Coastal homes weather a unique set of challenges, and the roof serves as the first line of defense against the ocean elements. Many traditional architectural themes for homes in coastal regions incorporate the classic beauty of tile or shake roofs.
While these conventional roofing materials preserve the aesthetic elements of sophisticated roof designs, they are far from the most resilient materials on the market for withstanding the rigors of coastal weather.
Constant maintenance is required to maintain the integrity of roofing systems relying on legacy materials, including wood shakes and clay tiles. Even those who have compromised architectural elegance for something slightly more durable, like asphalt shingles, will find it necessary to replace their roof every 12-20 years.
Read on to learn why coastal homeowners upgrade to metal roofing to protect their homes without sacrificing on strength or style.
Disadvantages of Traditional Roofing Materials
While discussions around the impact of climate change continue, no one can dispute that coastal regions are seeing an increase in severe weather conditions, which take their toll on conventional roofs. Asphalt, tile, and wood are all vulnerable to:
- Tropical Storms and Hurricanes: High winds from tropical storms and hurricanes can cause extensive and expensive damage to coastal homes. DECRA roofs meet and exceed the country’s strictest building code requirements in Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone.
- Salt Air: Resistance to corrosive salt air made clay tile roofs a popular choice for many coastal homes in Florida and California back in the day. In the Northeast, cedar shakes were often used for the same reason. Clay tiles, however, are heavy and absorb up to 15% of their weight in moisture, causing undue structural stress on the roof over time. Cedar shakes fail to retain their original beauty, fading to a dull gray after a few months of exposure to the elements. DECRA's acrylic-based stone-coating formula resists corrosion and protects the underlying steel, so the roof retains the same beauty after decades of exposure.
- Rain and Humidity: Repeated wet-dry cycles can cause expansion and contraction stresses in shakes and shingles that cause warping and cupping. Chemical algaecides may also be needed in high-humidity zones to prevent fungus damage to wood shakes. DECRA stone-coated steel roofs are impervious to fungus damage as well as stress from expansion and contraction.
Additional Benefits of DECRA Stone-Coated Metal Roofing
Durable DECRA Metal Roofing products are engineered to protect your home from the coastal elements, but have additional benefits as well, including energy efficiency.
Conventional roofing materials, especially asphalt shingles, absorb heat down into the home and increase HVAC loads. Solar reflectance and thermal emittance are the key characteristics of energy efficiency in roofing materials, and DECRA uses unique infrared-blocking color pigments to optimize both of these critical properties. Attic temperatures decrease by as much as 69% and homeowners report up to 25% in savings after upgrading to DECRA metal roofs.
This is great for coastal homeowners who want an energy efficient roofing option that will reduce cooling costs year-round.
Protect Your Home from Costal Elements
While the benefits of metal roofing have been known for years, DECRA Metal Roofing bridges the gap between industrial durability and architectural beauty. DECRA products have stood up against the coastal elements for more than 60 years on roofs from California to Florida to Hawaii. When you’re ready for a one-and-done roofing solution for your coastal home, contact us today.
