Pros And Cons Of Installing Composite Slate Roofing In Your Sunapee NH Home
Composite Slate Roofing: The Pros And Cons
Of Installing It On Your Sunapee, NH Home
Learn The Ins & Outs Of This Unique
Material So You Can Make The
Best Decision For Your Roof
Composite slate roofing in Sunapee, NH, is a unique material that is becoming increasingly popular. It is relatively lightweight, durable, and customizable, so it’s easy to see why homeowners are leaning more toward composite slate than natural slate.
At Jancewicz & Son, we educate all our customers on their roofing options, including natural slate versus composite slate. Here are the pros and cons of having a composite slate roof.
Composite Slate Roofing: Pros
Composite roofing is made of several materials, including stone, shingles, wood, and more. In recent decades, it has become more common for homeowners who want the look of natural slate without the cons.
Price
Natural slate is expensive. Many homeowners choose composite slate over natural slate just based on the price alone.
Why is natural slate so expensive?
Well, for starters, it’s expensive to mine from the quarry. It’s also incredibly heavy, requiring extra work to haul it to your home, and more work and specialized equipment to install it. All the costs for the slate itself, the extra labor, and other costs can add up to a price tag many homeowners can’t stomach.
By contrast, composite slate is a much more viable alternative for budget-conscious homeowners throughout Sullivan County. Composite tiles are easy to manufacture and don’t weigh as much as natural slate, meaning they require less labor to install.
Customization
Unlike natural slate, which comes in a limited array of colors, composite slate tiles can be designed in any color. They can also be manufactured and cut into different sizes, providing your roof with an interesting visual texture.
Whether you want to stick to the look of natural slate with traditional slate colors or want to try something a little different, composite tiles are up to the task.
Durability
As long-lasting as natural slate is, it’s fragile. This means impact damage, such as falling tree branches during a storm or heavy hailstones, can cost you a lot of money in repairs.
Compare this to composite slate roofing, which holds up a lot better under extreme elements, and you have a clear winner when it comes to deciding which material to go with.
Composite Slate Roofing: Cons
As great as composite roofing sounds, this popular material also has downsides. Composite and natural slate may look nearly identical depending on the manufacturer, but there are quite a few differences that are important to note.
Aesthetic
You just can’t beat the look of natural slate. If you’re choosing a composite slate roof purely because you want the look of real slate, we hate to break it to you. There are many composite roof shingles that look awfully similar to natural slate, but you just can’t beat the real deal.
If the look of slate is the main reason you’re considering it, it’s best to either go for natural slate or choose a different roofing material altogether.
Increased Fire Risk
One of the biggest selling points of natural slate is that it’s fire-resistant. Composite slate, however, isn’t. In fact, you could potentially pay higher insurance premiums with a composite slate roof than with a natural slate roof for this very reason.
Composite Slate Vs. Natural Slate: Which Material
Is Better For My Sunapee, NH Home?
Deciding on your roof material isn’t a decision someone makes on a whim, and for a good reason – roof replacement is a significant investment that’ll affect your home for decades after installation.
Whatever you choose for your Sunapee, NH roof is ultimately up to you. If cost isn’t an issue and you’re enamored by the incredible look of natural slate, go for it! Just keep in mind that you’ll need a certified specialist who handles natural slate to install and repair it – like us at Jancewicz & Son.
For the past 92 years, we’ve delivered outstanding roofing products to customers throughout Sullivan County and the surrounding areas. We’re the experts in our field and are proud to have so many awards and accreditations under our belts.
If you’re interested in further discussing composite slate versus natural slate roofing, call Jancewicz & Son at 800-281-3585 for a free quote!