Roof Types
Universal Roofing and Contracting Inc.
Universal Roofing and Contracting has installed or repaired 1,000’s of roofs in Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia PA. Below are many of the types of roofs that we repair and install. We use the finest roofing materials from the best manufacturers for any type of repair or replacement. We price our jobs and materials based on your budget and factor in maintenance, repair and warranty issues. While most roofs are replaced every 10-15 years – picking the right material and installing it properly will extend the life.
There are also environmental issues to consider when choosing the proper roof material. You can realize other environmental benefits from your roofing choices. If you select a light-colored surface or a material that doesn’t absorb heat from the sun, you significantly reduce your home’s cooling needs. When your attic stays cooler, your cooling bills go down.
There are many choices of materials which can used to roof a house. Slate, Tile, Asphalt, Rubber, etc. Modern energy-efficient products like metal, and fiberglass are also available and being installed today to lower heating and cooling costs.
Here are descriptions of the most popular types of roofing materials. Remember that cost alone does not determine quality, and not all of these products will meet the needs of your home.
Roof Types
Universal Roofing and Contracting Inc.
For quality roofing contractors, get in touch today with the professional team at Universal Roofing and schedule a free estimate.
Universal Roofing and Contracting has installed or repaired 1,000’s of roofs in Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia PA. Below are many of the types of roofs that we repair and install. We use the finest roofing materials from the best manufacturers for any type of repair or replacement. We price our jobs and materials based on your budget and factor in maintenance, repair and warranty issues. While most roofs are replaced every 10-15 years – picking the right material and installing it properly will extend the life.
There are also environmental issues to consider when choosing the proper roof material. You can realize other environmental benefits from your roofing choices. If you select a light-colored surface or a material that doesn’t absorb heat from the sun, you significantly reduce your home’s cooling needs. When your attic stays cooler, your cooling bills go down.
There are many choices of materials which can used to roof a house. Slate, Tile, Asphalt, Rubber, etc. Modern energy-efficient products like metal, and fiberglass are also available and being installed today to lower heating and cooling costs.
Here are descriptions of the most popular types of roofing materials. Remember that cost alone does not determine quality, and not all of these products will meet the needs of your home.
Asphalt Composition shingles
Asphalt Shingles – Composition shingles are a good choice for a clean look at an affordable price. Asphalt shingles are the most commonly used roofing system. Higher-quality shingles made from asphalt or fiberglass shingles offer a more durable option and may be available with recycled content. Asphalt shingles come in a large selection of types, brands and colors. Versatile, they adapt easily to different applications. They are relatively easy to install, and in some applications can be nailed in place over an existing roof. They require low maintenance and can be walked on without damaging the material. Most brands offer Class A fire protection.
Wood Shake / Cedar Shingles
Wood shakes offer a natural look with a lot of character. Because of variations like color, width, thickness, or cut of the wood, no two shake roofs will ever be the same. Wood offers some energy benefits, too: it helps to insulate the attic, and it allows the house to breathe, circulating air through the small openings under the felt rows on which wooden shingles are laid. A wood shake roof, however demands proper maintenance and repair, or it will not last as long as other products. Mold, rot, and insects can be a problem. The life cycle cost of a shake roof may be high, and old shakes can’t be recycled.
Most wood shakes are unrated by fire safety codes. Many use wipe or spray-on fire retardants which offer less protection and are only effective for a few years.
There are pressure-treated shakes, however, that are impregnated with fire retardant and meet national fire safety standards. Made by companies like Chemco, this pressure treating extends the life of wood shingles and provides better fire safety performance. Installing wood shakes is more complicated than roofing with composite shingles, and the quality of finished roof depends on the experience of the contractor as well as the caliber of the shakes you use. The best shakes come from the heartwood of large old cedar trees. Care should be taken when selecting shakes as the quality varies greatly from different shake mills.
Clay Tile Roof Shingles
Clay roofing tile is a good choice for homes with a southwestern, Italian, or Spanish Mission design, or even for homes with a modern, clean look. Tile lasts a long time – its expected lifespan is greater than the lifespan of the material on which the roofing rests. Tile won’t rot or burn, and it can’t be harmed by insects.It requires little maintenance, and comes in a variety of colors, types, styles and brands.
The biggest drawback to clay tile can be its weight. Depending on the material used to make it, tile can be very heavy – so heavy that extra roof support can be required.With some new materials, however, color is added only on the surface of the tile, and they can fade over time. Although most modern tile is kiln-fired into the tile making the color permanent. Tiles are fragile, so walking on them can break them. That makes it more difficult to accomplish maintenance like painting or cleaning rain gutters or fireplaces. Initial installation can be more complicated than other roofing materials. Clay tile can cost more than other roofing materials.
Slate Roof
Slate – actual shingle-like slivers of rock – is another roofing material that shows up on more upscale homes. Although slate is an expensive choice, it offers a very natural look and can be laid out in a variety of patterns.
The benefits of slate are identical to those of tile: a very long lifespan, good fire protection, low maintenance, and an invulnerably to rot and insects. It comes in a good selection of sizes and colors, although colors are limited to those found in nature.
Like tile, slate can be very heavy, sometimes requiring expensive extra support. It, to, is breakable enough that walking on it is difficult for a non-professional, complicating such tasks as rooftop maintenance, gutter cleaning and painting.
Metal Roofing
Metal roofs are coming back into vogue. In the late 1700s, zinc, copper, and lead were the most popular materials used for roofing – such famous historic buildings as the Washington Monument and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello have metal roofs. Standing-seam steel roofing is the most popular residential metal roofing today. (The term standing-seam describes the upturned edge of one metal panel that connects it to adjacent sections, creating distinctive vertical lines and a trendy historical look.) But metal roofs can also be made to resemble wood shakes, clay tiles, shingles, and Victorian metal tiles. Aluminum or coated steel is formed into individual shingles or tiles, or into modular panels four feet long that mimic a row of shingles or tiles.
Metal roofs are durable, fire retardant and almost maintenance-free. They are also energy efficient; metal reflects heat and blocks its transfer into the attic. Research by the Florida Solar Energy Center in 1985 showed that metal absorbed 34 percent less heat than asphalt shingles, and homeowners switching to metal roofing reported saving up to 20 percent on their energy bills.
Steel roofs offer other environmental benefits as well. They are made from between 60 percent to 65 percent recyclable material. Because they weigh very little, metal roofing can be installed over existing roofs, eliminating the need to dispose of excess material in a landfill.Installing some metal roofing can be an intricate process best done by a professional, and the initial cost of a premium metal roof is higher than most other roofing materials. You need to compute the lifecycle cost to see if paying more to begin with for a metal roof will prove to be a better investment than some other form of roofing.
More Information About Our Roofing Services
Please call us for a free estimate on any roof, gutter, siding, door or window project your are considering. We will provide you with a written estimate and our services are not only guaranteed but we will be very competitively priced. Call us today! (856) 303-0945
Testimonials
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I couldn't say enough good things about this company. Very professional with a great estimate. Our roof looks fantastic and the installers were very nice, friendly and cleaned everything up very well. The office secretary was beyond helpful in answering all our questions. If you are in need for a new roof, this is the company to call!
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Great family owned & operated business! Very responsive & professional to work with; would definitely use them again!
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Great team. Jason was amazing to work with. After interviewing about 6 roofers, we at a condo association knew he was the right person for the job. He was on the site, making sure everything went smoothly. Add them to your list of bids and make sure you compare apples to apples when reviewing bids. Jason does not cut corners and still came in lower at a great cost.
why choose us as your roofing contractor?
- Master Roofer in PA and NJ
- Expert Repair on All Roof Types
- Gutter, Siding, Soffit/Fascia Experts
- 24-hour Emergency Services
- Free Estimates
- Excellent References
Renee Yahara
I couldn’t say enough good things about this company. Very professional with a great estimate. Our roof looks fantastic and the installers were very nice, friendly and cleaned everything up very well. The office secretary was beyond helpful in answering all our questions. If you are in need for a new roof, this is the company to call!
Leo Dells
Great team. Jason was amazing to work with. After interviewing about 6 roofers, we at a condo association knew he was the right person for the job. He was on the site, making sure everything went smoothly. Add them to your list of bids and make sure you compare apples to apples when reviewing bids. Jason does not cut corners and still came in lower at a great cost.
Maura Brooks
Great family owned & operated business! Very responsive & professional to work with; would definitely use them again!
