Thursday, June 29, 2017

Roofing Contractors Choose Metal over Asphalt

Roofing contractors usually have two choices when roofing Michigan roofs; Metal or Shingles. There are numerous other materials on the market but these are the two most widely used and installed.  Many times roofers will choose metal roofing over shingling for both commercial and residential use when cost is not the main factor.

Your homes roof is a significant part of the house it is your homes caption. No matter how beautiful your home is if the roof is worn out and looks tired your home becomes an eye sore.  The roof is the most exposed part of the house.  It is the surface that gets hit with the harsh weather before any other area of the home.   It protects your loved ones and treasured belongings from the rain, snow, sun, sleet, and other harsh weather conditions.

If you notice that your roof has a leak or is damaged it may be time to think about a new roof.  In some cases roof repairs are costly and it makes more sense not to waste money on repairs when a new roof is inevitable.  The roof decking may have rotted, the tar paper worn or the shingling cracked.
With the harsh weather that our roofs see roofing contractors take their time when recommending suitable materials that will be both affordable and durable for your roof.  Most people nowadays live in their homes for more than a few years so they want their roof to be and stay strong.  This is why for many families roofing contractors recommend metal roofing when it is without a doubt that a roof needs to be replaced and not repaired.

Choose Metal Roofing over Asphalt Shingling
  • Longevity
When it comes to weather resistance, metal roofs receive double thumbs up because they can withstand any kind of weather. Although the life span of a roof is about 60 years, it has been said that metal roofs made from copper and Zinc in UK last over a 100 years due to proper care and maintenance.
  • Good For the Environment
Metal roofs can be recycled over and over again. As a matter of fact, these kinds of roofs are made from recyclable content. It keeps the temperature in the house cool by reflecting the heat that comes upon it which makes it one of the most energy efficient roofing materials. You can make money by selling it off.
  1. It is light in weight.
This is one of the lightest weights that can be used as a roofing material. Although there are different types of metal roofing materials with different weights, roofing contractors believe that steel roofing materials can weigh between 100 pounds to 250 pounds per square while aluminum roofing materials can weigh about 50 pounds per square. Asphalt shingles are quite heavy. They can range from about 200 pounds per square to 500 pounds per square for high-quality laminated and textured shingles.
  • Durable
Roofing contractors would pick metal roofs over asphalt shingling any day because metal roofs are stronger during turbulent weather conditions unlike asphalt shingling. There are insurance companies that give a discount price to home buyers with metal roofs. The discount can be as high as 30% in premium if you have a metal roof that is weather resistant.
  • Warranty
The manufacturers of these kinds of roof offer warranties for as long as 50 years which is very unlikely to happen with asphalt shingling.
Although asphalt shingling have their own good purposes, metal roofs are better although they are costlier. Don’t try to cut cost when trying to buy your roof but think about what you need.

Learn more about Home Pro Roofing and their vast line of custom roofing options installed by professional roofing contractors including: asphalt shingle roofing, metal roofing, roof repair, and new roof installation at www.homeproroofingmi.com.  To contact one of our roofing contractors call 810.225.9080 today.


Monday, June 19, 2017

Today’s Asphalt Shingles

Have you been researching roofing products?  Are you trying to find out how to get quality shingles without wasting money on a warranty that might not make a difference? Is it quality of the shingling even important? If the roofing is installed correctly does it really make a difference if you pay to the roofing contractor to install ten year shingles over twenty five year ones?

One of the most popular options in roofing is asphalt shingles.  They are popular for a number of reasons including that they are inexpensive, long lasting, fire retardant, and are available in a number of colors and styles.

Some shingling can be purchased with a warranty of thirty years.  This means they are guaranteed to withstand the weather and protect your roof for thirty plus years.  Shingles are no longer only produced in one simple three tab style. Now shingling composition is composed of heavier, thicker granules and produced to replicate slate or wood shingles.  Shingles are now classier than the more traditional predecessor.

Shingle roofing is most often chosen by homeowners because it is less expensive than all other roofing materials to purchase and install.  It is also easily replicated and repaired if damage from inclement weather happens to damage it.   Unlike wood shingles that are thin and rot quickly or metal that is four times the cost.  These benefits, along with the optional dimensional styles allow asphalt shingles to be chosen over other roofing materials more often.

Roofing contractors like working with asphalt shingles not only because of their durability but because the material itself is lightweight and easy to manipulate when working with it.   It is most often chosen by homeowners because of its longevity and stylish design options.  Whatever you choose when looking into a new roof be sure to work with a professional roofing contractor to ensure the best quality roof you can afford.

Learn more about Home Pro Roofing and their vast line of custom roofing options installed by professional roofing contractors including: asphalt shingle roofing, metal roofing, roof repair, and new roof installation at www.homeproroofingmi.com.  To contact one of our roofing contractors call 810.225.9080 today.

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Will Tesla’s Solar Roof Change the Residential Solar Market?

Solar has been on an amazing growth trajectory. As we approach the milestone of 2 million homes with solar power, we need something more beautiful to reach the mass market. Enter the Tesla solar roof. Tesla’s solar roof has redefined the popular conception of what residential solar can be. In an industry that has done very little product-level innovation, Tesla’s new product is a radical reimagining that has left consumers in awe. Industry wonks have tried to make sense of Tesla’s solar roof by digging into the numbers and converting dollars per watt to dollars per square foot. But in the mind of the customer, Tesla’s solar roof will be the definition of next-generation solar -- whether it makes economic sense or not. Elon Musk’s initiative has captured a latent yearning on the part of customers for a tailor-made design that integrates with their homes and the way they live. As the CEO and founder of SunTegra, a competing solar shingle and tile company, I’ve seen first-hand that the next generation of solar customers want a low-profile, more integrated solution that blends in with their home. Until now, the customer challenge has been awareness. Most homeowners didn’t know that alternatives to conventional rack-mounted systems even existed. Thanks to Elon Musk and his ability to capture the media’s attention, this is no longer a problem. To achieve broader market adoption, solar roofs will have to be competitive, available when a roof needs replacing, and easy to install. Is the Tesla solar roof price​d competitively? As the founder of a company that already manufactures and sells solar roofing products, I was very interested in deconstructing the economics of Tesla’s solar roof product relative to conventional rack-mounted solar and other solar shingle products that already exist on the market. Here is what I found. Based on Tesla’s online calculator and released information, the company has pegged the installed price of its solar tiles at $42 per square foot. By estimating the output and size of their solar tile, I have calculated that $42 per square foot translates to an installed price of approximately $3.50 per watt for just the active solar panel area. Today, the average price for conventional solar with a premium all-black solar panel is about $3.25 per watt -- making Tesla competitive with a higher-cost system. Of course, the competitiveness of the price truly depends on when the customer will receive the product and whether Tesla can earn a reasonable profit. I expect Tesla’s pricing will have to be higher longer-term. Another thing to remember is that the solar portion of the roof is only part of the equation. If you buy the Tesla solar tile, you still need to buy the non-solar glass tiles for the rest of your roof. Based on information released by Tesla, the installed price for the non-solar glass tiles is approximately $11 per square foot. This installed cost is expensive if compared to high-volume common roofing materials -- $3 per square foot for asphalt shingles and $7 per square foot for concrete tiles -- but is similar to lower-volume, high-end roofing materials such as ceramic or clay tiles, standing seam metal and slate. Based on these roofing costs and Tesla’s published aggressive pricing, Tesla’s total roof solution requires a premium for the most common types of roofing materials, but is economic for high-end roofing materials. In comparison, the SunTegra solar roof solution offers a lower premium for more common roofing materials compared to conventional solar, but is less economic than the Tesla roof for high-end roofing materials. Although high-end roofing products represent a smaller portion of existing housing stock, they likely overlap quite well with Tesla’s high-end target customer, who is also shopping for the latest Tesla electric car. From a business perspective, it makes sense that Tesla is doubling down on its loyal customer base. When will the Tesla solar roof be available in volume? In order to really change the market, the Tesla solar roof product will have to be made available in high volume. If history is a guide, Tesla has a habit of hyping products before they are ready to scale. Many in the industry believe the same will be true for Tesla’s solar roof. Tesla likes to dangle the beta to generate interest, and then deliver the final product behind schedule. There are two factors that lead me to believe that high-volume rollout of Tesla’s solar roof will take several years. The first factor is practicality. Tesla’s solar roof is still in development and has likely had limited field testing. A solar tile roof, as it is contemplating, requires many electrical connections and needs to reliably function as a roofing material. The product and installation methods need to be developed and regulatory issues have to be addressed before high volume can occur. From experience, I know this takes time. The second reason is cost. As I alluded to above, my own estimate is that Tesla’s initial pricing is closer to the actual cost and that the company will have to charge a higher premium to make a profit. That leads me to believe that its strategy will initially focus on low-volume test customers that will be forgiving as Tesla works out the kinks. Will competitors fill the gap? If in fact Tesla has created market demand without a product to deliver scale, there may be an opening for companies like SunTegra. (Others are making the same argument in the pages of GTM.) The residential solar industry has flattened out and needs new products to energize sales. If Tesla’s solar roof initiative is successful, other solar retailers such as Sunrun, Sunnova and Vivint will be looking for product partners that can help them compete. Tesla’s solar roof initiative won’t transform the solar market overnight, but it has helped redefine what residential solar can be. I believe the market will follow suit. Welcome to the solar mass market. Original Source: https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/will-teslas-solar-roof-change-the-solar-market Original Date: May 31, 2017 Original Author: Oliver Koehler