The Pros & Cons of a Metal Roof

Category: Roofing • July 13, 2021

Whether you’re replacing your roof or building a new home, you have numerous styles, types, and colors to choose from. Among those choices are metal roofs – leaded with advantages, and yet with a few distinct disadvantages you need to be aware of in advance.

Metal choices include steel (galvanized, galvalume or weathering), aluminum, copper, zinc and tin. Product types are vertical seam, pre-formed panels and granular coated panels. Style choices allow you to have the look of shingles, slate, tile, shakes or vertical panels. Make sure your metal roofing product is tested, labeled and listed with a testing organization such as UL, FM Approvals or Intertek to be certain they meet rigorous requirements to protect you and your home against wind and fires.

At Zaman Roofing, we recommend only the highest quality materials, those that meet all code and quality requirements.

Benefits of Metal Roofs

  • Longevity. Metal roofs can last 40-70 years vs. 12-20 years for asphalt roofs.
  • Durability. If installed correctly, some metal roofs can sustain wind gusts up to 140 miles per hour and will not corrode or crack. What’s more, they don’t require periodic and potentially costly maintenance – the way other roofing materials do. Periodic inspections, however, are recommended to ensure your roof is repair-free.
  • Safety. Metal roofs will not spark or ignite into flames during a wildfire or lightning strike.
  • Energy efficiency. By reflecting the sun’s UV and infrared lights, metal roofs can reduce your cooling costs by up to 25 percent.
  • Environmentally friendly. Metal roofs not only have 25-95% recycled content, they’re also 100% recyclable. By contrast, non-metal roofing materials add up to 20 billion pounds per year to the building materials waste stream.

Downside of Metal Roofs

  • Affordability. Don’t spend the money on a metal roof if you plan to sell your house any time soon. Metals costs 2-3 times more than other roofing materials, and that’s a cost you’re not likely to recoup.
  • Noisiness. If you go metal, be sure to keep ear plugs or noise-canceling headphones handy since heavy winds and other weather-related noises can make you feel like you’re living inside a drum set. Adding attic insulation can help, but then you’re spending even more money to enjoy metal roof advantages.
  • Inconsistency of color match. If a repair is required or a home extension is added years later, it may be difficult to find an exact match to the existing metal.

If you have the money and prefer metal over other options, you still have plenty to think over. Fortunately, Zaman Roofing is on hand to answer all your questions and help you make the right decision for your home and budget. Contact us today for a free roofing proposal.