Most Popular Types of Roofs and Their Pros and Cons

 

After the foundation, the roof is more important than every other aspect of a building and is one of the things you should watch out for to https://www.realpropertygroup.co/missouri-landlord-tenant-law a bad roof will compromise the walls, flooring, ceilings, and even the home's foundations. Although roofs are not given as much attention as walls or floors, without the roof, everything else in the building would fall apart.

This is why installing a new roof or replacing an old one is a significant and often expensive project. For the average residential property, a roof replacement can cost as much as $20,000. So, before you make this investment, it is important to ensure that the roof can meet the home's needs and your expectations.

Some roofing options are more suited for your house than others. Your options may be limited by elements such as the strength of the framing and the roof's slope. It is also essential to look for a product with a high fire rating or good wind resistance in places vulnerable to fires and hurricanes. Additionally, precautions can be made to increase the various types of coverings' resistance to wind or fire during installation. Your budget and location must be considered when choosing a roof.

Knowing the pros and cons of the different roof types can help you make the best choice. A list of the possible roofing kinds is provided below.

Gable Roofs

These are the most popular type of roofs as they are easily identified by their signature peaked shape. Gable roofs come in two types: box and open. The roof may hang over the walls or sit flush with them, depending on whether it is closed or open.

Pros

  • Due to their steep slope, rain and snow slide off easily. There is little risk of damage due to the weight of ice, snow or water.

  • Offer a lot of attic space for storage or for use as an additional room

  • Less expensive than other roofs because of their simple design

  • Require less maintenance

Cons

  • Susceptible to being ripped by high winds

  • Prone to collapse if its support frames are not strong enough

Hip Roofs

Hip roofs are also popular and have the same sloping shape as gable roofs. But unlike gable roofs which have two slopes, hip roofs have four. They are usually sloped at a less extreme angle than gable roofs. Depending on how many slopes it has, the roof can take the shape of a pyramid or hips and valleys.

Pros

  • Do a great job of shedding the weight of snow and water

  • Provide a lot of attic space

  • Sturdier than gable roofs and can handle high winds better

Cons

  • Because they have four slopes, they need more material to construct

  • More expensive than gable roofs

  • Complex and difficult to construct

  • Liable to develop leaks along the valley, the seam where the two sides of the roof meet

Gambrel Roof

Gambrel roofs are similar to gable roofs because they have two sloping sides. But unlike gable roofs, the slopes have two angles. Each slope begins with a gentle angle, but halfway it drops off into a steep, almost-vertical angle. Gambrel roofs were traditionally used for barn houses, also known as barn roofs.

Pros

  • Provide a vast amount of additional living space

  • Because they need only two support beams, they are not expensive

  • Uncomplicated building

Cons

  • Susceptible to collapse from heavy rain or snow due to having only two support beams

  • The roof can peel away from the house in areas with heavy winds

Mansard Roofs

A mansard roof is best described as a gambrel roof with four slopes instead of two. Like the gambrel roof, each slope has two different angles; they begin with a gentle slope, and halfway the slope becomes steep and almost vertical.

Pros

  • Provide a vast amount of additional living space

  • Unique

  • Great for adding extra decorations to a house, such as dormer windows

Cons

  • Unsuitable for areas with heavy rain or snow due to the gentle slope of the roof

  • More expensive and take longer to install

  • The need for embellishments can also add to the roof's cost


OTHER TYPES OF ROOFS

Skillion Roofs

Also known as shed roofs or lean-tos, skillion roofs are simple to construct with a steep-sloping roof that sheds rain and snow easily. Unfortunately, they are prone to wind damage.

Flat Roof

A flat roof is level on top and slightly sloped to let water run off. They are mainly used for commercial buildings and unsuitable for areas with heavy rain or snow.

Combination Roof

Combination roof attempts to combine design elements from other roof types. They are highly customizable but also very costly.


If you have any questions or want to learn more about these roofs, feel free to contact Elliot Roofing, a professional roofing company serving Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

 
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