The next time you are in the market for a new roof, why not consider installing a metal one? Metal roofs have been around for centuries and cover thousands of famous and important buildings. Yet they have only just started gaining mainstream popularity among homeowners in recent years.

 

Copper roofs in particular, have become the roofing system of choice for those looking to turn their homes into a neighbourhood landmark. They start out having a reddish golden colour, giving the house a classic, rustic look. This eventually turns into the beautiful greenish-blue colour that you see on the rooftops of many historic buildings today.  This colour change is brought on by a process called 'verdigris'. Simply put, when copper oxidizes with air, it forms a greenish patina on its surface. Interestingly though, copper oxide, as found in nature, is actually green to begin with.

 

A copper roof can come in three different shapes: Shingles - similar in size to asphalt shingles although much lighter, panels - which are considerably larger than shingles and fit together to assemble the roof (known as a "Standing Seam"), and a complete roof that comes in one piece.

 

 

Copper roofs offer several advantages over their more common asphalt counterparts. For starters, you may be surprised to learn that copper roofs are remarkably lightweight, making them fairly portable and easy to install. They are fire, wind, and hail resistant, and most importantly - for those who live in a country like Canada - are snow shedding. Their smooth surface helps snow to simply slide off rather than to melt when the temperature rises. Additionally, these roofs are durable, lasting anywhere from 20 to over 100 years depending on their type, and manufacturers normally offer warranties that cover the roofs for their expected lifespan. By comparison, an asphalt shingle roof usually has to be repaired or replaced every decade or so.

 

Another very attractive feature of copper roofs is that they are more environmentally friendly. The shiny coating on the roof's surface helps reflect the sun's heat, thus conserving up to 30% of the energy that would have otherwise been expended on maintaining a cool temperature inside the house. Moreover, they can be pre-fit for your home, eliminating the need to cut and trim them onsite. Last but not least, most metal roofs require very little maintenance over their lifetime.

 

There is, however, one major downside to using a copper roof: Its cost. Copper roofs tend to be several times more expensive than other roofing systems such as asphalt shingles. However, when one factors in the amount of money spent over a long period of time, the costs even out by comparison. In addition, once the energy savings are factored in, copper roofs are indeed the more economical choice.

 

If you are still on the fence about installing a copper roof, here is something that may just tip you in: Metal roofs are a greener choice when it comes to recyclability. You can purchase aluminum or copper roofing products that are made from over 95% recycled materials. This makes them very efficient products as they can be reused multiple times.

 

Now that you're sold on copper roofs, call Roussel Eavestrough today to have them install one for your home! They have a large selection of roofing options to choose from and offer a wide variety of services sure to make installing and maintaining your roof as comfortable as can be. Turn your home into the talk of the neighbourhood with a new copper roof from Roussel Eavestrough!

 

If you are interested in installing a new copper roof for your home, please visit us at our main site www.rousseleavestrough.com or call us at 416-438-4434.