Roofs are essential to a house, tying everything together and helping create a particular aesthetic. However, this is not their only purpose; roofs, first and foremost, are meant to protect you.
The roof needs the right design for the most protection: the type of roof and material play a significant role and can vary depending on your area's climate. Those who live in a rainy climate are just one group who want to take the time to consider their options carefully to ensure they choose the right roof for their home. Here is what you need to know about choosing a roof in rainy climates.
The Complications of Living in a Rainy Climate
All types of weather affect your roof in various ways. Living in a rainy climate means you see significant amounts of rainfall, which can negatively impact your roof. Some complications that can result include:
Leaks: One issue is that rainfall, especially heavy rainfall, can be very good at finding weak points on your roof and creating leaks. These leaks lead to roof and interior damage, including mold, mildew, and rot. Leaks often start small and can go unnoticed until the problem becomes significant and costly.
Moisture Problems: Constant rainy weather means your roof isn't able to dry out. This leaves it susceptible to mold and rotting, which can seriously harm the roof's integrity.
Water Pooling: On flat roofs, common on commercial buildings, water will pool, which can also lead to water damage. It can also attract mosquitoes and lead to bacteria growth.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Roofing Materials in Rainy Climates
You don't want to choose just any material if you live in a rainy climate. Choosing one that can withstand the weather without suffering damage is essential. Some of the factors to keep in mind when looking at materials are:
The Amount of Rainfall: The heavier the rainfall, the more critical it is to ensure your roof can handle the weight of it. It can begin to sag or collapse under the water's weight if it isn't strong enough to withstand large amounts of water.
Frequency of Rainfall: Areas with rainy climates are prone to lots of rain, but the more you get within a window of time, the more it will prevent your roof from drying. With that in mind, installing a water-resistant material is ideal.
Wind Exposure: Rain storms are sometimes accompanied by strong winds. These winds can be extremely damaging, especially if improperly secured. The best option is to choose a material that offers more wind resistance.
Temperature Fluctuations: Rain can also come with temperature changes, with many materials expanding and contracting with the fluctuations. This can lead to materials cracking and becoming damaged, weakening the roof.
Best Roof Styles for Rainy Climates
The material isn't the only thing that matters when choosing a roof for a rainy climate. You also want to consider the style of the roof.
There are so many different styles you can choose from, and they often are best suited to specific types of climates.
The first thing to consider is the slope of the roof. Steeper-sloped roofs are one of the most common roofs you'll find, and they are also the best roof for rainy climate areas. These roofs allow for water, snow, and other debris to flow down the roof surface and toward the gutter. This helps keep the roof clean and helps minimize the risk of damage, especially damage caused by water.
In terms of shape:
Hipped roofs are a great option in rainy climates. These roofs slope on all four sides, which allows water to drain from multiple directions. They can also better withstand winds.
Gable roofs are roofs that slope on two sides, which makes them great for handling rain, but they are not very durable against strong winds because of the amount of overhang they have.
Gambrel roofs are often seen on barns and have two slopes on each side. This design lends them to being another great option for rainy climates, as the rain will roll right off and into the gutters. Like gable roofs, gambrel roofs struggle against high winds.
Shed roofs, also called mono-pitch roofs or skillion roofs, have a single, sloped side. It allows rain to drain off quickly, but it struggles with high winds.
A-frame Roofs are steely sloped roofs resistant to most harsh weather, from heavy rain to strong winds.
Saltbox Roofs are similar to gable roofs, but one side is shorter than the other. While similar, they are somewhat stronger against rain.
Bonnet Roofs have four sides, each hipped with a small slope at the bottom. They are great at handling heavy rain and strong winds.
Best Roof Colors for Rainy Climates
You might also want to consider what color you choose for your roof in rainy climates. It isn't just a matter of ensuring a cohesive design with the rest of your home but about ensuring you choose the right one for your climate.
Light-colored roofs are ideal for hotter climates as they reflect sunlight and reduce heat absorption, which can also reduce cooling costs. On the other hand, dark colors absorb heat, which can be beneficial in cooler climates and help lower heating costs.
With this in mind, you have to consider where you live. Darker or mid-toned colors may be a better option in areas like Washington or New York, as they can be colder. Florida, meanwhile, is hotter, so lighter colors would be better to reflect the heat that may still be present during rainstorms.
There are many color possibilities, leaving you with many options that work well in either climate.
The Best Roof Material for a Rainy Climate
Here are different roofing materials and the qualities that some have that make them the best for rainy climates.
Asphalt
Asphalt or 3-tab shingles are one of the most common roofing materials. They are a great, affordable option and perform well in most climates, including rainy and windy ones. Asphalt shingles come in many patterns, designs, and colors these days, and you can also choose higher-quality architectural asphalt shingles.
Unfortunately, asphalt does not perform well in extreme heat and tends to lose the mineral coating that protects the shingles, leading to early deterioration. Another thing to consider is that as they age, the edges will begin to curl, and the colors will fade. While able to withstand rain, there is still a concern about their porosity, which can lead to algae and mold growth.
Asphalt shingles typically offer limited lifetime warranties, and the products can last anywhere from 15 to 25 years. Unfortunately, these shingles are not environmentally friendly and cannot be recycled, creating more landfill waste.
Metal
Metal roofing has been around for many years and is a durable, low-maintenance option that lasts a long time. It is great for rainy climates because it is not susceptible to mold, fungus, or rot but can be noisy. Metal is a great option for hotter climates as it reflects heat, helping keep the interior cool.
Metal roofing can be found in panels, sheets, and tiles and painted with various colors or designs resembling wood shakes or slate tiles.
The downside to metal roofing is that it is expensive, and color-matching damaged panels can be difficult. Metal also expands and contracts as temperatures fluctuate, which can cause fasteners to weaken and wear out.
Wood
Wood shakes and shingles are another material with a long history and are popular for their natural, rustic appearance. It is an environmentally friendly and sustainable option, though it requires a lot of maintenance, especially when installing them in a rainy climate.
Wood expands when it is wet and cracks as it dries. It must also be kept clean and treated to prevent mold and fungus growth or rot. Other issues to consider are that wood shakes and shingles are susceptible to insect infestations without proper treatment.
Concrete and Clay
Concrete and clay are versatile roofing options. Clay is often used in Mediterranean-style homes, creating Spanish barrel tiles, though concrete is also used. These materials can last for years and are extremely durable and environmentally friendly.
A great benefit of these materials is that they absorb heat during the day but release it back into the atmosphere in the evening. This helps protect the house's structure and reduces summertime cooling costs.
The problem with these materials is that they are extremely heavy and will require additional structural support if the home isn't engineered to support that amount of weight. That means additional installation costs, especially because the weight makes them difficult to work with. These materials also require maintenance, which specialists must do.
Slate
Slate is a beautiful material with a long history dating back hundreds of years. Like clay and concrete, it is durable and can last 100 years or more with the proper care and maintenance. It is also an incredibly heavy material, making installation difficult and ensuring it can withstand strong winds.
The weight means it requires extra structural support, which adds to the installation costs of an already expensive product, especially when you add in maintenance costs, which slate specialists must carry out.
A Superior Option: Composite Tiles
The best roof material for a rainy climate is composite tiles. Composite tiles are an eco-friendly synthetic roofing material made from recycled plastics and other materials, which helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. These roofing tiles can also mimic the appearance of popular materials like slate, wood shakes, and clay without the drawbacks of the real materials. Brava is one of the leading manufacturers of composite tiles, which have benefits that include:
Realistic finishes
Class 4 impact rating
And Class A and C Fire Rating
Extremely lightweight
Easy to install
Water-resistant
Freeze/Thaw resistant
Wind-resistant; approved to withstand wind speeds of up to 188 MPH with nails and up to 211 MPH with screw installation.
Maintenance-free
Colorfast technology: the color will not fade or bleach.
Brava offers the following composite tile options:
Cedar Shake
Brava's cedar shakes perfectly replicate the natural beauty of the traditional cedar shakes, down to the hand-split texture often associated with the real product. They offer three widths and thicknesses from 5/8" to 7/8" to ensure an authentic look further, allowing the tiles to be installed straight or in a more staggered application.
Brava offers 14 colors for their cedar shakes, ranging from soft browns to onyx. They also offer a white tile and two cool roof color options.
Old World Slate Tile
Just like with their cedar shake tiles, Brava has gone above and beyond to create an authentic slate roofing product that has the aesthetics of natural quarried slate tiles. They have a 1" profile and come in widths of 12" standard slate and 6", 9", and 12" multi-width slate.
There are 15 color options, from classic black to greens and red and white.
Spanish Barrel Tile
Spanish barrel tiles are an extremely popular material. It resembles a classic barrel tile, with multiple semi-cylindrical forms in an interlocking pattern. Their coloring technology makes Brava's synthetic barrel tiles more authentic than alternatives.
These tiles have a unique appearance, with color blends flowing smoothly through the tiles to create a stunning roofline. While they offer traditional colors like Terra Cotta, they also offer multi-colored blends and colors with an aged appearance. They can also manufacture custom combinations.
There are 17 color options, from classic reddish-browns to more stand-out options like greens, white, and black. There are also two cool roof options.
Getting the Best Roof for Rainy Climate Areas
Rainy climates require special considerations regarding home construction, particularly regarding the roof. The roof is critical to protecting you and your family, so choosing a roof that can withstand heavy rainfall is vital. While many natural materials offer protection, nothing offers more security than composite roof tiles. These tiles offer durability and beauty in a lightweight, easy-to-install package. Brava, in particular, offers the highest quality products with realistic appearances of natural materials.
Contact Brava today to learn more about our various roofing tiles and request samples to see which option and color you like best.
