When it comes to selecting a roofing material the climate zone in which your house lies makes a big difference. Choosing the wrong roofing solution can spell disaster in the long run, as your roof will deteriorate much faster than you had anticipated without the proper protection for its location.

Luckily, choosing the right roofing material is as simple as knowing which environmental category your home is in. Come along with us as we break down what these environmental categories are, and which materials from the COLORSTEEL or ColorCote range best suit them.

All materials—no matter how durable they may be—are vulnerable to the passage of time. Wear and tear affect everything, and the environment is a major culprit of decay. Whether its rust, erosion, discoloration, or anything else, the weather and mineral concentration in the air surrounding your home both have a huge impact on how long your roof will last.

That’s why, as roofers, we pay attention to where a home is before we recommend the right material for its roof. Material suppliers like COLORSTEEL and ColorCote have developed roofing solutions for many different environments, using different coatings and paint mixes to protect the metal beneath from severe climates.

To provide our clients with roofing installations that last as long as possible, it falls to us to understand New Zealand’s different environmental conditions and how they affect roofing materials.

New Zealand is an incredible place to live, with many regions of different climates. Thanks to this variety, companies like ColorCote and COLORSTEEL roofing have developed products to endure for as long as possible in environments ranging from moderate to very severe.

Moderate environments are typically inland. Since they’re far from the coast, they have very little to no salt deposits in the air which can degrade a standard roof’s coating. These areas require much less consideration than other climates when it comes to choosing roofing products, as weather conditions aren’t very destructive.

A typical long-run metal roof will easily last around thirty years in a moderate environment (with minimal maintenance).

Products recommended by COLORSTEEL or ColorCote:

Severe environments are closer to the coast or large saltwater lakes (usually around 100 to 500 metres from breaking surf). Since this environment is characterised by light salt deposits, standard roofing materials will react with the salt in the air and degrade faster than they would inland. That’s why roofing materials designed for severe environments are coated with alloys that don’t react with salt as much.

With the right material in place, your roof should last you around twenty years with regular maintenance.

Products recommended by COLORSTEEL or ColorCote:

Very severe environments are even closer to the coastline, usually within 100 metres of breaking surf. This means your roof will be contending with heavy salt deposits, which would easily strip unsuitable roofing materials of their protective coating in a few years. Materials developed for these environments must have a durable, non-reactive, anti-corrosion coating.

In this type of environment, the right roof will last you about fifteen years with regular maintenance.

Products recommended by COLORSTEEL or ColorCote:

‘Special’ environments are also present in New Zealand, typically characterised by nearby geothermal activity. Roofs in places like Rotorua, the West Coast, and the South Island all need to contend with the corrosive hydrogen sulphide in the air, which can easily degrade metal in half a decade. Industrial environments must also use stronger roofing products due to the corrosive industrial chemicals permeating the air.

Products recommended by COLORSTEEL or ColorCote: