Slate roofing is as great-looking as it is efficient. Its lifespan can vary by the weather in the area and the type of slate used to protect the home. Slate used for roofing is grade tested by the ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials) so that your home is protected by professional grade materials that can sustain the environment of where you live.
Being made of natural materials, slate grades differ in their consistency of thickness in each slab, which contributes to how long the slate will last without repair. S4 is the lowest grade of slate, and S1 is the best. Production of slate often varies due to how complex it can be during its creation and its price is determined by the availability of the product. Since the highest grade slates vary by region, here’s a look at the benefits of slate roofing and what it has to offer for your home.
Pros of Slate Roofing
There are plenty of pros that come along with slate roofing, as this historical method has been very beneficial to many homes in the past. Here’s a look at some of the excellent ways slate roofing can benefit a home for protection and style.
Appearance
For starters, slate looks amazing thanks to its classic look and effortless beauty. Other material that matches the look and feel of slate is hard to come by. Another excellent perk is that slate comes in a wide range of colors such as:
- Purple
- Black
- Green
- Red
- Gray
- Mottled (several colors mixed into one slate)
Appropriately, slate can match almost any color scheme of a home, regardless of how light or dark the home may be.
Lifespan
Slate shingles are expected to last at least a century, giving you an idea why so many people turn to slate for roofing materials. If properly applied, slate shingles can easily last 150 years from installation. This makes a huge difference in longevity as most roof materials need light repair or a complete makeover after 20 to 30 years.
Not a Fire Hazard
Because slate is essentially a rock, it’s completely fireproof unlike many other roofing materials. When put into context of nearby homes being on fire (sparks, flame-laden debris) it eliminates the chance of your roof catching fire. Being this effective against flame, many turn to slate roofing material for safety.
Friendly to the Environment
Unlike many other roofing materials, slate shingles are remarkably better for the environment due to their low level of replacement. While asphalt shingles make a larger dent in landfills (although some areas recycle them now) due to their replacement factor, slate shingles have a much longer lifespan leading to less waste after removal.
So now that we’ve noted why so many people choose slate shingles for their roof, let’s go into context regarding how much a slate roof can cost.
Slate Roofing Costs
Although a slate roof can be relatively expensive or vary by contractors, it is mostly due to its longevity (you may not need a replacement during your lifetime) and each batch of slate is unlike a batch received during a different time. This means if you happen to need a replacement or repair, finding an identical batch of slate is slim to none. In addition, slate isn’t sold in small quantities, as it is intended to cover large amounts of area.
That said, the positive far outweighs the negative in terms of slate shingles and roofing. As slate has longevity unlike many other roofing supplies, it is a material that will easily impress your grandchildren.
Finding a Slate Roofing Pro in Your Area
Roofing Annex is the roofing contractor of choice in Cincinnati when it comes to slate. GAF’s TruSlate is The Affordable Genuine Slate® trusted most and used most by Roofing Annex.
