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Cedar Shake Shingles
Pros:
-
The very first roof
that I installed was a shake roof, and I still
like them if they are done right. I definitely
recommend the CCA type
treatment before they are installed to fight
against wood rot.
-
Shake roofs have
good heat insulation properties with an "Old
Hawaii" look.
-
I have yet to see a
shake substitute that has lasted as long as
regular shakes. I'm still hoping.
Cons:
-
Let's face
it, they are made out
of wood, so they will burn easily.
-
Nails rust out
quickly in the wet wood so make sure to specify
stainless steel fasteners.
-
After a dozen years
or so, shakes get crispy and will break underfoot.
Leakmaster's bottom line:
"If you like the look, consider getting these
before you get a synthetic shake which hasn't
proved itself in the market yet."
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Monier
Concrete Tiles
Pros:
-
Proven to stand the
test of time, with periodic maintenance of cracked
tiles and missing grout.
-
Fireproof, rot
proof, and they ain't
easy to blow off if you fasten them right.
-
The old school,
heavy weight tiles seem to be less likely to break
under foot than the newer, lighter styles.
Cons:
-
Watch out for
falling coconuts and those big termite guys with
their tents!
-
Most older homes
can't be reroofed in
Monier without
extensive bracing of the beams, due to
it's heavy weight.
Leakmaster's
bottom line:
"If your house can take the weight, it's a
helluva roof."
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HPM
Metal Roofs, Ferro-Union Metal Roofs
Pros:
-
Metal roofs, in
general, have excellent longevity if you coat them
with an elastomeric
coating whenever they first show signs of rusting.
-
The top of the line
models which have Kynar
coatings have been shown to protect better against
fading than the other lower priced coatings.
-
They can be put on
very low sloped decks, where shingles and shakes
can not go.
-
They are fireproof.
Cons:
-
They transmit a lot
of heat, so you need either excellent venting or
insulation to cool your place down.
-
The galvanized sheet
metal gutters that so many of them have rust out
quickly because vegetation and dirt accumulates in
the low spots, causing leaks. It is worth it to
coat these gutters every 5 years or so with a
solvent based coating, such as NeoGard Urethane or
Aldo Butyl coatings.
-
It's best to get the
standing seam roofs, which have concealed
fasteners, but you'll pay more for these. If your
existing roof has exposed fasteners which are
pulling out or rusting, we can replace them or
seal them with urethane caulking.
Leakmaster's Bottom Line:
"A long lasting roof which especially makes sense
for commercial applications. If you maintain them
correctly, by quickly taking care of rust spots,
they can be re-coated to last a lifetime."
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Owen's
Corning Miravista,
Decra
stone covered metal roof
Pros:
-
As you
might have guessed by now, I'm not a big fan of
synthetic shakes, many of which have failed
miserably in the past. However, I know a lot of
you don't like wood shakes, so here are two brands
that are worthy of your consideration.
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The
MiraVista, while still a relatively new
product, is backed by the Owens Corning company
which is a solid, reliable brand. It has a
realistic look about it, and is light in weight.
-
The
Decra roof has been around along time in
Hawaii and does have very good durability in my
experience. It's wind
resistance is also excellent, when properly
installed.
Cons:
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The
MiraVista and the
Decra are both
expensive roofs which appeals to those of us who
like to have something that looks different from
their neighbors.
-
The
MiraVista needs to be
out in our elements in
Hawaii a bit longer before we
can recommend it.
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The
Decra used to have a
huge problem with denting when anyone walked on
it, but that has been largely solved by inserting
the foam insulating strips behind the shake.
This, however, also increases the over all cost.
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The
Decra doesn't really
look like a shake, because the small stones that
are imbedded in metal give it
it's own distinctive look.
Leakmaster's
bottom line:
"If you like the looks and have the bucks,
the Decra
is a durable system which is probably the best of
the two products above.
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