Weather can wreak all kinds of havoc on your roof, especially if it’s a shingle type of roofing. A single storm blowing through can result in an expensive repair bill. But before you rush to fix the damage, think of this as an opportunity. Have you always coveted the look of cooper roofing? Well, now may be the perfect time to upgrade rather than repairing by using copper sheets for your roof.
Copper roofing isn’t just for newer homes, either. In older style homes like Victorians and Colonials, a copper roof can actually help you maintain the historical integrity of your abode while adding a bright, colorful and shiny finishing touch.
Old home or new home, colored roofs have quickly gained popularity in American homes over the past few years. In particular, copper as a roofing material provides a nice contrast against the stone and brick exteriors that so many newer homes are constructed of and trimmed with.
The growth in the material’s use for roofs has been so significant in recent years, in fact, that it has prompted the Copper Development Association to offer this rationale: “Copper offers a character and durability that no other metal roof can match.” The association further explains that copper roofing’s appearance allows it to “complement any style of building, from the traditional to the modern.”
Discerning homeowners are also drawn to copper sheet as a roofing material because of the warmth and beauty it exudes. Those who feel like they live in cookie-cutter housing developments will love how a copper roof instantly sets their home apart from all the neighbors’.
Beyond the aesthetics though, copper is extremely durable as well. If indeed storm damage is what is prompting you to make the leap to a copper roof, you can expect your new roofing to stand up to harsh elements like snow and rain for years and years.
In addition, over the course of those decades, the homeowner can expect to enjoy much lower maintenance costs than he or she would compared to most other roofing materials. The reason behind this easy upkeep is, in part, explained by the website Building Conservation: “The use of sheet metal in general as a roofing material allows a near continuous water-resistant covering with a minimum of joints between sheets.” Finally, and especially important to eco-conscious homeowners, is copper’s recyclability. At the end of its long lifespan, a copper roof can be fully recycled. Combined, all of these benefits result in copper being ranked “among the highest of modern roofing materials.”
All of that is great for homes that have a typical roof. But what if your home has a uniquely shaped roof? The stiffness and thickness of copper is going to make it too inflexible to accommodate your situation, right? Wrong! The truth is that copper is ideally suited to handling irregular roof structures thanks to its ductility and malleability. Indeed, these properties enable the material to be easily formed over unique curves.
And what about low-pitched roofs? The website BuildingConservation.com expounds that copper sheet “enables roof slopes to be covered at lower pitches than would be possible using other roof coverings and it can be used to provide a smooth surface over curved architectural forms.”
