What are the most common roof types in Texas?
This is probably the best specific questions you can ask yourself as a Texan trying to replace their roof.
A lot of people choose their roofing material based off of looks, and although that is a big factor when selecting a roof type, you should also select off of the performance of that roof type in Texas.
In this article I will walk you through all of the most common roof types that roofers and homeowners should use in Texas and which one is going to be best for you.
Which roof type is most common in Texas?
The most common by a long shot is going to be your asphalt/ composite shingles.
These shingles come in different looks to fit nearly any aesthetic of your home. The three most common types are 3-tab, architectural, or designer.
3-tab is going to be your most economical choice, but thats about where the perks end. It sits flat against the roof so it dosnt give you much dimension to your roof also the warranties on these shingles are usually from 15-20 years.
Architectural shingles give you much better appearance with most of shingles looking like shakewood. These shingles also give you a better warranty and performance when it comes to taking a hit from hail during hail season or holding when there are high winds. The GAF product that is considered architectural is the Timberline HDZ Shingles.
Designer shingles are the most expensive. With the price tag though you are getting a product that is usually impact resistant and has a higher warranty such as a 50 year shingle. This is when you can start to see things like slate which imitates a tile or clay roof. An example of these would be GAF Slateline Shingles which as they state on their website gives you the style of slate without having pay the premium of real slate.
What other roof types can I put on my home?
We already discussed what the most common roof type is which is asphalt/ composite shingles, but what are some other options that you can put on your roof if you dont like that style?
The two other types of roofs that you will see installed on residential homes is ether tile or metal.
Tile or clay roofs have their ups and downs. With a tile roof the cost is going to be almost 3X to 6X the cost of installing an asphalt roof. Most of this is comes in the cost of the labor to install it.
For many roofs they’re not able to support that much weight on them without adding reinforcements. Though the price tag is a bit high you are going to get a roof that could literally last 100 years (depending on weather conditions of course) and a longer warranty in most cases.
Metal roofs on the other hand do not have quite the track record with lasting 100 years. Usually they will peak at 40-50 years.
The reason for this is because of the environment and weather conditions. Metal roofs have a tendency to expand and contract causing minor leaks and also if the metal is not covered by paint it will of course rust.
Metal roofs do have the advantage of having a Class A fire rating (the most resistant) because of its ability to not be combustible or ability to burn.
In the instance of the roof becoming hit with hail the dents and scratches will be quite noticeable. And unless you have metal shingles and are able to replace just a single pieces you will have to replace whole panel of roof to fix just one dent.
Which roof type is best for energy efficiency?
The two most important factors to take into consideration when trying to get the most energy efficient material is:
- How reflective is the material?
- How thick/ insulating is the material
With these two questions we are able to determine whether a material is more effective at keeping your house cool and energy efficient.
Though we are talking about shingles it is important to know that there are other options that arnt shingles that help keep your attic cool and home energy efferent such as insulations and proper venting.
With this being said I think that the best roofing material that is energy efficient is tile roofs.
The way that they sit on your roof allows for air to circulate underneath them and are also able to absorbed more heat than the metal or asphalt shingles. Since they are thicker and able to to prevent the heat from getting to your actual decking the longest it is able to prevent your attic from heating up the longest.
Metal roofs have the advantage of being quite reflective. With this advantage a lot of the energy from the sun is not absorbed but instead reflected outward. Though they are able to reflect majority of the heat their panels are quite thin and sit up against your decking. This makes it to where the heat that is absorbed also gets transferred to your roof and attic quickly as well.
Last but not least is your asphalt/ composite shingles. Asphalt shingles are not considered energy efficient. There are variants that claim they are more energy efficient which implement a different kind of granule that contributes to reducing the heat absorption.
All things considered as long as you keep your attic properly ventilated you should have to worry about how efficient your roof is. Check out all the parts of your house roof and how they work to create a working roofing system.
Conclusion
The most common roof type in Texas is Asphalt/ Composite.
The other common roof types you see in Texas are Tile/ Clay or Metal.
Depending on your location, weather conditions and how well your attic is ventilated will determine which roof is the most efficient.
When comparing them shingles to shingles I think that the tile roofs are the most efficient and give you the best chance of keeping the heat out of your attic.
If you think you might have damage please reach out to us so that we can help you get your home back to the safe haven its suppose to be.
We serve residents in Sherman, McKinney, Dallas, Fort Worth and more.
Call us at (888)-ROOF-NOW or contact us online through our form or live chat!
