Tile shingles hold many benefits, they are made of a more durable material, often clay, sand, or concrete. They are fixed to the roof by “hanging” them from nails and are hung in rows, each one overlapping the row before. This is done to keep the rain flowing down over the tile and preventing it from seeping under the tile, keeping out any possibility of damage to the framework. There are also special tiles or make sure the entirety of the roof is covered such as a ridge, hip and valley tiles. Tile shingles have a much longer lifespan, running approximately 50 years with proper maintenance. This is due to the tiles resistance to sun damage, insect damage and rot. Water will not decay a tile roof which also helps with its longevity.
While tile shingles hold many benefits over asphalt shingles, there are also issues that need to be accounted for, especially towards cities like roofing West Valley City UT. Weight is the largest of these issues. Many homes just are not able to support the weight of the concrete or clay tiles without further reinforcement of the roof. This also means if you want to add a tile roof to your house, you will have to spend the extra money to add to the structural integrity of your existing roof. Tiles can also chip and/or shatter, which adds to any repair costs as you will have to call out a roofer to correct any issues that arise so that not further damage to your house is caused.
One major point to keep in mind with tile roofing is that even though the tiles themselves have a longer lifespan (50 years) they underlayment (the base in which the tiles sit on) needs to be replaced every 10 years. This process includes removing all of the tiles, removed the old underlayment and replacing it with a new one,then replacing all of the tiles. This adds a major expense just for the maintenance of a tile roof.
Dustin Johnson Exteriors provided a quick breakdown of clay tile roof vs asphalt shingles along with the average costs of the various types of tile roofs
Concrete tile: cost between $4 and $9 per square foot. Concrete is a very durable option and requires very little maintenance
Clay tile: cost between $5 and $10 per square foot. Clay tiles come in many different shapes and designs and are easy to maintain
Terracotta tiles: cost is between $6 and $15 per square foot. One of the most durable options.
Asphalt Shingles are the most affordable and versatile option. They come in many different colors and 3 main styles. The first we will discuss is 3-Tab which are the most basic and affordable and in the right conditions can last a cope of decades. The problem with these is that there are fewer options as far as aesthetics are concerned, they have a higher chance of blowing off and a shorter life span than other asphalt shingles.
Second option will be the dimensional shingle. Dimensional shingles are made of two or more layers. Multiple layers makes the shingles much more durable. Many homeowners pick the dimensional shingles for their aesthetics and due to the fact that they can last 30 years, even longer in the right conditions. They are more expensive than the 3-tab shingles.
The third type is the Luxury Asphalt shingle. These have multi-dimensional appearance, they are the strongest shingle. They go best on period style homes where the homeowner tries to replicate a slate style roof. They do weigh a bit more, being layered they can weigh twice as much as a square of basic 3-tab shingles. This does however add extra strength and protections against the elements including extreme weather.
