The Key To Repairing Slate Shingles

When you build a home, it is easy to get shellacked by sticker shock. Knowing that you will be paying for your home for the next several decades, you may try to do everything you can just to keep your initial costs as low as possible. It sounds counterintuitive, but sometimes you have to spend more money in order to save money. This is definitely true when it comes to choosing a roofing material. While the initial cost of a premium material such as slate might cause your cost radar to start pinging like crazy, they offer benefits that set them apart from other materials. 

Longevity

The longer a roofing material lasts, the lower your repair and replacement costs will be. Often materials that cost little initially will leave you vulnerable to increased costs later on. For example, asphalt shingles cost the least initially, but they will last up to twenty years. You don't have to pay for such a roof just once; you pay to remove the old roof and install a new roof every couple of decades or so. 

Slate shingles can last for up to two-hundred years, which means that they can virtually outlast your home. Thus, when you install slate shingles, not only do you get protection from the elements, but you get shelter from costs down the road. 

Environmental Concerns

Some materials require a lot of manufacturing and processing. For example, metal roofing takes a long journey before it reaches your home. It has to be mined, refined, molded, and painted. This extensive processing can have a huge impact on the environment. In contrast, slate has to be quarried and then split into shingles. This simple process does not create a lot waste or pollution, and nothing gets more green than using a natural material on your home. 

Aesthetics

Buying an economical material does not necessarily create a good look for your home. Asphalt shingles are so ubiquitous in today's market that they create a monotone note for your home. Slate shingles have a range of color and texture that can create a really unique look for your roof. 

When you choose a roofing material, you have to think about how your material will help to keep your costs down while increasing the value of your home. The good news is that you don't have to buy a heavily manufactured material in order to find a beautiful, cost-effective material for your home. If you are shopping for a new roof, contact a professional roofing business such as R & A Roofing Services.