Tile roofing is known to last 100 years. This beautiful and durable material can be expensive and heavy, but its quality makes it worth the price.
Usually made of concrete or clay, tile roofing could come in a variety of shapes like curved, flat, interlocking, or fluted.
If you live in an area with a hotter climate, tile roofing should be your best choice; as well as if there is exposure to salt air. This type of roofing is common in the southwest, and coastal areas like southern Florida or California.
But before you decide, About Home has identified the pros and cons of tile roofing to help you:
The Pros of Tile Roofing
Long lasting
Since tile roofing is usually made of clay and cement which are materials known to withstand hail, high winds, and even fires, expect it to last for as long as 100 years, or even forever especially when installed in the right climate.
Plenty of choices
Matching your roofing to your house design shouldn't be difficult with tile roofing as it comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. They could come looking flat, round, like wood shake roofing, or faux century-aged tiles.
Further advantages of tile roofing:
- Impervious to fire damage
- Resistant to physical impact damage
- Can resist any kind of environmental, rot or insect damage
- Withstands rain, snow or freezing/thawing weather without any damage
- Environmentally friendly and can be recycled
- Regulates the indoor temperature of your home because of the tile's thermal mass
- Requires virtually no maintenance
The Cons of Tile Roofing
One of the major disadvantages of tile roofing is the initial cost involved as it is two to three times more expensive than an asphalt roofing system. Per square meter, a clay roofing can cost between $675 to $1400, while concrete roofing could only cost $400 to $450.
Installation
Unfortunately, you need to scratch out tile roofing from your DIY list. This type of roofing requires professional roofing contractors as they need to be exactly measured, laid in a specific pattern, and properly checked to prevent moisture from getting through.
They are heavy
A clay roofing could weigh 850 pounds per square and 950 pounds per square for concrete. Given this, it is critical that your roof structure is built to withstand such amount of weight as an asphalt roofing only weighs around 225 to 325 pounds per square.
Further disadvantages of tile roofing:
- Material is fragile and can break during storms or inspections
- Not usable for roof pitches below 4:12
- Takes a longer time to install than asphalt roofing. Be ready for additional time and labor costs.
