Canada’s climate varies hugely from coast to coast. From sunshine to heavy rain, high winds to snow, your roof needs to work for your local conditions.

The geographical location that you reside in also really affects the roofing types you can use. Other factors also include the pitch of your roof, the amount of maintenance you are willing to do and your preferences.

Once you have narrowed down to one or two preferred options, consider their:

Durability – what is their expected lifespan? How much maintenance is required?
Sustainability – is it made from renewable or recycled sources? Is there a high carbon footprint?
Cost – how much does it compare, both initial cost wise and also over the lifetime of the roofing?
Warranty – is there a warranty or guarantee of the product?
Performance – does it have good wind resistance? What insulation properties does it offer? What is the fire rating?
In Canada, we have six main roofing materials you can choose from:

Asphalt – asphalt shingles are quickly growing in popularity. With a low cost per square metre and being rot resistant, they have a lifespan of around 15-30 years. But they absorb heat and thus are susceptible to heat damage, they are also easily damaged by strong winds

Laminated asphalt – Inexpensive, have a longer lifespan than asphalt shingles and have attractive textured appearance. However the disadvantages of this are the same as normal asphalt. i.e heat absorbing and heat and wind damage.

Metal – Metal tiles are also growing in popularity and give the look of a tile without the weight. They are extremely strong and durable, and offer very good weather resistance. Bad points are they can be pretty expensive, difficult to install and can be noisy.