Copper is a naturally occurring metal that offers an unmatched character and durability. Its appearance can complement any building style, from modern to traditional. It adds warmth and beauty, making it one of the preferred materials for architects and designers. Copper can also be found in traditional and historical buildings, which have stood the test of time.
Its high resistance to external elements ranks among the highest of modern roofing materials. A properly designed and masterfully installed copper roof can provide an affordable and long-term roofing solution. It has a low life cycle cost, which can be attributed to its low maintenance, long life and high salvage value. Unlike other roofing materials, copper does not require painting or finishing.
Aesthetic Appeal
Copper roofs are known and celebrated for their exceptional and stunning aesthetic appeal. Some of the key factors that contribute to copper’s aesthetic appeal are mentioned below.
- Distinctive Appearance: You look at a copper roof, and the first thing that comes to mind is uniqueness. Copper roofs stand out because of their shiny appearance during installation. Over time, this shiny appearance develops a natural patina, gradually changing colour to shades of blue, green, and brownish hues. This changing patina keeps giving your roof a new shade over time, adding elegance and charm to your property.
- Timeless: The ageing of copper results in a classic yet timeless look, complementing contemporary and traditional architectural styles. Working with copper roofs requires master craftsmanship, often resulting in properties that reflect heritage.
- Versatility: A soft and malleable metal, copper can be moulded into any shape, including intricate ones. This allows designers to create complex designs with decorative elements. You can add unique architectural structures to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home.
- Curb Appeal: If you want to enhance the curb appeal of your home, then copper roofs are what you should be looking at. Copper roofs have a rich texture and colour, and the ageing copper creates a striking contrast with the rest of the property materials.
- Natural Integration: The greenish and bluish hues of copper roofs can be easily integrated with natural structures such as vegetation and trees. This allows properties with copper roofs to blend into the environment, making them look more organic.
- Reflection of Light: One of the natural properties of copper is to reflect infrared radiation. This helps in keeping heat away from your property, increasing its energy efficiency and also creating a shimmering surface that changes throughout the day as the sun changes its angle.
- Enhancing Durability with Age: The natural patina that forms over time not only provides a unique look but also forms a protective layer over the roof, enhancing its age and longevity.
- Architectural Accents: Roofing is not the only application of copper. It can also create architectural accents, including spires, dormers, domes, and cupolas. These elements can enhance your home’s architectural design and create an eye-catching exterior.
Durability of Copper Roofing
Copper roofs have exceptional durability because of the natural properties of copper.
- Corrosion Resistance: The most significant challenge faced by metallic roofs is corrosion. Climatic conditions and moisture can corrode even the sturdiest of metals over time. However, copper is an exception. It offers incredible resistance to rusting and corrosion. This makes it the primary roofing choice for regions where corrosion is a common problem, such as coastal areas. Copper roofs can withstand extreme exposure to rain, snow, and moisture without any signs of corrosion or deterioration. As copper ages, the natural patina covering enhances these properties of copper.
- High Flexibility: With high softness and malleability, copper can handle high thermal contraction and expansion effectively. This implies that even in extreme temperatures, copper does not warp or crack.
- Longevity: Copper roofs have been known to last for centuries. Although they do not require expensive maintenance, with little care and timely repairs, they can outlive the property itself.
- Environmental Factors: External factors such as UV, Infrared radiation, humidity, dirt, and debris do not affect the quality of copper. It is highly resistant to mold, moss, and algae and offers your property excellent protection from all these external elements.
Low Maintenance
As if the above two significant benefits of copper were not enough, another excellent attribute of copper roofs is their low requirement for maintenance and repairs. Below are some of the reasons that make copper roofs an ideal choice for those who care a little less for things.
- Weather Resistance: As we mentioned before, climatic conditions have a significant bearing on the type of roof you have. From asphalt shingles to fibreglass, weather conditions such as hail, snow, heavy rain, impact, and strong winds can have one or more negative effects on your roofs. However, with a copper roof, you can expect that none of these external elements will pose any serious threat, so you won’t need any repairs or maintenance soon.
- Self-Cleaning: The colourful and natural patina that copper roofs develop creates a self-cleaning effect. Rainwater will not be staying on your copper roof. It will simply slip away and help remove any pollutants, such as dirt and debris.
- Say goodbye to Algae and Moss: Unlike other roofing materials, which often suffer from the growth of algae and moss, copper roofs are anti-algae and anti-moss. Their resistance to moisture and water is the contributing factor. This resistance maintains the appearance of your roof and protects it from any damage caused by biological organisms.
- No sealing or Coating Required: The incredible properties of copper save you from the trouble of applying any protective coatings or sealings.
- Eco-Friendly and sustainable: Copper can be resold, reused, and recycled. As it is an expensive and long-lasting material, it has a high resale value. It can also be used for manufacturing countless other products, which is why it never sees the face of a landfill.