Queensland is a wonderful place to live. Queenslanders enjoy a subtropical climate, with moderately warm and sometimes even hot weather for most of the year. But due to its size there can be quite a variation of the climate across the state.

The far north of Queensland experiences hot humid summers (wet season) and milk warm winters, as if it were a part of South East Asia. While the weather in west is usually hot, in fact this is where the hottest temperatures in the state have been records in the summer. The South has a temperate climate with warm summers. Winters can get cold with night time frost being quite common. The highest record max temp in QLD was in Birdsville in 1972 at a whopping 49.5 degrees Celsius in contrast the coldest recorded min temp in QLD which was in Stanthorpe at a chilling minus 11 degrees Celsius.

But fortunately on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane we enjoy some of the most beautiful weather in Australia and don’t need to worry about those extreme temperatures. However, with the warm weather also comes the very real threat of storms. In this post, we talk about the unique weather conditions in Queensland that impact roofs. If you are looking at roofers Brisbane or roof restoration Brisbane, the weather is certainly a key influencer when it comes to the choices being made when it comes to roofing Brisbane.

Roofing material options to protect your home during storms

As it’s Storm Season right now, last month severe thunderstorms caused blackouts and flash flooding, we are reminded that homeowners need to consider the toughness of the materials they choose to build their roof out of of.

Metal Roofing (Colorbond or Zincalume)

Easy to maintain and can be considerably cheaper than tile options in most cases, metal roofing is a great choice for roofing in areas with frequent storms like Brisbane. They’re relatively shatter-proof and can survive impacts from falling objects like branches and hail. But watch out, Queensland rainstorms and hailstorms can make quite a racket on metal roof, luckily good insulation can be installed to keep the noise at a minimum.

Zincalume Steel is coated with aluminum and zinc. The coating prevents corrosion to the steel and is useful in area where the roof should be exposed to salt and moisture. It’s best used in houses which have high ceilings because it tends to absorb the heat from sunlight leading to hotter temperatures inside the house.

Colorbond steel is corrugated steel sheets that are cost effective and are relatively durable. You can also get powder coated colorbond which is more resistant to corrosion, however more expensive than just traditional colorbond. There is a wide range of Colorbond styles and colours to choose from.

Tiled Roofing

There are some tiling options that can be very durable. They are also great aesthetically and the wide range of tiling materials available means there is usually a tile that would be suitable for your home and its style.

Terracotta or ceramic tiling is made out of clay and can be very durable. They’re made in a kiln, which bakes them and makes them very hard. It will not fade or discolour even after extensive exposure to the harsh summer sunlight. Their aesthetic advantages means they can add value to your home, however they’re fragile and can shatter when stepped on. Installers need to be experienced and careful when working on the roof. Their low resistance to impact means that falling branches or hail can also damage them. However, only damaged tiles need to be replaced when it comes to roof restoration so can save costs in the long run.

Concrete tiles can also last for 50 years+ and are relatively cheap compared to terracotta tiles. They’re also more impact resistant and won't be damaged by falling branches or hail.

Queensland Roof Styles

Architects in Australia have created some outstanding building known the world ever. The Sydney Opera and the new Parliament House of Canberra are just a couple that first to come in mind. Distinctive Australia architecture is also recognisable in the rural icons of ‘the Queenslander’ and the ‘beach house’ which were developed in response to the climate, history, place and identity of where they were in Australia.

The early houses of Queensland were characterised by broad verandas shaded by gracefully curved expanses of corrugated roofing iron, talls stumps, lattice, and roof ventilators. These qualities has the effect of cooling the house, allowing for breezeways, and allowed for the runoff of tropical down pours. Shutters were also effective against the rages of cyclones.

Buildings which had fully opening walls were often essentials for cooling down the buildings. This was developed in early beach houses. Overlapping layers of roofs are used so that air can move between the layers.

In Queensland, sustainable options are a big part of the style of a house. For example, light-coloured roofs are preferred but dark coloured roofs can also be used, but may require more insulation and ventilation, such as whirlybirds and eave vents, to compensate for the additional heat absorbed by the dark colour.

Make sure your roof is maintained

During storm season one the most frequent problems of homeowners is leaky roofs and fallen trees. Roo Roofing is the leading expert in roofing Brisbane and roof restorations Brisbane. The severe weather is the true test to how your current roof is managing at the moment, but don’t leave it to then otherwise you might end up having to pay in damages beyond the cost of a roof restoration.