California’s climate is Mediterranean with warm to hot summers and mild winters. Some parts of the state receive a wide range of precipitation while others are near desert-like. This is why the main concern of building owners in the area is to get cool roofing systems, able to reflect the sunlight and keep the excessive heat away.
Today, there are kinds of roofing materials on the market, but here are some of the most popular roofing products used in California.
- Wood Shingles and Shakes
In most of the cases, they are made from cedar, cypress, yellow pine and redwood. They have been very popular in California until recent years when the emergence of other fire-proof synthetic materials on the market started to question their position. As a consequence, wood shakes and shingles are now treated with fire retardants, being still widely available. Because let`s face it: they are some of the most beautiful roofing materials out there, with many other qualities that cannot be overlooked.
- Clay and Terracotta
Earthen materials are traditional and still some of the best for hot climates. They are versatile and can be painted to look like expensive slate or ancient terracotta, enhancing the curb appeal of any building, regardless its intricate architectural style. They are heavy materials, requiring a solid building structure, but also very resistant and can be treated to be waterproof and reflective say the Santa Clara roofing contractors.
- Concrete Tiles
Concrete is economical, less expensive and durable than slate or terracotta, but better than asphalt shingles. Concrete tiles have a natural ability to reflect the sun, not allowing the heat to pass below the roof. It is also a material easy to work with and all these features make it one of the favorite materials especially in hot and industrial areas. White Barrel ‘S’ Tiles are a particular type of concrete composite tiles, molded into half barrel ‘S’ shapes, imitating different patterns and being suitable for both residential and commercial buildings. They are highly reflective (40% more ultraviolet rays is reflected by White Barrel ‘S’ Tiles than by the earthen materials like clay and terracotta).
- Synthetic rubber and thermoplastic roofing materials
These materials are largely used in commercial roofing, everywhere in California. They are durable, waterproof, reflective and often used not only as primary roofing material but also as a foundation for other cool roofing options.
- White Flat Tile
These are probably the best roofing products used in California. Constructed of ceramic, elastomeric material composites and cement, white flat tiles reflect about 80% of the sun rays. They require periodic cleaning, but the cleaning costs are small compared with the energy benefits provided.
- Metal Roofing
Lightweight, very durable, fireproof, waterproof and reflective, metal is one of the best materials out there, in any type of climate. It comes with up to 50-year warranty and requires very little maintenance. It can be painted and imitates different patterns. To maintain high R-values, a metal roofing system is typically applied over dense foam insulation.