Not to throw cold water on the composite hype, but I’ve seen plenty of folks switch to composite thinking it’s a magic bullet, only to run into other headaches later. Sure, ventilation and insulation are big deals—no argument there—but composite itself isn’t always as low-maintenance as people expect. I’ve inspected a few roofs where the tiles faded or warped after just a few years, especially in spots that get hammered by afternoon sun. Sometimes it’s an installation thing, sometimes just the product.
And about airflow... yeah, it matters, but you can still have issues with condensation or leaks if the underlayment isn’t up to snuff. I’ve seen houses with brand new composite tiles and perfect vents, but cheap underlayment led to moisture creeping in anyway. Composite’s solid for a lot of folks, but it’s not set-and-forget. Just my two cents—sometimes the “basics” are more complicated than they look at first glance.
Composite’s solid for a lot of folks, but it’s not set-and-forget. Just my two cents—sometimes the “basics” are more complicated than they look at first glance.
That’s a good point. I’ve noticed some composite tiles on south-facing slopes get pretty chalky after a few summers, even when the install looked solid. Curious if anyone’s had luck with certain brands holding up better in direct sun? Or maybe it’s more about the underlayment and how well it breathes? I’m still learning, but it seems like even small shortcuts can cause big headaches down the line.
