The Resurgence of Metal Roofs

Posted by Brett McCutcheon on May 21, 2015 11:00:00 AM
Brett McCutcheon

Metal RoofsMetal roofs are enjoying a resurgence in popularity. While it was once thought that these roofs were too expensive to be practical for the average homeowner, their adaptability, longevity and their environmentally friendly aspects are causing some homeowners to take a second look.

In an article entitled “Metal Roofs – 101” on www.bobvila.com:

The metal roofing industry has taken a page from vinyl flooring manufacturers. They’ve started with a ‘plain Jane’ material—in this case steel or aluminum—and made it look like wood, stone, and clay. The introduction of metal roofing in shingle, shake, slate and tile styles has reinvigorated the metal roofing industry.

For decades, metal roofs meant corrugated panels, which looked like they belonged on sheds or barns, or standing-seam applications, which often had a commercial appearance. Today, metal roofing products are available to fit every architectural style, whether a Spanish Colonial in Southern California or a Victorian in New England. The primary benefit of metal roofing is longevity. Manufacturers routinely offer 50-year warranties and even lifetime, non-prorated warranties. They claim their products will last two to four times longer than roofs with asphalt shingles. By avoiding one or two re-roofing jobs during the life of the metal roof, you will more than offset the higher initial cost. Near term, a new metal roof recoups a bit more of its installation cost upon home resale (6% according to Remodeling Magazine) than does a new asphalt roof.

There are other advantages, as well. Metal roofs are lightweight, sometimes allowing them to be installed directly over old roofs. And when metal roofing is painted with specially formulated “cool pigments”, solar energy is reflected and emitted (rather than radiated as heat into the attic).

Additionally, metal roofs are effective in preventing the spread of fire when hot embers fall on them (i.e., from forest fires). In fact, some insurance companies will give you a discount if you have a metal roof. In addition, metal roofing is made with a large percentage of recycled metal—often 95 percent—and when its useful life is done, it can be recycled again. No worries about it filling up dwindling space in landfills.

The materials, manpower, and expertise needed to properly install a high quality metal roof can add up. The best way to reduce your roofing company's costs without decreasing value is to use high quality materials that will reduce the need for "do-overs," making your employees (and therefore the installation process) as efficient as possible. Choosing the proper fastener, such as the SCRAIL® RoofLoc® System, will benefit both your reputation on the job and your efficiency in getting it done correctly the first time.

If you have customers who are considering making the change from a shingle roof to a metal roof, or are drawing up plans for a new building and are considering having a metal roof placed on it, you need to be prepared to answer their questions.

Download our whitepaper: “Nine Frequently Asked Questions About Metal Roofs”

Download Nine FAQ's About Metal Roofs Whitepaper

Topics: Metal Roofing Fasteners

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