Choosing the right roofing material is the one decision in a roof replacement that you live with for 20 to 50 years. Pittsburgh makes the choice harder than most places: we get freeze and thaw cycles from November into April, wet heavy snow, spring hail, and a housing stock that runs from 1920s slate colonials to 1950s Cape Cods to new construction in Cranberry. The right answer depends on the shape and pitch of your roof, how long you plan to own the home, and what the house next door already looks like.
We are Malick Brothers Exteriors, a family owned roofing company founded in 2022 by Ryan Malick and based at 500 Perry Highway in West View. This guide walks through how we evaluate roofing materials with homeowners every week, compares the roof materials we install, and covers two questions we hear constantly: what to do about a partial replacement, and what works best on a Cape Cod style home.
How to Evaluate Roofing Materials Before You Compare Brands
Roofing materials evaluation starts with the house, not the catalog. Five questions settle most of the decision.
- Roof pitch. Steep roofs (6:12 and up) can take shingles, metal or slate. Low slope roofs under 2:12, common on additions, porches and mid century homes, need a membrane such as EPDM, not shingles.
- Structure. Slate and clay tile weigh several times what asphalt weighs. A home framed for shingles cannot simply switch to natural slate without an engineer looking at the rafters.
- How long you will own the home. If you plan to sell in five years, a 50 year metal roof will not pay you back. If this is the house you retire in, longevity matters more than upfront cost.
- Neighborhood and architecture. A standing seam roof on a brick Tudor in Fox Chapel looks wrong. A dimensional shingle in a muted gray or brown looks right on most of the North Hills.
- Attic ventilation and insulation. No material survives a poorly vented attic. Ice dams, curled shingles and premature failure are usually ventilation problems blamed on the product.
Cost belongs on this list too, but we do not publish prices because two roofs with the same square footage can differ by thousands depending on pitch, layers to tear off, decking repairs, chimneys and skylights. We give a free written estimate that lists every one of those items, and we offer financing for homeowners who want to spread the cost out.
Choosing the Right Roofing Material: The Main Options Compared
Here is how the common materials stack up for Western Pennsylvania weather. Lifespans are typical ranges with proper installation and ventilation, not guarantees.
| Material | Typical lifespan | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural asphalt shingles | 25 to 30 years, longer with premium lines | Most Pittsburgh homes, any steep pitch | Cheap 3 tab shingles and bad ventilation shorten life |
| Standing seam metal | 40 to 60 years | Sheds snow, modern and farmhouse styles, porch roofs | Needs an experienced installer, dents from large hail possible |
| Natural slate | 75 to 100 years or more | Historic homes in Squirrel Hill, Sewickley, Mt. Lebanon | Heavy, brittle to walk on, repair not replace when possible |
| Synthetic slate or shake | 40 to 50 years | The slate look on a house not framed for slate | Fewer installers, color fade on some brands |
| Cedar shake | 25 to 30 years with upkeep | Period correct look on Cape Cods and cottages | Moss and rot in our damp climate, annual maintenance |
| Clay or concrete tile | 50 years or more | Mediterranean and Spanish styles | Freeze and thaw cracking, very heavy, rare in Pittsburgh |
| EPDM rubber membrane | 20 to 30 years | Flat and low slope roofs | Seams and penetrations are the weak points |
| Silicone roof coating | 10 to 20 years per application | Extending a sound existing flat roof | Not a fix for a saturated or failing roof |
Asphalt shingles
Architectural (dimensional) asphalt shingles cover the large majority of roofs we install, and for good reason. They handle our pitch range, come in dozens of colors, resist wind well when nailed correctly, and the better lines carry algae resistance for the black streaks that show up on north facing slopes. We are an AtlasPro+ Platinum Select contractor, which lets us register a complete Atlas shingle system for a 50 year limited warranty. You can read more on our asphalt shingles page.
Metal roofing
Standing seam metal is the fastest growing choice in our service area, especially in Mars, Wexford and Cranberry where newer homes and farmhouse style additions suit it. Snow slides off instead of sitting, the panels do not absorb water, and the concealed fasteners mean nothing is exposed to rust. The tradeoff is installation skill: panel layout, expansion clips and flashing at dormers and chimneys are where metal roofs fail, so the crew matters more than the brand. See our metal roofing page for the profiles we install.
Slate
Pittsburgh has more original slate roofs than most American cities, and many of them are still sound after a century. If you own one, the right move is usually slate repair rather than replacement: swapping cracked pieces, replacing failed flashing and rebuilding valleys keeps the roof going for decades. We do not recommend tearing off a healthy slate roof to install shingles.
Low slope and flat roofs
Flat sections on a porch, a rear addition or a garage need a membrane. We are MuleHide certified and install .060 EPDM rubber and two ply low slope systems, plus silicone coatings on roofs that are sound but aging. Shingles on a flat roof will leak; it is a matter of when. Our EPDM and silicone roofing pages explain when each one fits.
Best Roofing Materials for Cape Cod Homes in Pittsburgh
The Cape Cod is one of the most common house styles in Ross Township, Shaler, Bellevue, McCandless and the postwar neighborhoods of the South Hills. It is a one and a half story home with a steep gable roof, usually 8:12 to 12:12, a central chimney, and dormers on the front or a full shed dormer on the back. That shape is the whole roofing problem: a steep main roof that sheds water fast, a cluster of dormers that creates a dozen or more flashing points, and small triangular attic spaces behind knee walls that are hard to ventilate. Ice dams on Cape Cods are the number one winter call we get from the North Hills.
What works best on a Cape Cod roof in our climate:
- Architectural asphalt shingles. The default choice and the right one for most Cape Cods. The steep pitch is easy on shingles, the look matches the style, and the budget leaves room for the things that actually stop leaks: ice and water shield at eaves and valleys, new step flashing at every dormer wall, and a ridge vent paired with soffit intake.
- Standing seam metal. The best snow shedding option on a 10:12 or 12:12 Cape Cod. Snow does not pile at the eave, so ice dams drop dramatically. Metal also handles the long uninterrupted slopes of a Cape Cod cleanly. Expect the dormers to add labor.
- Cedar shake or synthetic shake. The historically correct look for a Cape Cod. Real cedar needs maintenance in Pittsburgh humidity; a synthetic shake gives the texture with a 40 to 50 year life and no moss treatment.
- Slate. Rare on Pittsburgh Cape Cods because the framing was built for shingles. If yours already has slate, repair it.
Many Cape Cods also have a flat or low slope roof over a rear addition, a breezeway or a converted porch. Those sections get EPDM, not shingles, and the joint where the flat section meets the steep gable needs a proper transition detail. We photograph that joint on every Cape Cod estimate because it is where most of the water damage starts.
Choosing Roofing Materials for a Partial Replacement
Homeowners often ask whether they can replace one slope, the section over a leak, or just the rear shed dormer. Sometimes yes. The rules we follow:
- Match the existing material exactly. A different shingle brand or color on one slope lowers resale value and often voids the manufacturer warranty on the new section.
- Replace whole slopes, not patches. Patching into a 15 year old shingle field means new shingles sealed to brittle ones. The joint fails.
- Check layers. If the roof already has two layers of shingles, Pennsylvania building code requires a full tear off before new roofing goes on. A partial replacement on a two layer roof is not an option.
- Consider age. If the rest of the roof is within five years of the end of its life, a partial replacement is money spent twice. We will tell you that on the estimate.
If a storm damaged one slope, your insurance adjuster may approve only that slope. Ask the adjuster about matching; many policies cover a full replacement when the existing material is discontinued. Our roof repair team handles single slope and dormer work when it makes sense, and our roof replacement page covers the full job.
Energy Efficiency, Warranties and Lifespan
Material affects energy efficiency less than attic insulation and ventilation do, but it still matters. Light colored metal and lighter shingle colors reflect more summer heat, and a properly vented attic under any material keeps winter heat from melting roof snow into ice dams. Ask about cool roof rated shingle colors if your upstairs runs hot in July.
Warranties come in two parts: the manufacturer covers the product, and the contractor covers the workmanship. The product warranty is only as good as the installation, which is why system warranties like the Atlas 50 year coverage require a certified installer and the full set of matching components (underlayment, starter, ridge cap, ventilation). Read the exclusions, register the warranty, and keep the paperwork with the house.
Lifespan follows the same logic. An architectural shingle rated for 30 years on a well vented roof in Allison Park can fail in 15 on a Cape Cod with no soffit vents. Before choosing a material, have the attic looked at. A roof inspection that includes ventilation is the cheapest part of the whole project.
How to Vet the Contractor Who Installs It
Any Pennsylvania roofer doing more than a small amount of residential work must hold a Home Improvement Contractor registration with the Attorney General. You can check any company in the PA HIC lookup; ours is PA174918. Ask for proof of insurance, manufacturer certifications for the material you chose, and recent local jobs with that same material. We are BBB A+ accredited and can point you to roofs we installed in your neighborhood through our service areas pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best roofing material for a Cape Cod house?
Architectural asphalt shingles are the best fit for most Cape Cods in Pittsburgh: the steep pitch suits them, the look is correct for the style, and the cost leaves budget for ice and water shield, dormer flashing and ventilation. Standing seam metal is the better choice if ice dams have been a repeated problem.
What type of roof does a Cape Cod have?
A Cape Cod has a steep side gable roof, typically between 8:12 and 12:12 pitch, with a central or end chimney and dormers. Original Capes often have a full shed dormer across the back that was added later to gain second floor space. Many also carry a low slope roof over a rear addition.
What type of roof is best for high winds?
Standing seam metal with concealed clips resists wind best, followed by architectural shingles installed with six nails per shingle and a sealed starter course. Wind failures on shingle roofs in Western Pennsylvania are almost always installation errors, such as high nailing or missing starter strips, rather than material limits.
What is the 25 percent rule for roofing?
In some states and under many insurance policies, replacing more than 25 percent of a roof within a year triggers a requirement to bring the entire roof up to current code. Pennsylvania municipalities apply the state building code instead, which requires a full tear off when two layers already exist. Ask your township and your insurer before a partial job.
Can I put a metal roof on a Cape Cod?
Yes. The steep simple gable of a Cape Cod is a strong fit for standing seam metal, and snow shedding is a real advantage on North Hills homes with ice dam history. The dormers add flashing labor, and panel color should be chosen to suit the siding, since the roof is highly visible on a one and a half story home.
Get a Written Recommendation for Your Roof
We will walk your roof, photograph the attic and every flashing point, and give you a written estimate that compares the two or three materials that actually fit your house. No pressure and no guesswork. Call Malick Brothers Exteriors or request a free estimate online.
