The Roof -- A Visible Crown

The often harsh climate of the south -- intense summer heat and humidity, lashing rains, high winds, and occassional hail or ice storms -- make the choice of a roof more than just an afterthought. In our particular case we wanted even more than functionality and long-life, we also wanted to retain the mature trees on the site (another added environmental challenge for a roof) and we wanted to blend in with the mission/craftsman style of structures in the Pettigru Historic District.

Options Considered
With three objectives -- environmental performance, long-life and architectural fit -- we explored a long list of roofing options. We began with a goal of finding something that would approach the beauty and substantial look of slate that adorns several churches and large homes in the District. We quickly ruled out metal because of cost and the incompatible look with the neighborhood. Shale itself was also cost prohibitive. We then turned to two products that mimiced shale but had other environmental benefits. The first was EcoStar, a recycled rubber product that comes in individual tiles like slate. The other was MonierLife Tiles, a cementious product often seen on commercial structures. Both products met all of our original objectives, however, when we considered the full material and installation costs, both were several times more expensieve than traditional asphalt shingle roofs -- the norm for our area.

CertainTeed Centennial-Slate Fit Most Objectives
As discouragement was setting in that we would have to settle for a traditional asphalt roof, we came across a new class of products developed by CertainTeed -- the maker of a wide range of asphalt materials. We were especially attracted to the Centennial-Slate collection. The product we opted for is designed to mimic a slate roof with oversized "shangles" that have five large tabs. Each tab has a different color and is backed by another black tab that provides an aret "mat-type" effect or shadow that adds dimension and depth to each tab. The result at a short distance is a very attractive slate appearance.

We especially liked the CertainTeed product (www.certainteed.com) because the more substantial thickness and weight of the product accompanied by a life-time warranty offers the promise of long life to match the natural beauty. An added cost, but also an outstanding architectural feature, is a requirement that all drip edges and valley material must be copper. Too, each single is manufactured with algae-resistant cooper roofing granules and is warranted to protect against discoloration (a real problem in our area, especially under a heavy tree canopy). While the full cost of the product and installation was more than twice that of a traditional asphalt roof, the durability, life-time warranty and outstanding slate-like beauty, made it an investment we were willing to make. We went with the Smokey Quartz color scheme which accented our evergreen exterior window trim.

Final Thoughts
While the CertainTeed product didn't offer any unique environmental attributes, we don't believe the average consumer can or should buy a "green" product when the costs are several multiples of an acceptable alternative. In our case the arechitectural fit along with durability and long-life, all at an acceptable premium, yielded a fair compromise.