In Calgary there are many options for roofing products, but often we relegate our choices to the most economical and practical choice: asphalt shingles. Asphalt roofing products have been around for over a century. In recent years more products have become available to protect our homes from the brutal cold and blistering heat that mother nature throws at us. Recently we have travelled to Europe to learn more about roofing and how to offer green roofing installations in Calgary.
Local Products win the day for roofing installations
This structure hasn’t seen use or habitation in half a century, yet the roof is still standing!
Ireland is an ancient land, steeped in tradition and history. Dotted all around the countryside are farmsteads and townships dating back hundreds of years or more. Large or small and built from stone and mortar – often times by the bare hands of the inhabitants – the structures erected used to house entire families. Many of the smaller buildings have fallen to ruin, too small or drafty or expensive to update for modern folk to inhabit. One factor that stands out in these buildings is that even though they have been abandoned for decades or even a century, often times the roof is still standing! Some structures have seen updated roof installations, but some still have the original slate they were built with.
There are 3 types of roofing to be found in Ireland
After hours and miles of touring some of the most beautiful countryside on the planet, we have discovered there are 3 types of roofing to be found in Ireland, and two still applied to practical roofing installations:
- Slate – Slate roofing is by far the most dominant product used in roof installations. Mined in Wales or in Spain, the stone roof is relatively local.
- Metal – Metal roofing is as a cheap alternative to slate, and is used to protect working structures such as barns and storage bays
- Asbestos – Some structures use an asbestos & concrete mix to shed water. While extremely durable, it is no longer popular for obvious reasons.
As you can see, shingles don’t fall into the category of regular use in Ireland, and that’s because they aren’t made locally and are too costly to ship!