Making the decision to replace your roof with shingles or a new metal roof can make your head spin, leaving you searching for answers on price, energy efficiency, warranties and how the new roof will look on your home. This guide covers the nuances of these questions and more.
After reading your copy, you will know how to:
Your new metal roofing system may likely be the last roof you ever have to buy. Make sure you have the knowledge to choose one that will make your family’s home the highlight of the neighborhood for decades to come!
Here’s a sneak peek at the questions we answer in the Residential Metal Roofing Guide.
The sound of rain is deadened by the layers of building materials between the metal roof and the living area. The insulation, drywall and wood
decking all play a role in deadening the sound of rain. With these building components in
place, noise levels are similar to what could be expected with any other roofing material,
including shingles.
Many people think that because metal can conduct electricity, it also attracts lightning. Instead, lightning actually strikes the closest targets. That’s why taller buildings and trees are at the greatest risk for a lightning strike. It’s also why lightning strikes the Empire State Building an average of 25 times each year.
Not only is a metal roof no more prone to lightning strikes than any other roofing material, you can take comfort in the fact that metal roofing is non-combustible. In the event there is a lightning strike, a metal roof will not catch fire as other building materials do.
Substrate is essential to the life expectancy of metal roofing. Depending on your needs, the type of substrate you choose is one of the most
important items to consider. The most popular steel substrates in the metal roofing industry are Galvanized and Galvalume®. Zinc is used for the coating in Galvanized substrates, while an alloy of zinc plus aluminum is used in Galvalume® coatings. Both Galvalume® and Galvanized are good substrates for metal roofing panels.
The coating system, or paint, for metal roof panels is equally important to the substrate. The coating/paint is not only the part of your new metal roof that everyone sees; it’s also a critical part of your overall metal roofing system. For the life of your metal roof (remember that can easily be 40 to 50 years), the coating is exposed to Mother Nature’s elements: ultraviolet sunrays, acid rain, dirt, etc. Over time, these environmental conditions can break down the coating, resulting in what is commonly referred to as panel fade and chalk.
If you’re going to factor warranty length into your purchase decision, it’s critically important to ask for a copy of the warranty and actually read it! With metal panels, here are some of the highpoints you should watch for:
1. Length of warranty term
2. Fade/chalk allowed
Metal roofing systems are available in two basic types of systems: Exposed Fastener and Concealed Fastener.
Gene Zoss