Florida puts any roof to the test of durability and dependability, so picking the best roof for your Florida homes is critical to protect your family and your financial investment.  Obviously, roofs in Florida need to be able to stand up to hurricanes and all of the wrath they bring upon a home.  In addition to these sublime weather events even just the everyday heat, intense sun rays, constant high moisture levels, and salt exposure taken a relentless and constant toll.  On any given day, a Florida home needs to withstand thunderstorms, wind, tornado watches, falling debris from surrounding trees, etc.  Consequently, making the right choice in which type of roof for your Florida home is a serious decision.

As a homeowner in Florida, you are most likely going to need to replace your roof at some point. When doing so, it’s important to know which type of roofs is best for a Florida home.  Out of the many different types of roofs, their materials and construction, which types of roofs are best for your Florida home?

In this article, we’ve explained what the best types of roofs for Florida homes to help you make the best choice for your home, according to our 20+ years of experience at RWC Roofing, installing roofs in Florida.

Clay tile roofs have long been a popular and durable roof for Florida homes. While it may be more costly to install/replace tile roofs, or when it comes time to repair them, if they are installed correctly, clay tile roofs have along life, and typically require less maintenance.  A lot of homeowners also find them more aesthetically pleasing.  A lot of tile roofs give Florida homes a traditional Spanish-colonial look and feel, which has long been considered desirable by Florida homeowners.

Clay tile roofs will generally outlast any other kind of roof in Florida.  They will stand up to the heat, the intense Florida weather, and they resist as insects and pests, as well.  Today there are many different shapes, colors and styles for roofs. The most popular designs are the flat, fluted, and interlocking styles.  A properly installed tile roofs can be expected to last 50 years, but may well last up to 100 years in some situations.

One drawback of clay tiles is their weight.  The weight of clay tiles means that more structural strength and support is needed for the weight they bare on the trusses.  For homes that were not originally built with a clay tile roof, they may need to have additional support before clay tiles can be used.  

The Virtually Maintenance-Free Metal Roof

In recent years metal roofs have become a very popular and solid option in Florida.  Metal roofs are very durable and dependable.  They are actually more resistant to Florida’s hurricanes and other intense weather patterns than clay tile roofs, and also require almost no maintenance.  From an efficiency standpoint, if they are installed properly, they can reduce your home’s energy use and costs by keeping your home cooler during the summer, since they will tend to reflect Florida’s intense sun rays.

The color and style options for metal roofs are vast.  They can even be designed to look like some other types of roofs to give a different look and style, such as shingle, clay tile roofs, or even wooden styles.

A Concrete Tile, Good Alternative to a Clay Tile Roof

Ever since the days of the Roman Empire, concrete has been used to build strong, long-lived structures.  It makes sense that using concrete for tile roofs has become a common and popular option.  Similar to metal roofing and clay tiles, concrete tile roofs are very strong and require almost no maintenance.  Concrete tile roofs are like their clay counterparts, able to stand the test of hurricanes in Florida.  Also much like clay tiles, they do not corrode or rot due to salty or wet conditions.   One plus that concrete tiles have over clay tiles is that they are lighter.  This means it more likely that they can be used on a home that was not originally built with clay tiles without the need of costly additional restructuring of the homes trusses.

So What about Shingle Roofs for a Florida home?

So, how do shingle roofs stand up to the test of Florida?  While tile and metal roofs are undoubtedly stronger and longer-lived, high-quality shingles can stand up to Florida’s intense weather.  Shingle roofs will ultimately not last as long as tile or metal roofs, but remain a viable option for many Florida homeowners because of the lower upfront costs to install and replace them.  Although, consider that shingle roofs will require more ongoing maintenance, and they are more prone to leaks after intense weather.  You will need to replace a shingle roof on average every 15 to 20 years.  If you are considering a shingle roof, the most important considerations are, using an experienced and reputable roofing company to install them, and ensuring the roofing company uses high quality shingles with a solid manufacturer warranty.