In the spring of 2016 Albertans witnessed firsthand the devastation that fire brings to a community. Our hearts and thoughts are with the many in Fort McMurray who lost their home, and who have found shelter at the hands of Edmonton’s generosity.
Public emergencies like this one, and the many others that have affected Alberta in the past several years, often get one considering one’s own situation. Watching as desperate home owners attempt to save their homes by dousing roofs with water gave us a moment to pause and consider what sort of roofs and siding are best for fire prevention, and or minimizing loss if a fire occurs.
From natural materials like slate and wood to manmade roofing products such as asphalt, sheet metal, and plastic polymers; there are more types and styles of roofing to choose from today than ever before. While each has its advantages and shortcomings, they all can add a distinctive design element to your home. However, some types of roofing may be better suited for your house than others and factors such as the slope of the roof and strength of the framing could limit your choices. In areas prone to wildfires, look for a product with a high fire rating or good wind resistance. In addition, steps can be taken during the installation of many types of roofing to improve their resistance to fire or wind.
Asphalt Composition Shingles are the most popular type of roofing, comprising over 80 percent of residential roofing market. Pricing ranges from inexpensive to moderate with good fire resistance, fair wind resistance.
Metal may be composed of steel, aluminum, copper, or zinc alloy, are fairly to very durable depending on the material, and exhibits good resistance to both fire and wind.
Plastic Polymer is a durable synthetic roofing shingles resemble either wood shakes or slate that provides good fire and wind resistance.
Clay Tile can last a long time and are very fire resistant but have a fairly to low wind resistance.
Concrete roof tiles can be made to resemble traditional clay tiles, wood shakes, or slate and have an excellent fire resistance, but fair to low wind resistance.
Slate is one of the oldest roofing materials, made from natural slate rock, and it is very durable and resists both wind and fire. It can be very expensive and requires specially trained workers to install.
Wood Singles and Shakes made from rot resistant woods have low fire resistance unless treated.
Finally, roofing systems must meet or exceed building codes and insurance requirements. If you have any questions regarding roof repair or the right roofing material in Edmonton to protect your home, call A. Clark Roofing & Siding LP at 780.465.7571 today.