The Pros And Cons Of Spanish Tile Roofing

Choosing the right roofing material for your home can be tricky. There are wonderful materials like metal and clay that have very long lifespans but higher up-front costs compared to cheaper materials like asphalt. Does your budget win or the lifespan of your roof? Clay Spanish tile is a popular option that has been in use all over the world for hundreds of years because of its longevity but especially in areas with warm climates because of its incredible natural energy efficiency. But is Spanish tile right for your home? Here are the pros and cons to consider before you make the choice.

PROS

Longevity

One of the greatest advantages of choosing Spanish tile for the roof of your home is that you're choosing longevity. You can expect a clay tile roof to last up to 50 years or longer, depending on factors like the quality of installation and climate. Even the highest quality architectural asphalt shingle won't hold up for that many decades. If you only want to choose a roofing material for your home once, you can't go wrong with clay tile.

Energy Efficient

Another major benefit of choosing clay tile for your residential roofing material is that it's an energy-efficient material. In fact, one study to measure the energy efficiency of clay tile determined that the maximum primary energy savings of this roofing material were 51%. It's a great way to minimize your carbon footprint and lower your costs with one simple decision.

Fire Resistant

Clay tile is also incredibly fire resistant, especially when compared with materials like asphalt. It has a very high fire rating and will slow down and help stop the spread of fire if one is ignited.

CONS

Cost

The most obvious disadvantage of choosing clay tile as your roofing material is that it has a high upfront cost when compared to cheaper materials like asphalt. However, considering the lifespan of the material, many homeowners consider the extra decades of longevity to be worth the added up-front installation costs.

Weight

Another disadvantage of tile is that it's a physically heavy material. That means that it can't be installed on just any home. This makes it a tricky material for re-roofing projects. If the existing roof doesn't have adequate support for the weight, it will have to be added before installation. However, for new construction projects, the extra weight can be taken into consideration for the roof build and the support can be easily built into the design from the start.

Reach out to a roofing contractor to learn more about Spanish tile roofing.