What is the best roof for rainy climate? Well, if you live in a place with perennial snow or rain, asphalt shingles, slate, and pitched roofs are usually most ideal. However, your options don’t end there as there are a number of other roof types and materials to consider as follows:
Best Roof for Rainy Climate
The best roof for rainy climate varies from asphalt shingles, slate, and/or pitched roof.
1) Asphalt Shingles
These kinds of roofs are rampant across the northern part of the US largely due to their ability to withstand cold climate elements like wind, snow and heavy rain. After the occurrence of rain or snow, the roof’s inclination and materials shake off the resulting debris quite well.
2) Metal
Metal roofs are splendid on account of their immunity to rot, leak, mold, and fungus but they will require you to foot a hefty installation bill. Be it cold or hot, these roofs are suited to either weather with their ability to preserve heat on cold days and redirect sunlight to regulate temperatures on blistering summer days ensuring they offer the best of both worlds.
3) Wood Shingles
This conventional roofing design is susceptible to rot and mold in wet climates. What’s more, wood shingles don’t hold up too well in hot conditions because of cracking and splitting resulting from the expansion of the wood.
4) Slate
Slates offer adept protection against both ends of weather extremities, i.e. cold and hot, but are specially tailored to cushion the adverse effects of weather anomalies like hurricanes. The roof’s commendable longevity is its greatest selling point.
5) Clay
The Achilles heel of a clay roof proves to be wind and storms but in dry and hot environments, it’s hard to pinpoint a better choice thanks to its excellent cooling abilities. In addition, it is also fire-resistant so that’s one less thing you have to worry about replacing if a fire breaks out.
6) Mansard
Also known as the French roof, this design is most desirable among those with compact houses craving a little extra room. Its expansive layout accommodates a considerable amount of attics and dormers but this roof generally comes up short against heavy snowfall.
7) Pitched
The gable or pitched roof is best known for its good shedding ability. This roof has been America’s go-to option for decades and its popularity has been down to its generous provision of attic space in addition to the aforementioned quality. Nonetheless, its shortcomings include vulnerability to hurricanes and highly windy settings.
8) Flat
If the roofing family had an overlooked child, the flat roof would be it and undeservedly so. It is often implored in commercial or industrial establishments but it isn’t a bad choice either for the standard homeowner. Flats offer a plethora of benefits including affordability, added space for gardens or rooftop patios and convenient accommodation of solar panels. On the flip side, the failings of this variety include constant maintenance and poor shedding which increases the risk of water damage.
9) Brick
Brick roofs are composed of seamed partitions which allow for water seeping in between the cracks. The other con about them is that they are also expensive but the positive side of this coin comes in the way of great resistance to strong storms and winds due to their robustness and excellent ventilation and snow-shedding prowess.
Bottom Line
Back to our question of the day: what is the best roof for rainy climate? Pitched, slates and asphalt-shingled roofs make up the three most suited to a place plagued by blistering wind, hurricanes, and heavy rain or snowfall. Although, be sure that you’re not getting a bad roofing job done in the first place to avoid any other potential mishaps through proper roof maintenance.