The copper steeples and roof you see in this photo are on the First United Methodist church in Canon City, Colorado.
Why copper? It’s lightweight compared to most other roofing materials, and it resists damage from hail, fire, and natural processes such as mildew. What’s more, it’s durable: If properly maintained, a copper roof can last fifty years or more.
So, why don’t we all have copper roofs? Perhaps most important, the metal itself is costly, and as a result they’re expensive. This is not a minor consideration, since estimates can run as much as fifteen times the cost of a traditional roofing material, such as asphalt shingles. In addition, copper roofs transmit noise, and so need additional material to muffle sound — especially from rain and hail. What’s more, copper expands and contracts with changes in temperature. This can loosen the fasteners securing the roof, requiring regular maintenance.
Whatever the pros and cons, we can tell the copper covering the steeples and roof of this church is relatively new, because of the distinctive orange-brown color. With age, the color of copper gradually changes, and in ten to twenty years the copper protecting this church will develop a blue-green-grey patina — actually oxidation which will shield the surface of the copper.
