If your current roof is old, rusty or leaking, then it’s crucial that you consider restoring or replacing it before your property suffers from water damage, or you put yourself and your family in a potentially hazardous situation. Apart from that, replacing your roof also comes with a range of benefits including broadening its visual appeal, increasing its property value, enhancing its insulation abilities and giving you protection from the elements. Here is a guide to choosing a roof for your home.
Metal Roofing is The Most Popular Form of Roofing
Metal roofs across Brisbane often take a beating, especially during a big thunderstorm, which is why it’s important to choose a roofing material that is not only durable and watertight, but provides protection, comfort and thermal efficiency. Metal roofs also look fantastic, they’re cost effective, and they come in a wide range of colours.
Two of the most respected steel roofing suppliers in Australia are Zincalume steel and Colorbond steel, and Strongguard are proud to be supporters of both.
Zincalume Steel
A combination of aluminium and zinc, the main advantage of Zincalume steel is its anti-corrosion properties, which allows for corrosion resistance up to four times the life of galvanised steel. Zincalume steel is also:
- Strong and durable
- Corrosion resistant
- Hail resistant
- Weather tight and secure
- Easy to maintain
- Attractive
- A deterrent against intruders
- Available from an extensive network of suppliers – like us!
- One of the most thermally efficient roofing materials available today
Zincalume steel’s design flexibility also allows for both traditional straight-roof sheeting and innovative curved designs – so your roof can be as individual as you are!
Colorbond Steel
Currently the standard metal roofing for a great many Australian homes, Colorbond steel is a combination of zinc and aluminium with an added protective coating, meaning that with proper maintenance it can last for up to 100 years! Colorbond steel is also:
- Lightweight
- Weather efficient
- Long lasting
- Cost efficient
- Low maintenance
- Energy efficient
- Modern looking
- Perfect for buildings with no or very little pitch as water runs straight off
In 2013, Colorbond steel also underwent one of the biggest updates of their steel colour palette in twenty years, increasing it to 22 colours. That means more choice for you!
Why Should I Choose Steel Roofing Over Tiles?
Some of the advantages of choosing Colorbond or Zincalume steel over tiles include:
- It’s durable and can outlast a generation with proper maintenance
- It cools down quickly during hot summer months and retains heat during cold winters
- It’s easier to maintain
- It’s incredibly easy to install and replace
- It’s cost effective
- It resists hail and any high-impact object hitting the roof
- It is usually covered by an extensive warranty spanning 25 years
- It has a 12 year guarantee against flaking and chipping
- There are a wide range of colours to choose from
What If I Prefer Tile Roofing?
For those who prefer the unique look tiles bring to the roof of a home, there is simply no substitute for tiles. And if you’re a cement or terracotta tile roof fan, then you’ll deem it a far better investment than a steel roof, irrespective of its durability or affordability. There are actually a couple of advantages that terracotta and concrete roofing has that metal roofing simply cannot emulate. These include:
- Noise reduction – unlike metal roofs that have a tendency to make lots of noise during heavy rainfall, tile roofs are relatively quiet
- Aesthetic flexibility – terracotta and concrete roofing can be left ‘unglazed’ which makes them slightly porous, and thus allows for the growth of algae or lichen that can add to the overall aesthetic quality of a roof without compromising its structural integrity.
However, the big down side to tiles is that they can become brittle as they age and when this happens, roofs can begin to leek. And unfortunately sometimes there is simply no other option other than to replace the entire roof.
Here at Strongguard we are experts at replacing damaged tile roofs with leading edge metal ones from Australian owned companies. That means you’ll get quality materials built to withstand the harshest of Brisbane’s weather conditions.
What About Asbestos?
If you’re shopping around for roofing contractors in Brisbane, it’s worth investigating whether they are equipped to remove asbestos as well. Due to the risks and hazards of asbestos, it can often be challenging to find professionals who are licensed and trained at asbestos removal.
Working with asbestos can be tricky because it’s a brittle material, meaning that it often cracks, causing leaks and mould. In fact, many Brisbane roof repairers won’t work with asbestos and very few solar electricity specialists are prepared to install solar panels on an asbestos roof. Lucky we’re here!
Do I Need Insulation in My New Roof?
Another thing you should consider when choosing a roof is insulation, particularly because an uninsulated roof or ceiling can lose up to 40% of a home’s heating and cooling energy. That’s certainly not energy efficient is it? Insulation can also:
- help you reduce your energy use
- lower greenhouse gas emissions
- improve the comfort of your home
- save money on your energy bills
- reduce your home’s reliance on heating and cooling systems
- some insulation can make your home more soundproof
There is a range of insulation products available in Australia, and there are two types you can choose from. Bulk insulation acts as a barrier to heat flow between your home and outside, which keeps heat out of your home in summer and in your home in winter. Reflective insulation is most commonly used to keep homes cool in summer by deflecting radiant heat, and some insulation products combine features of both.
The type of insulation you need will depend on factors like where you live, your home’s design, the material it’s made from and whether you need to keep in or out or both. Ask us what will suit your home best!
Need some advice on the best roof for your home? Contact the experts at Strongguard today on (07) 3623 4422.