Many people are interested in customizing their homes, which means going beyond the standard with style, material, and installation practice. The thing is that while you want your roof to be unique, you also need it to fulfill its primary function, as well as give you something extra. With that in mind and without further ado, here are several innovative trends that could give you just that.
Composite shingles
What if you’re unsatisfied with asphalt shingles yet still like the aesthetics? Well, why not go for some improved material, like a composite of fiberglass and asphalt?
The main reason why this will work is because it’s more cost-effective. The properties provided by these composite materials give you a far superior cost-to-value ratio. This means that you get the same performance you would get from a far more expensive material.
At the same time, it’s ordinary shingles. This means that the installation doesn’t require special care or attention. In other words, anyone who knows how to install regular shingles could also install composite shingles.
Solar tiles
A lot of people want to go solar, but they dislike the look of solar panels. Either that or they dislike having an extra weight on the roof. However, what if you didn’t have to stack panels on top of the tiles? What if the tiles themselves could produce power?
The concept is simple, and it makes things a lot easier. Instead of grouping cells in a panel, each shingle could be a singular cell. This way, the home looks more natural.
There are a few downsides to this idea. First, the cost of getting a system of the same size is much higher with solar tiles. Second, this technology and products are less widespread than their more popular solar panel alternatives. This means that it’s harder to find them, as well as a roofing crew with experience with this type of project.
Eco-friendly roofing
Just because you’re going for designer roofing doesn’t mean you can’t abide by some of the greenest roofing practices. You see, it’s the materials that you’re using and the crew skilled enough to minimize the environmental impact that counts.
Still, there are other ways to be eco-friendly while doing your roof. For instance, buying a local material can be especially eco-friendly since there’s no long-distance transportation. An energy-efficient material is, by default, eco-friendly since it reduces your home’s carbon footprint. Lastly, the materials used should be green through nature or manufacturing process.
Remember, more and more people live sustainably, which is not always about the bills. Sometimes, it’s the ethical principles that make a difference.
Cool roofing
In some areas, the sun is a much bigger concern than rain. So, what about a roof that reflects sunlight as its primary function?
The thing is that the architecture of a home, any home, needs to reflect the climate that you’re residing in. This means that the function of a home may change from keeping the heat in to keep the heat out. While, in theory, good insulation should do both, there are ways to become more efficient at either of these things.
Cool roof coatings, shingles, tiles, etc., are some ways to get there.
Smart roofing
The biggest problem most homeowners have with their roofing is that they don’t conduct inspections often enough. However, what if your roof was connected to the IoT?
Do you know how the diagnostics in a car work? Well, imagine if it applied to the roof in the same manner. Imagine if it informed you when the ventilation was problematic or a single shingle was damaged. Just think about how much time and effort you would save and how much efficiency you would improve.
Remember that your roof is not just there to keep the contents of your home safe from rain. It also has a purpose in keeping your home energy-efficient. Between 25% and 35% of heat leaves your home via a roof. If your roof is inefficient (one potential reason is that the ventilation is not great or some shingles are damaged), your home will be harder to cool/heat.
RaaS
Everything exists with the SaaS model, so why not roofing? Previously, we’ve discussed the fact that maintenance is the biggest problem. Imagine if you didn’t have to pay for a roof repair but could instead pay for roofing as a service (RaaS).
So, you pay monthly (a small subscription fee), and you get regular inspections (even drone inspections) and repairs whenever needed. This synergizes greatly with what we’ve discussed in the previous article.
This is akin to what most homeowners are already doing; it’s just that you get access to a more specialized service, which results in a far superior result. The drone inspection is just one of the high-tech solutions applied in this scenario. This methodology will make inspections more regular, meaning most roofing problems will be discovered sooner.
Modular roofing
Having parts of the building pre-made in a facility somewhere can speed up the process and save you a small fortune. This is especially important if you can’t wait to wrap up the roof so that you can start working on the interior.
Modular roofing has many benefits, ranging from standardization of the installation process, which cuts time (which is incredibly important in the roofing process), to higher quality. Since these parts are prefabricated in controlled environments, you can test them more extensively. This means that you get a much more reliable QA and QS process.
The subsequent replacement of damaged and worn-out parts (which happens even with the most traditional roofing options) will facilitate these things so much. While this trend is hardly anything new, modern practices are improving upon it and ensuring that the results are more impressive than before.
Wrap up
The last thing you need to understand is that it all comes down to your budget, region, and taste. Now, since you’re going for a designer roof, it’s clear that you’re willing to spend a bit more. So, why not explore all your options and ensure you get the most out of this roofing project? Some of the above-listed trends might just be to your liking.
