Metal Roofs - The Safe Choice
If you're building a new home or remodeling the one you've got now, a roof is an important and costly decision. When choosing which type of roof is best for your home, consider cost, durability, appearance, and the expected life of the material. Many people are now considering metal roofs, and they are a perfect choice for many people.
In both appearance and functionality, modern residential metal roofing has improved greatly from the days of their corrugated, "tin shed" appearance. Metal roofs now are more aesthetically pleasing, while retaining all the advantages of the material. Metal roofs are extremely durable, fire resistant, light weight, wind resistant, reflect heat well, and are easier to install. Drawbacks include initial cost, louder noise from rain or hail, poor insulation ability, and easier chipping and denting.
Metal also has a very high tolerance to heat and won't burn except at extreme temperatures. So metal roofing is awarded the highest fire retardant rating, which keeps your family safer, increases the resale value of a home, and decreases the rates of your insurance. Metal is also resistant to wind, so if you live in a windy locale prone to hurricanes this type of roofing has an additional attractive feature just for you.
Since metal roofs reflect the heat of the sun, they will reduce the energy required to cool your house during the summer. They have little inherent insulation, but by inserting open space between the metal and the underlying roof, you can get the same effect as you would by adding insulation. Weather-related noise can be reduced by added sound deadening insulating material. Be aware that heat can cause metal to expand and connectors to become loose.
Metal roofs are very light, which means they require fewer structural supports and thus are less expensive to install. In addition, a metal roof can be installed above your home's current roof before removing the existing roof, making the process cheaper and less time-consuming. Installation is simpler because such roofs come in large sheets, but this may make large sections harder to replace when necessary. Also, if you build an addition to your house, matching the metal roof can be difficult.
The greatest barrier to the use of metal roofs is the expense, since the cost definitely falls into the premium price range. However, discount metal roofing is available, and in any case the very long lifespan may make metal effective cheaper than roofs that seem to be a bargain. For metal, a lifespan of 20 to 50 years is the normal expectation. Metal may well outlive the rest of the house. The longer you plan to stay in a home, the greater bargain metal becomes.
Residential metal roofing has become more popular because it is lightweight, fire resistant, wind resistant, very long lasting and now even attractive. While metal roofs are still more expensive than most other types, they are more affordable than ever and discount metal roofing is available as well. The higher initial cost may be offset by lower maintenance costs and less need for replacement over the life of a house. Construction costs may also be less since these need less support. Metal can reflect the sun to make summer cooling less expensive and are easily insulated for winter warmth.
Published October 6th, 2007
Filed in Environment, Family, Home