If you are looking for eco-friendly options for your roofing needs, there are so many choices you have. The options can be durable and last for years sometimes, in addition to being eco-friendly.
Recycled Shingles
Among the most popular and the “greenest” of all roofing products are shingles made from recycled waste materials, such as plastic, rubber, or wood fiber. Some products are made from clean post-consumer waste , others from post-industrial waste . Recycled-content shingles are amazingly durable, and they look nice, too.
Recycled-content roof shingles help reducewaste in landfills and reduce our need to extract and process raw materials. Some of these products are recyclable, too, and many come with amazing 50-year warranties and fire-ratings.
Wood Shingles and Shakes
Conventional wood shingles are made from old-growth western cedar but the harvest of old-growth trees is not sustainable in the long run. These shingles are also quite combustible and always has a risk of catching fire.
If you would like to install wood roof shingles and local building codes permit them, consider a product made from reclaimed lumber. Use materials made from acquired old wood throughout the country and processed locally.
Another environmentally friendly wood shingle can be Canada wood from sustainably grown eastern white cedar trees. Commonly used for siding, but they can be used for roofs, installed according to rules.
Slate is a sustainable material and produces an incredibly durable roof tile which can last hundreds of years. Several companies offer slate tiles, and some even offer a 100-year warranty to last for the future generations.
Several slate roof tile manufacturers offer salvaged slate and clay roof tiles to prevent mining and energy consumption. Clay tiles also are a highly durable as roof material, although they do notlast as long as slate.
Metal Roofing
Many metal roofing products include recycled material and metal roofs can be recycled when they have filled their purpose. Metal roofs can last up to 50 years so roofing replacement is less frequent. They also offer exceptional durability and fire-resistance.
Roofs made from recycled aluminum resemble wood shakes and contain as much as 50 percent recycled steel and are designed to look like wood or slate. Shingles made from either 100 percent recycled aluminum or 85 percent recycled copper. So you get the looks plus durability.
Rubber Roofing
Reinforced rubber shingles made from old steel-belted radial tires is another recyclable material for your roofs. A big advantage to this material is durability and a 50-year warranty, including against hail and other extreme weather conditions.
