entire roofing system. Moss and algae clog the spaces between tiles that lead to water infiltrations and leaks. The dirt between the tiles absorbs the water and prevents its natural drainage through the gutters, damaging the roof structure. Fungi, mildew and bacteria can spread to the interior of the building. Dirt contains bacteria that you do not want in the house, so you should do your best to keep them away from the roof too. Algae spores are airborne and spread from roof to roof, feeding on particles shattered by tiles. This leads to deterioration and weakening the roof`s structure.

The roofs absorb or reflect the heat of the sun and are made of various materials designed to allow not only protection but also efficient thermal insulation of the building. If they are covered by dirt, moss or algae they lose the ability to provide the energy-efficiency we need.

Why call for professional Loganville roofing technicians?

Cleaning the roof is not as easy as you think. In spite of the variety of cleaning tools and solutions you can find in specialized stores, cleaning the roof requires knowledge and skills to use them properly, without damaging your roof. Besides, many homeowners come to the hospital with a broken limb after a failed attempt to clean their roof without taking safety measures. Purchasing a pressure washer does not automatically qualify you as an expert roof cleaner, so you should consider the safe path, if you have no experience: turning to Loganville roofing professionals, who will make your roof look like new and keep the problems to the minimum.