Slate Roofing V/S Tile Roofing

The high-end, top shelf if you will of roofing materials in terms of quality and looks are Slate & Tile. Depending on the type, your looking at a 50 -100+ year life span if maintained properly. Tile is made out of baked clay, while Slate is quarried. Both types also come made of synthetic  materials such as concrete and plastic in some cases.

The most recognizable of the tile family is the Spanish tile. Spanish Tile is traditionally a great stylish look, and will complement any home. There are other types of Tile that  are just as beautiful as Spanish Tile, there are also flat tile roofing systems. These roofing systems have a look all there own and are just as stunning.

There is also a tile that is similar to the Spanish Tile roofing system but the curves in the Tile are not

as high as they are on the Spanish Tile. Tile is very durable and can withstand fire, hail and other extrema conditions. At the same time you still must be careful when walking around on it, because if your not careful and walk on it wrong you can break the Tile. So always hire a licensed and insured Slate and Tile roofing contractor to work on, or even look at your Slate or Tile roof.

Slate has many of the same benefits as Tile but at the same time it is more expensive. Slate also has a look all its own and is very beautiful. It costs 10x the cost of asphalt shingles but lasts almost forever and requires less maintenance. Not all roofers are familiar with slate, so again hire a real Slate roofing contractor for any maintenance. 

One interesting fact is that light colored roofs significantly reduce the amount of solar energy absorbed. This keeps the house cool in the summer. So in warmer climates pick a lighter colored tile if possible. Slate however is losing some of its popularity because of the price, and the economy being where it is today. There are new synthetic slate roofing materials that are made of either Slate dust or cement and fiber resin that are slightly cheaper and retain many of Slate's good qualities.

If you find that you have any questions about your Slate or Tile roofing system you can visit Scott Morrow Slate & Tile Roofing website @ www.scottmorrowroofing.com 

A Leaking Roof

A leaking roof can cause a homeowner plenty of headaches and nightmares, and the actual cause may come from any number of hidden reasons. What you may see as the most obvious problem may not be, and fixing just the problem you see may not solve it all together. Leaks around chimneys can be especially challenging to diagnose properly as the exact reason for it is not always readily visible. There may be a visible primary problem, but there could also be hidden secondary issues. It takes a real experienced roofing expert to spot the exact causes of a leak and then fix it properly.

These are just some of the main reasons for a leaking roof:

1.     Flashing problems - Flashing refers to a thin piece of metal that is installed in joints and seams to prevent water from getting in. Flashing can be made from several different types of metal, copper is a very common one in older homes and churches. In the case of flashing around a chimney this can deteriorate and cause leaks. In such an instance the old metal would have to be removed and replaced with new hand-soldered flashing's.
2.     Gutters - If a section of gutter  is not draining properly, the water may find its way inside. Cleaning out the gutters and downspouts regularly, re-lining box gutters or adjusting hanging gutters may be required to fix the problem. There are many different types of gutters made from a variety of materials. In some older homes you can even have the situation of having 2 or 3 different types on the same house!
3.     Flaws in the roofing materials - For a slate or tile roof, a missing or broken slate or tile can easily lead to a leak. For a tile roof,the roll roofing under the tile  can be causing the issue. For an asphalt roof, the roof material itself may be beyond its service life. Storm damage is another common cause of leaks in any roof.

You really need an experienced roofer to inspect your roof yearly. Get them to look the roof and gutter system over to make sure it is doing the job it is designed to do. Copper gutters wear down over time and galvanized gutters can deteriorate and rust out. When gutters don't drain rainwater and melting snow away properly water can back up under the roofing surface and cause hidden leaks. On a multi-storied home if the gutters overflow because of deterioration or back up water dripping onto the roof below can cause it to wear away faster than normal, resulting in a shorter service life of the roof.

Most professional roofing contractors offer free estimates to do an inspection. Their findings might locate a simple problem or there could be no problem at all. Fixing a minor problem now will save you the time, expense and heartache of dealing with a major problem later that can cause significant interior damage to your home.

For more information on Slate and Tile roofs go to www.scottmorrowroofing.com