In addition to providing your family shelter, your roof can help to accentuate your home's curb appeal and add value to your home. When choosing a new roof, it is important to do you research about different roofing materials. Here are 5 roofing materials and what you need to know about them:

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt roofing shingles are by far the most popular option for roofs. They gained some popularity due to their affordability and versatility. Asphalt shingles typically last around 20 to 30 years and a fairly easy to install. They are a great roofing option and they are very common; however their over-popularity can also be its downfall.

Wood Shingles

Wood shingles are typically made of red cedar, cypress, redwood, and pine trees. While they are extremely beautiful, they are expensive to install. Wood roofs are great insulators and can be repaired easily. One thing to keep in mind is that these types of shingles require regular maintenance. However, with good maintenance, wood shingles should last 30 to 50 years.

Slate Roofing Tile

Slate roofs are a natural stone product. They are well known for their beauty and are often associated with luxury homes due to their hefty price tag. One of the main benefits of slate roofs is that they are built to last. With proper installation, they can easily last over a century. Additionally, slate is one of the most fire-proof roofing material available. Perhaps the biggest drawback of slate roofs is that it is difficult to install, and even more difficult to find an experienced contractor. Slate tiles are extremely heavy and can break easily if they are dealt by someone who is not familiar with them.

Metal Roofing

Metal Roofs are typically made of steel, aluminum, or copper. They are lightweight, which allows them to sometimes be installed over old roofs. Instead of absorbing the sun’s heat, metal roofs reflect the heat due to its high solar reflexivity. The percentage of solar reflexivity overall depends on the color you choose; however, it is typically much higher compared to the 5% average of asphalt shingles. Perhaps the best thing about metal roofs is that they require little to no maintenance. While metal roofs tend to be more expensive initially, they can last for as long as 50 years.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is one of the oldest forms of roofing, with origins in Ancient Greek and Roman times. Thus, it is often seen in the Mediterranean. In addition to having reflective properties likes its metal roof counterpart, ceramic tile roofs aren't susceptible to rot or mold, can withstand high winds, and does not expand or contract with the temperature. Even though they are beautiful, ceramic tile is a very expensive material and it is extremely labor intensive to install. However, ceramic tile roofs are long-lasting and have a 60-80 year lifespan.

When choosing roofing materials, don't feel as though you need to stick with asphalt shingles. While the typical asphalt shingles are a great option, you should also consider other materials such as slate, wood, metal, and ceramic.