For homeowners committed to green living, roofing provides an opportunity to use one of the greenest materials available. While both asphalt shingles and metal roofing can be recycled, slate is even more environmentally friendly. Here are five reasons slate is the greenest roofing material on the market today.

 

1. Slate is all natural

 

Slate does not contain any toxic synthetic material, chemicals, sealants or adhesives, nor is it mixed with resins or polymers like those present in asphalt roofing. Since it contains no man-made substances and won’t degrade, it doesn’t release anything harmful back into the earth.

 

2. It will last almost forever

 

All the slate in the world today was formed more than 400 million years ago during the Paleozoic Era. It existed long before humans, and will be here long after we’re gone. Once slate roofing shingles are installed, they won’t wear out or need to be disposed of.

 

3. It’s eco-friendly

 

Slate is simply pulled from the earth and shaped. It’s split mostly by hand tools and shaped by small electric cutting machines that use only a minimal amount of energy. Leftover slate is the only by-product; there are no solvents or waste to dump into rivers. Slate is available in many quarries throughout the United States, which reduces the number of miles it needs to be shipped and the amount of fuel needed to transport it.

 

It is also extremely resistant to mold and mildew growth. This means that it rarely needs to be cleaned, so homeowners will use fewer chemical cleaning products.

 

4. It’s durable and reusable

 

Slate is the longest-lasting roofing material, so a roof will probably never need to be replaced. While individual tiles can be damaged, an entire slate roof will never need to be torn off and replaced because of wear. This means fewer roofing materials will be dumped in landfills. A building will probably collapse before a slate roof wears out; if this happens, the tiles can be simply be collected and reused on another house.

 

5. It conserves energy

 

The density of a slate roof keeps interior temperatures more constant, so homeowners use less energy making the rooms warmer or colder.

 

Because it is a naturally occurring, low-impact material, slate roofing doesn’t consume much energy to make. Because it is a no-waste product, it won’t take up space in landfills or pollute the environment. It is truly the greenest roofing material on earth.

 

Slate simply offers the greatest value for homeowners out to make their contribution to environmental conservation. Because it is ubiquitous, pure and durable, this is one roofing material that a green home owner cannot go wrong with.

 

Call Sela today to learn more about slate roofing for your home!

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