What Are The Advantages Of A Metal Roof?
What Are The Advantages Of A Metal Roof?
The advantages of installing a metal roof include increased durability, longevity, safety, being environmentally friendly, reduced maintenance and repair costs, higher levels of noise protection, and greater energy efficiency.
1. Durability:
Some metal roofs, when properly built, can withstand wind gusts of up to 140 miles per hour, will not corrode or break, and may be impact-resistant (depending on which product you choose).
Furthermore, metal roofs do not necessitate the costly care other roofing materials sometimes necessitate. They should, however, be inspected on a regular basis to ensure that no repairs are necessary.
Metal roofs are also considerably heavier than shingles, resulting in the house’s structural components being subjected to greater forces. This can lead to further decay and potential destruction.
In addition, metal roofs are difficult to tear down or destroy through fire or other means – they tend to crumble rather than burn.
2. Longevity:
Depending on the material, metal roofs may endure anywhere from 40 to 70 years. Traditional asphalt roofing materials have a life expectancy of 12 to 20 years. Metal roofs resist the little things that damage asphalt, such as strong winds, falling leaves, and tree branches.
3. Safety:
Metal roofs will not spark and flare into flames during a wildfire or lightning strike.
Due to their durability and resistance to fire, metal roofs can offer safety benefits that others cannot. For example, if a house catches fire, a metal roof will not melt like most other roofing materials, so it can help prevent the spread of these fires.
The same is true for leaks; because of their resistance to the elements, metal roofs do not often leak like other roofs when old or in poor condition.
4. Environmental friendliness:
Metal roofs not only offer 25-95% recycled content, depending on the material chosen, but they are also 100% recyclable when their life as a roof is through.
In contrast, the majority of shingle tear-off debris — up to 20 billion pounds per year — becomes part of the building-related waste stream. Metal roofs are not only more environmentally friendly than asphalt shingles, but they also have a smaller carbon footprint.
This is because they do not release toxins into the atmosphere and are more likely to be recycled when they need to be replaced rather than sent to landfills.
5. Reduced maintenance and repair costs:
Since metal roofs are less likely to leak or catch fire and do not require much maintenance, homeowners will have reduced costs for repairs and emergency expenses. Repairs on other roofs, such as asphalt shingles, tend to increase annually.
6. Noise protection:
Because of their resistance to wind and fire, metal roofs can offer greater noise insulation than shingles. This means that the sound of wind and rain will be less loud in the house (especially in the summer months).
7. Higher levels of noise protection:
Metal roofs are also better at protecting against sound than asphalt shingles.
Although asphalt shingles are made of asphalt, they can easily be damaged by whistling or vibrating objects like strong winds, making them more likely than metal roofs to allow noise into a home through these openings. This is known as “bridging.
8. Energy efficiency:
Metal roofs reflect the sun’s UV and infrared light rays, which contribute to radiant heat on the roof surface, resulting in a 10-25% decrease in cooling expenses.
Like other metal building materials, metal roofs can shield your home from extreme temperatures. They also reflect sunlight and keep houses cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
What Are The Disadvantages Of A Metal Roof?
There are a few distinct disadvantages to using metal roofs.
1. Affordability.
Metal roofs maybe two or three times more costly than other types of roofing. While a metal roof has a significantly longer lifespan, investing in one makes sense only if you intend to stay in your house long enough to reap the financial benefits.
2. Noisiness.
Depending on the type of decking used during installation, metal roofs may be noisier than other goods during a strong rain or hailstorm (spaced or solid). Increasing attic insulation can sometimes remedy this problem, although it may raise expenditures.
3. Expansion, contraction and fasteners.
Metal roofing material assemblies connected as huge panels are intended to expand and contract as they heat and cool. However, the lifespans of visible and concealed fasteners differ.
Depending on the temperature, neoprene washers and installation screws may corrode and dislodge over time.
4. Inconsistency of color match.
It may be difficult to locate an identical match to the existing metal if a repair is necessary or a house expansion is constructed years later.
5. Performance.
Water can cause major harm if it gathers anywhere on the roof due to faulty installation or repair. Low-quality metals may also have a narrower gauge and be less durable. Some metals corrode more readily in specific areas or dent more easily during hailstorms or installation.
