According to "Roofer Dublin", The style of your roof and materials are a major architectural feature that is often overlooked but has a huge impact on your property and aesthetic value. Therefore, it's important to consider the best roof types for your new construction or when updating your existing roof because, besides adding value, they help you to communicate your home's feel and look as well as upgrade your property exterior.

The article will make the roof selection process easier for you by reviewing the top 3 residential roofs at this time or those that never feels outdated.

Gable Roof

It's also referred to as a classical roof and has two roof sections or sides sloping in opposite directions. The two sections start from the ridge sloping toward the ends of the roof. A gable roof has an arrangement that is achieved using rafters, purlins, and roof trusses. You can vary the roof pitch and height of the gutters. The design is extensively used in areas with cold climatic conditions.

The following are different types of gable roofs:

Box Gable Roofs: This is a gable roof with a triangular extension at both ends of the house and a boxed roof section at the end.

Front Roof Gable: The front door of the house is placed under the gable. The design is common in places where the front of the house is facing the street.

Cross Gable Roofs: The design has two or more gable rooflines that intersect since the two ridges are perpendicular to each other. A house with a cross gable roof may look complicated because of its complex layout.

Side Gable Roofs: This is where you find the door of the house on the side of the gable roof.

Dutch gable: The design combines the hip and gable roof such that the gable roof is on top of a hip roof in order to create more space on the attic.

Advantages of Gable Roof

1. It's easy to install a gable roof due to its simple model and shape.
2. It cost less to install a gable roof because lightweight materials are needed than in other roofs.

• There are minimal leaks because all the rainwater drains downwards, thus no water stagnation on the roof.

1. You can make use of the empty space inside the ceiling.

Disadvantage

1. The roof can be easily destroyed by strong winds, thus making the sloping angle more vulnerable to collapse.
2. Unless you use waterproof and heat-resistant coatings, the gable roof is easy to crack because a larger part of the roof is exposed to the rain and sunlight.

Gambrel Roof

The design has two sides, with the shallower slope sitting above the steeper one. The symmetrical design gives you a sloped roof and more space on the inside.

Today, gambrel roofs have multi-pitched roofs that intersect at different angles, thus forming either dormer gambrel, gable gambrel, or the new style valley gambrel.

A gambrel roof design enhances the aesthetic value of the house, while the steeper sides offer more storage space.

Advantages

1. A gambrel roof gives your house a unique architectural vibe making it look posher than other modern roof designs.
2. You need fewer construction materials because the design requires fewer roof beams and gusset joints, thus more cost-efficient in terms of materials and labor.

• The steep slopes offer better drainage; thus, rainwater runs off without puddling on the joints.

1. Gambrel roofs offer more headspace, which can be used as attic storage, and the design allows you to add windows for more natural light.

Disadvantage

1. A gambrel roof design requires different material combinations, making it prone to uneven wearing unless you do regular maintenance.
2. It's not easy to upgrade a gambrel roof because of its shape, and it requires a specialized builder to do a retrofit which might be hard to find in your area.

Butterfly Roof

This is a roof design that has a V shape and resembles a butterfly. The roof has two sections that slope downwards and almost meet in the middle of the house.

The structure looks like the wings of a butterfly when you look at it from the front; thus an appealing choice across the world due to its luxurious, modern image.

Advantages

1. The roof structure is excellent for collecting rainwater which can be used in various ways such as watering plants and cleaning. However, you need a special infrastructure before you can begin collecting water with it.
2. The design allows you to install larger windows which improves air ventilation and makes your home feel more spacious.

• The butterfly roof design is wind resistant and can resist damages from coastal winds and heavy storms.

1. It allows water to easily flow off the roof, thus preventing potential damages such as water build-up and mold growth.

Disadvantages

1. The cost of installing a butterfly roof is high because it's a complex design that pushes the labor costs, material costs, equipment costs, and installation time up.
2. A butterfly roof requires frequent maintenance, which drives up the running costs. Thus don't opt for a butterfly roof if you have a restricted budget.

Points to Consider When Choosing a Residential Roof Design

The above-mentioned roof designs are unique and can enhance the aesthetic value of your home. However, these roofs are installed using certain roofing materials such as asphalt shingles, metal shingles or panels, wood shingles and shake, clay and concrete tiles, slate, etc. It is therefore important to consider how they will perform in different climatic conditions.

These are the points that you should consider when installing a gable roof, gambrel roof, and butterfly roof:

• The kind of specialized installation that the roofing material needs
• The available colors and styles in the market and whether they complement your home
• Whether the material meets the local building codes
• The type of specialized installation and maintenance techniques needed
• The cost of installation, the lifespan, and the warranty
• The roof performance based on frequent weather conditions