Composite Roofing in Slidell: Is It Worth the Investment?

Composite roofing—also called synthetic roofing—has been gaining traction with homeowners who want something more durable than standard asphalt shingles but do not want to pay metal roof prices. In Slidell, where Lake Pontchartrain humidity sits on everything and summer storms roll through weekly, the material choice on your roof affects how often you are calling for repairs. Big Easy Roofers has installed composite shingles across St. Tammany Parish and can tell you straight: this product works well in some situations and falls short in others.

What Composite Roofing Actually Is

Composite shingles are engineered from a blend of materials—typically recycled plastics, rubber, and polymers mixed with fiberglass or cellulose fibers. The manufacturing process compresses these materials under high heat and pressure to create a shingle that mimics the appearance of natural slate, cedar shake, or traditional asphalt but performs differently under stress.

Major manufacturers producing composite shingles include DaVinci Roofscapes, CertainTeed, Brava Roof Tile, and EcoStar. Each brand uses slightly different formulations, but the core concept is the same: combine synthetic polymers with reinforcing fibers to produce a lightweight, impact-resistant product that holds color longer than natural materials.

Unlike asphalt shingles that rely on petroleum-based granules over a fiberglass mat, composite shingles are solid throughout. This means they do not lose granules over time—a common problem with asphalt shingles in high-wind areas like Slidell where granule loss accelerates with every storm.

How Slidell Climate Tests Roofing Materials

Slidell sits on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain in a humid subtropical zone. The city averages about 66 inches of rain per year, and relative humidity regularly exceeds 80 percent during summer months. Combine that moisture with temperatures pushing into the mid-90s and you get conditions that age roofing materials faster than in drier climates.

Algae and moss growth is a constant problem on Slidell roofs. Dark streaks caused by Gloeocapsa magma (a cyanobacterium) appear on asphalt shingles within a few years of installation. Composite shingles with built-in algae resistance handle this better, though no roofing material is completely immune to biological growth in this climate.

Wind is the other factor. Slidell is inside the hurricane risk zone, and even in years without a direct hit, tropical storms and severe thunderstorms produce sustained winds of 60 to 80 mph. Roofing materials need to handle that kind of force repeatedly, not just once.

Composite vs. Asphalt Shingles: A Direct Comparison

Standard three-tab and architectural asphalt shingles remain the most popular roofing choice in Louisiana because of their low upfront cost. But cost per year of service tells a different story.