New and Emerging Roofing Trends

Whether building a new home or repairing a current one, some homeowners find choosing roofing or shingles to be rather involved due to the wide variety of current choices. Emerging trends in roofing offer an extensive variety of materials, styles, and colors. In order to help with a homeowner’s decision, here are a few of the new and emerging trends in roofing. 

Texture and Material

The most common or popular form of shingle is asphalt. This particular shingle comes in two different forms: organic and fiberglass. Asphalt roofing has kept a steady popularity due to its low cost and fairly simple installation. 

Despite the general trend of asphalt roofing, some Georgia homeowners are considering the newly emerging trend – concrete roofing tiles. These tiles are increasing in popularity due to their energy efficiency and long-term cost reduction. While they are typically more expensive in the short term, these shingles eventually save homeowners money in reduced heating and cooling payments. They usually are installed with a protective coating that reflects the sun’s rays and, therefore, aids in heat reduction. Also, during the winter, the concrete roofing acts as a sort of insulation that retains the home’s temperature. This, of course, also depends on how well the house is insulated in general. 

An even newer trend is the application of metal shingles. Commonly seen on barns and rural buildings, corrugated metal has become a common sight on residential buildings as well. The metal comes in different colors to fit various home aesthetics and, like concrete shingles, aids in heat reduction due to its reflective coating. 

Wood, clay, and slate shingles have seen an increase in popularity in recent years as well although they are typically more expensive than the common asphalt shingle. 

Style and Shape

Shingles are laid in different styles according to their material and installation or according to a homeowner’s preference. The dimensional look is perhaps the most common style in the United States. This shingle is laminated and consists of two pieces fused to look three. This shingle is usually heavier and more durable and often gives a rooftop and fuller, richer appearance. Homeowner’s that prefer a simpler appearance can choose the strip shingle – the most original and basic roofing style. They are usually lighter and have a flatter appearance or are laid to look like slate. Metal and concrete roofs are typically laid in a different style than the dimensional shingle. 

Color

Shingles come in a wide variety of colors and shades. Homeowners can choose almost any color in order to match the style of their home. Newer trends include reds, blues, grays, and tans while the general and most popular colors tend to be natural or earth toned – black, brown or grey. Black has come back into style particularly because newer insulation and installation reduces the heat a black shingle can absorb, therefore lowering energy costs. In fact, roof colors can affect temperature by a solid twenty to forty degrees, so recently, especially in warmer areas like Georgia, homeowners prefer white or lighter shades to reflect sunlight.