Guide to Metal Roofing

With wildfires, hurricanes, hail, and other extreme conditions affecting housing in many areas, more homeowners are turning to metal roofing.

Manufacturers are fueling this interest by introducing a wider range of colors and styles to choose from. Metal roofing materials are a great alternative, as they are light weight and energy efficient. Unlike asphalt roofs, which require re-roofing between every 12 to 20 years, metal roofs will not decompose. These roofs can also withstand every weather condition Mother Nature has to offer.

In 1999, metal roofing's market share for the reroofing market was about 4 percent. Last year, it totaled 8 percent -- a tremendous increase. There is a growing awareness among both homeowners and roofers about the key benefits offered by metal roofing. Over time, these roofs save consumers a lot of money, because there is no future investment in roof replacement.

Metal roofs are practically maintenance free, requiring only an occasional cleaning. Most metal roofs usually come with a 30 to 50 year warranty. Some insurance companies in certain states offer discounts of up to 35 percent to homeowners with metal roofs.

Homeowners can expect to spend approximately $5,000 to $9,000 for complete roof replacement using metal for a 2,500 roof, including materials and labor.

Benefits of metal roofing include hail and fire resistance, as well as excellent performance under hurricane conditions (it meets the very strict code for Dade County, Florida).

Currently, there are products that resemble shingles, tile, slate, cedar shakes, and many other products. The styles and popularity of metal roofing vary regionally.

Replacing a roof is not a task homeowners should do themselves. It can be a difficult. and dangerous undertaking. The best bet to replace a roof is to have a professional roofer take care of the job. Contacting others who have worked with the contractor in the past is a good way to determine his reliability and to get an idea of what the roofing experience would be like with this contractor taking care of the job.

It is also a good idea to have your contractor provide Certificates of Insurance for both general liability and Worker's Compensation before work begins on your project. As with any construction project, be sure you request and receive a written proposal. Examine it carefully to make sure you it is both complete and fair. There are a few things you must be sure to avoid:

• Do not pay in full unless the work has been completed.
• Do not pay in full without a final inspection.
• Do not pay in full until material and workers lien releases have both been received
• Never settle for an oral agreement with your contractor for any of the work needed. All points should be clearly documented in writing.

Because metal roofing is a premium home product, you can expect your new roof to cost more than an asphalt shingle roof. However, a metal roof is comparable in price to tile roofing or cedar shake roofing. If you currently have a slate roof, you can expect your metal roof to cost less.

No matter what kind of metal roofing style you choose, you will never have to worry about your roof again. Plus, your new metal roof will add to the resale value of your home, lower energy bills, and give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you'll likely never have to re-roof again.

Not only is metal roofing great for your home, it's great for the environment. The recycled content of the steel in a metal roof is about 56% from production to installation to reuse - far superior to asphalt. According to the National Association of Homebuilders Research Center, 20 billion pounds of asphalt shingles are dumped into U.S. landfills every year. If you loaded those shingles into tractor trailers, then lined them up end-to-end, they would make a line from New York City to Los Angeles, back to New York City again, then on to Chicago. That's a lot of wasted asphalt. Because a metal roof can often be installed over your current roof, without tearing off what's already there, metal roofing helps to reduce this excessive shingle waste.

A common concern and probably one of the biggest misconceptions about metal roofing is that it may be noisier in bad weather than asphalt, cedar shake, tile, and slate roofing.

People usually think of an old barn roof where the metal is visible to the interior of the structure. On a residence, however, metal roofing is often installed over a solid substrate. Further, attic space and insulation serve as additional sound barriers. Research has proven that metal is not any noisier than traditional roofing products. In fact, you’ll hear more bad weather noise from your walls and windows than you will from your metal roof.

Metal roofs have no greater chance of being hit by lightning than any other type of roof. Lightning usually targets the highest point in a given area, regardless of material. In the unlikely event that your roof is struck by lightning, a metal roof can actually help prevent damage by dissipating the electrical charge. Also, a metal roof is non-combustible.

When installing a metal roof system, it is important that all components be compatible with one another to prevent a galvanic reaction from occuring. If not, electrolysis and corrosion can take place between different metals and even other materials. This includes fasteners, flashings, gutters and adjacent siding materials. Many of these metals have coatings or finishes on them with various aesthetic options.

There are several grades of paint finishes, including acrylics, polyesters, siliconized polyesters, and coatings known as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). PVDF finishes are sold under the licensed trade names Kynar® and Hylar.®

These various paint finishes almost always are applied to metal before it is formed into roofing panels. Most fade-resistant paint pigments are inorganic ceramic pigments. These are more expensive than organic pigments, and used in paint finishes that hold color better than inorganic pigments.

In the case of PVDF coatings, the resin, which promotes paint adhesion, is based on fluorite and provides a tight molecular bond to hold the pigment in place, providing resistance to chalking.

It is important to have ridge venting in any roofing situation. These may involve special proprietary pieces or the use of commercially available ridge venting products. Many vertical-seam roofing panels are vented through the use of specially formed closure strips that allow airflow between the high ribs of the roof panels.

Eave soffit vents are used for air intake. Many homeowners have the misconception that a metal roof system increases the need for attic ventilation. In fact, with conventional construction, attic ventilation is critical regardless of the roofing material. A metal roof system does not alter the need for proper attic ventilation.

In conclusion, metal roofing is gaining acceptance as a flexible, creative, lightweight, long-lasting roofing alternative to traditional products like shake, asphalt shingles, and tile or slate. Modern manufacturing processes permit almost any size, shape, and style in an unlimited choice of colors.

The competitive lifecycle costs of metal roofing products provide an economical, virtually maintenance-free surface that resists fire, earthquakes, heavy winds, large temperature swings, and other environmental hazards.

For more information, check out our metal roofing site. We also offer quick, no-hassle metal roofing estimates from local contractors.