Pros: Least expensive roofing material

Cons: Flat looking; limited color selection; can blow off in high winds

Life Span: 15 to 20 years
Durability in Colorado: Fair
Energy Efficiency: Petroleum-based; nonrecyclable; dark colors soak up sun, making the house hotter

*Cost: $80 or $90 per roofing square, installed

Pros: Thick; made to look like slate or shake; wind resistant (some have up to 130-mph wind warranties)

Cons: More expensive than 3-Tab

Life Span: 25 to 50 years
Durability in Colorado: Very good
Energy Efficiency: Typically nonrecyclable; dark colors soak up sun; light colors reflect fairly well

*Cost: $130 to $350 per roofing square, installed

Pros: Won’t rot, burn or succumb to insects; wind resistant; stronger than concrete tile

Cons: Very heavy (house may need special framing); insects and birds love to nest in air pockets beneath the tiles

Life Span: 100+ years
Durability in Colorado: Good
Energy Efficiency: An air cavity between the sheathing and roof helps the roof breathe, keeping the house cooler

*Cost: $600 to $2,000 per roofing square, installed

Pros: Won’t rot, burn or succumb to insects; fairly wind resistant; less expensive than clay tile

Cons: Heavy; fragile when walked on or if a branch falls on it; absorbs more water than clay; insects and birds love to nest in air pockets beneath the tiles

Life Span: 25 to 50 years
Durability in Colorado: Fair
Energy Efficiency: Lighter colors reflect sun away from the house

*Cost: $450 to $1,000 per roofing square, installed

Pros: Very durable; attractive rust-colored patina

Cons: Can be prohibitively expensive; copper retains heat, so good ventilation is important

Life Span: Centuries
Durability in Colorado: Excellent
Energy Efficiency: Made from 75-percent recycled material; reflects light and heat away from the house

*Cost: $1,500 to $2,000 per roofing square, installed

Pros: Very durable

Cons: Can be prohibitively expensive; thinner, more affordable slate tiles can be subject to breakage; steep pitches will require snow guards to prevent damage from sliding snow

Life Span: 100+ years
Durability in Colorado: Excellent
Energy Efficiency: Good

*Cost: $1,000 to $2,500 per roofing square, installed

Pros: Sheds snow fast; energy efficient; fire resistant

Cons: Color can fade over time; vulnerable to hail damage; steep pitches will require snow guards to prevent damage from sliding snow

Life Span: Decades
Durability in Colorado: Good
Energy Efficiency: Made from 31-percent recycled material; reflects heat away from the house

*Cost: $600 to $800 per roofing square, installed

Pros: Environmentally friendly; made with 100-percent recycled materials; products include Eco-Shake (looks like shake), Nycore (looks like slate) and Decra (stone-coated steel that can look like either shake, shingles or tile)

Cons: Expensive; fairly untested in Colorado’s climate

Life Span: Unknown
Durability in Colorado: Unknown
Energy Efficiency: Excellent

*Cost: $600+ per roofing square, installed

Pros: Thick; nice appearance; durable

Cons: Banned in the city of Boulder; often made from harvested old-growth wood

Life Span: 25 to 50 years
Durability in Colorado: Good
Energy Efficiency:
Fair; some finishes meet Energy Star® approvals for reflectivity

*Cost: $250 to $300+ per roofing square, installed