Is a slate roof the right decision for your home in Indianapolis? While there is no simple way for us to help you answer every single question that relates to this question through our website, we will be able to help you come to a comfortable decision during a call with our team, an estimation process, and general consultation about how we can best serve you to build the roof of your dreams.
When you choose to install a slate roof, you understand that you are working with an extremely attractive, notable roofing material that will make your home stand out for all of your visitors. Slate roofs are beautiful, unique, and exceptionally long-lasting and sturdy. If this is the case, then why wouldn’t everyone choose to install a slate roof on their home? While there are many different pros to this decision, there are certainly drawbacks that you will need to consider before making the final decision.
Read more below to learn about the variety of pros and cons to a slate roof, and contact us now to begin discussing how we can turn your vision into a reality. This unique roof takes an experienced team of installers to ensure that the final result is exactly what you need and that it will hold up for a long time to come. Call now to speak with our team about your home, your ideas, and whether or not a slate roof will suit you best as opposed to the other available options for roofing in Indianapolis.
What Is a Slate Roof?
A slate roof is a timeless option that has been used for many years. This choice not only provides superior protection to the elements, notable strength and long-term durability, it is also beautiful and aesthetically stunning.
Slate is a fine-grained rock formed by volcanic rock or ash that results in an extremely smooth finish and a fairly consistent coloration across the entire piece. When slate is cut by a professional, the resultant product is a smooth, flat stone with a surface that is very useful when it comes to roofing. Therefore, it has long been used as a durable but labor-intensive way to protect a house and its inhabitants from the elements.
What Are the Benefits of a Slate Roof?
As you can imagine, using a stone for a roof means that it is extremely durable when exposed to the elements such as rain, heat, and cold. In fact, these types of roofs can be expected to last nearly 100 years if they are properly installed and cared for. In certain cases, a slate roof may have a useful life of up to 150 years, which is 7x more than some of the more common options available for roofing in the United States. In addition to these standard measures of durability, slate is also exceptionally fire-resistant because it is a stone.
In addition to the longevity of a properly installed and maintained slate roof, there is the obvious factor of attractiveness. When compared to a rubber roof or standard asphalt shingles, slate gives off an incredible visual appeal that shows the homeowner took all details into account while creating their home, and the roof is just as important as the rest of the decisions that went into making such a remarkable structure. While many people think that “slate” as the standard grey color, there are many different colors that are available depending on the needs and desires of the homeowner.
Finally, slate is an environmentally friendly option because it is nearly all-natural material. Of course, there are other materials that go into constructing a roof other than the shingles, but the actual shingles make up a significant amount of the materials on a roof, and therefore a significant amount of the waste when the roof is replaced. In the case of slate shingles, the roof will last a notably long time, and a lot of the waste product is stone which can be repurposed.
What Are the Drawbacks of a Slate Roof?
One of the major issues that someone can run into when they are dealing with a slate roof is a poor installation. If the roofing installer is not experienced and competent with these special types of installation, there can be many costly and frustrating issues that arise over time which require ongoing repairs and upkeep. In many cases, a poorly installed slate roof may simply be untenable, and ultimately need to be replaced entirely in order to protect the home from further damage.
In addition to the risks that someone may run into if they are not working with an experienced slate roof installer in Indianapolis, there is the obvious issue of weight when dealing with a stone shingle as opposed to something like wood or asphalt. This means that the house must be structurally able to handle the weight, so it is important that during the planning phase you have our team ensure that your home is able to deal with this special roof.
Finally, there is the issue of cost when working with a slate roof. Since the shingles themselves require expert stoneworking, the installation is extremely specialized to the medium, and each step requires meticulous attention to detail and quality, there are increased costs with both the raw material and the actual labor for the installation. However, when comparing the up-front cost to the long-term return on investment of a roof that could potentially last up to 150 years, the yearly cost of the roof becomes extremely attractive. Slate roofs, because of their durability and longevity, can add significantly to the value of your home.
Contact Us Today To Discuss a Slate Roof
If you are interested in learning more about how the team at Jackson Contracting can work with you to design and install the perfect slate roof for your home, contact us now to start discussing estimates and your needs. We will be happy to share our experience with you as trusted slate roof installers and look forward to working with you towards this remarkable touch to your home.