A somewhat newer roofing material that is becoming increasingly popular is metal. Metal roofs are growing in popularity for a variety of reasons, and we would agree that if you are in the process of installing or replacing your roof, you should consider it.
Here are 5 reasons to choose metal roofing for your home:
1. Durability
The average life span of a traditional asphalt roof is approximately 12-20 years. If you live in a home for a decent period of time, especially if you moved into an older home, odds are, you will have to replace the roof at least once, possibly twice during your tenure there.
A shingled roof has an even shorter lifespan. With a metal roof, however, this is not the case. The estimated life span of metal roofs is between 30-60 years. In fact, many companies even provide 50-year warranties on their metal roofs. With a lifespan of 30-60 years, there is a good chance that you would never have to replace the roof again; the roof could potentially last as long as the building itself. Additionally, they retain their paint finishes very efficiently.
The reason they last so long is because they in large part resist and stand up against the weather patterns that typically take a serious toll on the traditional roof materials, such as high winds and corrosion. As such, they need little maintenance and repairs as compared to more traditional materials.
2. Safety
Unlike the more traditional roofing materials, metal roofs are resistant to a number of severe weather hazards, including fire. This adds a great deal of protection against fire to your home as a whole.
In addition to being fire resistant, metal roofing is also more resistant to high winds. This is in part due to its being lightweight. Finally, though seemingly counterintuitive, studies have also shown that metal roofs are lightning resistant as well.
Ultimately, a metal roof provides added safety to the rest of your home and possessions from extreme weather, as well as durability, since many of those elements (fire, wind, and lightning) are typically what wears roofs down so quickly.
3. Affordability
Now, there is no denying that the upfront costs to install a metal roof are indeed typically quite a bit more expensive than installing a traditional roof.
However, when you look at the long term affordability, metal it beats any other roofing material you could choose from. This should be at least partly evident already based on what we have already discussed.
A metal roof, as mentioned, will have a much, much longer lifespan than other types of roofs. Instead of having to replace the roof every ten to twenty years, if you were to replace your current roof with or install a metal roof, you will likely never have to replace that roof again during your ownership of the home (and possibly the life of the home).
Because metal is resistant to extreme weather like wind, fire, and lightning, it is less likely to be damaged by storms and need repairs. It is also resistant to corrosion and will not rot or be at risk for insect damage like other roofing materials.
So not only will you not have to replace your roof, you will not even need to repair it nearly as frequently as you would if you chose traditional materials.
That is not all, though. There are two more reasons why choosing metal is more cost effective.
First, it is more energy efficient, keeping the home cooler because it reflects sunlight away from the house. This significantly lessens cooling costs that tend to get rather high, especially in the summer.
Additionally, because metal roofing is much lighter in weight than standard materials, it puts far less strain on the structure or the house. This will protect the integrity and life of the house significantly and will mean fewer repairs to other parts of the house.
4. Variety
Besides the above practical benefits, metal roofing materials also allow for a great deal of variety. There are numerous types of metal to choose from which consequently impacts the options of color, panel style and texture as well.
Some of the metals you can choose from include zinc, aluminum, galvanized steel, tin and copper, each having their own unique price points and stylistic options.
Furthermore, just because you choose metal does not mean you need to have awkward, large, flat metal panels for your roof. Metal can be made to look like many of the traditional styles, including shake, shingle, tile and slate profiles, as well as corrugated or standing seam style.
Regardless of your neighborhood and the styles of roofing you prefer or need, there is a metal roofing system that can match it.
5. Environmentally friendly
Finally, a last great benefit of installing or changing to a metal roof is that it is an environmentally friendly option. This is for a variety of reasons.
First, most of the metal used for roofing materials is predominantly made from recycled materials. Approximately 56% of the material for metal roofs is recycled material, so right from the start, the choice of a metal roof is more environmentally conscious.
Additionally, when choosing to install a metal roof, it is not always necessary to remove the pre-existing roof, so it may mean less demolition and garbage going to the landfill. Second, metal roofs are themselves recyclable, so when they eventually need to be replaced, or the house/structure is taken down, the materials from the roof can be recycled and reused.
Finally, as briefly highlighted above, metals roofs are more energy efficient. Again, because the metal is lighter and will reflect the light and heat of the sun away from the structure, it will cut way down on the amount of air conditioning and electricity used in that home.
As should be evident by now, choosing a metal roof for your home is a very practical option on all counts. If you are interested in learning more and even getting a free estimate, click here to get in touch with Prominent! We’ll be happy to discuss it with you!
Sometimes metal isn’t the right pick, in that case you might want to look at the benefits of a cedar roof.
