What Kind of Weather Does a Florida Roof Have To Withstand?
Apart from the extreme heat, intense sun exposure and the hurricanes, Florida roofs have to hold up against quite a long list of extreme weather conditions. Heavy rainstorms, wind, tornado watches, lightening, high levels of humidity, tropical and sub-tropical climates and falling tree pieces and palm trees, to name some of the more obvious ones on the list.
As a homeowner in Florida, you are most likely going to need to replace your roof at some point. When doing so, it’s important to know what types of roofs perform the best in Florida. Out of the many different types of roofs, their materials and construction, which types of roofs are best for your Florida home?
In this article, we’ve listed the three best roof types for Florida homes to help you make the best choice for your home. Should you have any question, No1 Home Roofing offers free onsite consultations for roof repairs and roof replacements.
The Most Popular Type of Roof in Florida
Many Florida homes, specifically in South Florida, are built with clay tile roofs. While more costly when it comes to roof repairs or roof replacements, installed right, clay tile roofs require less maintenance. Many people also find them more aesthetic, as they give Florida homes a more elegant and Spanish-colonial look.
Thanks to their construction and design, clay tile roofs are able outlast any other kind of roof in Florida; withstanding heat, intense weather patterns as well as insects and pests. Clay tile roofs come in different shapes, colors and styles. The most common ones being flat, fluted, and interlocking. Clay tile roofs can last between 50 and 100 years. Also read How Long Does a Roof Last in Florida.
The Virtually Maintenance-Free Roof
Metal roofs are becoming more and more popular in Florida, as they tend to be more durable, more “Florida-weather-proof” than clay tile roofs, and require almost no maintenance. Installed well, they can also help keep your home cooler as they reflect Florida’s hot sunshine.
Thanks to advances made in metal roofing, metal roofs can now be whatever color you want them to be and can be designed and made to look like some of the more common types of roofs, including shingle roofs, clay tile roofs and even wood roofs.
A Good Alternative to a Clay Tile Roof
Concrete has been used to build things for thousands of years and we’re now also seeing more and more tile roofs made out of concrete. Similar to metal roofing, concrete tile roofs are very durable and require little maintenance. Like clay tile roofs, they protect your home against the extreme heat and weather conditions and do not rot or corrode. Concrete tile roofs are lighter than clay tile roofs and so also bear less weight on your home’s structure over the years.
A Note on Shingle Roofs in Florida
We did not include shingle tile roofs in list of top three roofs for Florida homes. But if you read this list and are wondering about shingle tile roofs, we are going to discuss this option because of its cost effectiveness. While asphalt shingles are not cut out for a long life against Florida’s weather conditions, a well installed shingle roof can last between 15 and 25 years (25 years being on the long end). But when you need to stay within a budget, this roof does the job and can be installed well and quickly without breaking the bank. While improvements have been made to shingle construction and higher quality shingles that are thicker and more resistant are available, these roofs definitely require more maintenance and are more prone to leaks and damage. Also read The Different Types of Roofs and Their Pros and Cons.