Roofers Have Things Nailed Down

Is Slate Roof A Good Choice For Your Home?

14 April 2022

Nora Mcdonalid

Have you always loved the looks of slate roofing, but don't know much else about it? Here are the basics of natural slate so you can decide if it will work for your next roofing material.

What Exactly Is Slate Roofing?

Slate roof tiles are essentially rocks. It's not manufactured, but it is actually sourced from the ground and created into tiles. It is one of the oldest roofing materials that is still used today since they are capable of lasting an incredibly long time due to its durability. They are considered a high-end roofing product due to many reasons.

Are There Different Types Of Slate Roofing Material?

There is both a hard and a soft slate that come in a variety of different grades. Hard slate is known for being colored and lasting as long as 200 years. Meanwhile, soft slate comes in a solid black color and can last as long as 125 years. This can make you feel good that your roofing material is not going to end up in a landfill in a short amount of time.

In addition, there is a rating system used to describe slate, which is S-1, S-2, and S-3. Be aware that S-1 is the best rating that a slate roofing material can receive, which also means it is going to last a very long time before it needs to be replaced.

What Are The Benefits Of Slate?

Slate is a very dense material, which is going to make it very energy efficient for a home's roof and will help with the home's temperature stability. In addition, slate is a fireproof material, so you do not have to worry about the roof catching on fire either due to wildfires or a house fire. This can help save the structure of your home in a disaster situation. Slate also has one of the best wind ratings of the various roofing materials out there.

What Are The Downsides Of Slate?

The downside of slate is that it is a brittle material. While it will last a very long time, slate will not withstand impact damage as well as other roofing materials. Slate can also crack when someone is walking on the surface. If you need to find a matching roof time to replace those that have broken, it can be difficult to track down the material that you need.

Reach out to a local roofing contractor for more information about slate roofing.

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