If the environment is important to you, you probably look for ways to minimise your environmental impact with every purchasing decision you make. When you make a big decision, such as which type of roof to install, you should also keep the environment in mind. To guide you toward the right roof, here are some questions you should ask your contractor.
1. What Is the Lifespan of the Roof?
Different types of roofing materials last varying amounts of time, and the longer your roof may last, the better it is for the environment. When you use materials with a long lifespan, you cut down on the amount of waste that gets sent to the landfill and you reduce environmental costs related to transporting and sourcing new roof materials. Talk with your roofer about how long the options available to you last.
2. Is the Roof Made of Recycled Materials?
Many roofs including concrete and metal roofs can be made of recycled material. That reduces the demand on the land for new resources, and it helps to minimise environmental disruption related to mining metals. Concrete, clay and metal roofing materials can all come from preused sources, and these materials can also be put back into production when you are done using them.
3. Is the Roof Made Nearby?
Recyclability isn't the only issue to consider. You also have to think about how the roof is transported to you, and to reduce fuel costs associated to bringing the materials to your home, you may want to work with materials that are available locally or sourced relatively close to your home. For centuries, this was the preferred way to handle roofs, and one of the only options due to limited ability to move materials. That's why areas with lots of sticks and clay tended to use techniques such as wattle and daub, but at the same time, colonial Australia used lots of hardwoods as wood was plentifully available in the area.
4. Can You Put the New Roof on Top of the Existing Roof?
In some cases, you can put a new roof on top of an existing roof. This also helps to delay the delivery of waste to the landfill. Concrete and clay roofs tend to be relatively heavy, and they often cannot go on top of existing roofing materials. In contrast, metal roofs are lightweight and can often go on top of existing roofs.
5. What Additives Are Used on the Roof?
Finally, talk with the roof expert about any additives or chemicals that are on the roof. These chemicals may include items used to seal metal roofs, coat concrete roofs or paint clay roofs. Ideally, you want to avoid any harsh elements, or they can get into the runoff when rain lands on your roof.
Share30 March 2017
Hello, welcome to my roofing blog, my name is John and I live in Alice Springs, Australia. I recently moved out here with my wife and two kids to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city. We bought an old farmhouse and are in the process of renovating it. The place needs quite a bit of work. One of the biggest jobs so far has been sorting out the roof. It was missing a few tiles and I couldn't decide if we should try and repair it or if it would be better to have it repaired. Thankfully, my neighbour is something of an expert. He came and inspected the roof and recommended that we replace it. He explain how roofing works and the benefits of using different materials. I have learnt so much, I decided to start this blog.