I’m with you on the acoustic panels—tried something similar in my last place and honestly, the improvement was just okay. Like, it took the edge off the rain noise, but didn’t make it disappear. Cutting around all those weird attic obstacles was a pain, too. I ended up wishing I’d just put that time into better sealing and weatherproofing.
Switching to composite tiles made a much bigger difference for me, especially during storms. The sound is more of a dull patter now instead of that sharp drumming you get with metal or old shingles. Plus, I noticed the attic stays cooler in summer—guess the tiles reflect more heat? Not sure if it’s universal, but it’s been a win here.
Sealing up air leaks is underrated, for sure. Did that last winter and my heating bill dropped more than I expected. If anyone’s on the fence about composite tiles, I’d say the noise reduction alone is worth considering, but the energy savings are a nice bonus. Just wish I’d skipped the fiddly panel install and gone straight to the roof upgrade... live and learn.
Interesting you mention the attic staying cooler—did you notice any difference in winter, too? Sometimes I hear composite tiles can help with insulation, but I’m never sure if it’s the roof or just better sealing that really makes the impact. Also, curious if you had to reinforce the roof structure at all for the new tiles, or if it was a pretty straightforward swap?
I’ve wondered the same thing about winter, honestly. My attic felt less drafty after the switch, but I’m not sure if that’s the tiles or just the crew finally sealing up all those weird gaps. As for reinforcement, we lucked out—composite tiles were lighter than the old concrete ones, so no extra bracing needed. If you’re swapping from asphalt though, might be a different story...
You’re spot on about the weight—composite tiles are usually a relief for older rafters compared to concrete. I’ve seen a few jobs where folks switched from asphalt and didn’t realize the extra bracing needed until things started sagging... not a fun surprise. As for drafts, sometimes it’s just the crew finally sealing up those “mystery” attic holes. Always amazes me how many ways air can sneak in.
- Love composite for the weight—makes my old beams sigh with relief.
- One thing though, the sound during heavy rain is a bit different, kinda like a drumline up there.
- Drafts? Had a tenant call about “ghost breezes” after a new roof. Turned out to be a gap by the chimney nobody noticed before.
- Pro tip: always double-check the attic after any roof work... you’d be surprised what gets missed.
