It would not be to far out there to assume that aside from your wife and kids, your home is your most valuable possession. Hence, it makes a lot of sense that you want your home to perform the best it can. To break it down a little bit, it is highly likely that you want your level of user experience with your home to be five stars, A plus, and simply phenomenal! In order to accomplish this you plan various improvements around the house, and eventually the time comes to consider getting a new roof. Sure your roof is important and not only because it makes up for almost fifty percent of the curb appeal or visual aesthetics of your home, but it is also your first line of defense against the elements such as rain and snow. Your roof can truly make or break your home, and when your roof under performs, the cost can be very significant.
Just imagine, the potential for damage from a roof that may not show any signs of leaks, but suffers from ice dam build up. The water may run down the walls of your home causing significant damage to your ceilings, insulation and wall structure. And, what is the tricky part in all of it? It is that your roof seemed to work fine until it was hit with the major snowstorm, and that was when your roof failed to perform correctly. Sounds all to familiar does not it? Chances are that you know somebody who knows “somebody” that lost a lot of money and sanity from a damage caused by a leaky roof, be it attributed to ice dams, missing shingle, or a failed flashing on your roof.
If you conduct a brief research or a field study of the residential roofing industry, you are likely to discover that asphalt shingle, which is a predominant roofing product in the U.S. is a roofing leak waiting to happen. Talk to your insurance agent and try to get the scoop on asphalt shingle roofing material failures and try to compare it with metal roofing materials in the roof longevity and failure side by side comparison. You will likely discover that metal roofing is a far superior roofing material vs. asphalt shingle. There may be some controversy, though because there are regular roofers who are not specifically trained to install metal roofs, but nonetheless manage to venture out and install metal roofing systems incorrectly, which will account for roof leaks, but due to incorrect installation not the material failure. This is an important point to keep in mind.
In recent years, more and more homeowners are becoming aware of the benefits of metal roofing and consider getting a new metal roof when the need arises. The popularity of modern metal roofing can be attributed to recent governmental Tax Credit incentives made available to homeowners who have invested into Green / Energy efficient building materials for their home improvement project.
People who research metal roofing, know that it is a very long lasting roof, given that it was properly installed. Metal Roofing helps homeowners safe money in a few ways; it eliminates the need for regular roof maintenance, last minute roof repairs. Metal Roofing saves money through reduced energy consumption, which can be especially significant when the roof is coated with cool roof certified metal roofing colors and solar reflective coatings. A beautiful metal roof also enhances the visual appearance of your home and increases the net value of your property.
So how can a homeowner navigate through all the metal roofing systems available on the market today and pick the right system for their home. One of the ways to gather this information is to approach an expert in the field of metal roofing and ask questions about optimal metal roofing system for your home. Chances are that Metal Roofing contractor you approach may only work with one metal roofing manufacturer and be biased, but ask questions and try to get to the point of the issue, which is what is the reason that your metal roofing contractor thinks that this is the best metal roofing system for your home. You are likely to hear about design advantages of a given metal roofing system, and superb warranty details, but make sure that you also consider other factors such as materials that a given metal roofing system is made out of.
Most modern metal roofing systems are available in galvanized, or galvalume steel, which is a great roofing material in terms of its price, relative weight and corrosion resistance properties, but steel is not the best metal roofing material available, because steel is simply impermanent, and will eventually give in to the corrosion. Aluminum, on the other hand is perhaps the ultimate metal roofing material for any roof. It is very light wight and not a subject to the corrosion. Thus, when considering aluminum you are already better of than you would be with steel, but you should also pay attention to system design, weather or not the system is cool roof rated, which can qualify you for Green Tax credits, if it is, in fact, cool roof rated roofing system. Look at the manufacturer warranty details and find out if your metal roofing contractor has installed similar systems in the past and weather or not the homeowners are happy with the system they received. Be sure to find out about labor warranty and get it in writing before making any decisions such as signing the contracts and checks. In other words, be sure to do your homework, and you will be rewarded.
Copper, Tin, and Zinc are among other metal roofing materials to consider for your new roof. When doing your metal roofing materials research you may find that there are such exotic metal roofing systems as titanium with intricate designs and hidden gutters, Those are commercial metal roofing systems and they cost in upward of $20 per square foot for the material alone. Clearly, such a metal roofing system is not a likely candidate to be your metal roofing material of choice. On the other hand, you might be pleasantly surprised that some metal roofing systems are quite affordable and offer great value. Not only that, metal roofing systems such as standing seam roofs, can be outfitted with solar roofing panels and provide your home with Solar derived electricity! How cool is that? Certainly cool from green building perspective.
As far as metal roofing system design is concerned, you are free to choose from metal shingle roofing systems with interlocking design, metal shakes, standing seam, batten seam, simulated Spanish tiles, be it painted roofing panel, or Stone coated / granule coated steel, simulated slate, and metal tiles. Regardless of the metal roofing system you choose be sure to check with metal roofing manufacturers‘ requirements for suitability for your roof, and availability of materials in case the need for roof repair ever arises.
Unlike the old predecessors, the proverbial steel barns with rusty lines, pigments and dull colors, the metal roofs of today offer a vibrant array of colors, styles and finishes. Not only that, a good chunk of modern metal roofs are coated with Kynar 500 or better coating that comes with 30 year paint finish warranty. What that means that your metal roof is not only protected by the process of galvanization used with steel roofing systems, but the paint that further enhances the protection of galvanized steel.
Rusty metal Roof
Presented below are Aluminum Shingle Metal Roofing colors for the residential metal roofing system we install in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. This system is comprised of Metal Shingle, that interlocks on all four sides resulting in a fully interlocking metal roofing system that meets Miami Dade County wind uplift requirements, reflects solar radiant heat, sheds snow and ice and helps prevent ice dams. Please note, that not all available colors are shown below. What you see is only a sampling colors for aluminum roofing system that can be installed over existing asphalt shingle.
To demonstrate this system in Action I am providing a link to a Metal Roofing Installation Video on YouTube. The roof you will see below was installed in Revere, MA and the owners are really happy with it. Because of the low slope of the roof we have implemented some custom metal roofing flashing. You will notice that the roof color is not the one shown above. The color of the roof in a video is light brown / or coffee color.
*Available with 20-year Non-Prorated Limited Warranty
Drexmet Colors meet the Eligible Building Envelope Component Criteria for tax credits.
Drexel Cool Metal Roof Systems have the lowest life cycle cost and environmental impact as compared to other roofing products. Drexel Metal Roof Systems also offer:
Low Eco-impact relative to other steep slope roofing materials
Energy Star listed roof systems which help reduce the transfer of heat energy into your dwelling making an even bigger impact by reducing net energy consumption
Solar Energy Roof integration including systems design including tax incentives and ROI calculations as well as performance monitoring
Rain Harvesting Systems for supplementing water supply
Drexel Metal Roof Systems contribute to multiple LEED Credits including:
As a metal roofing contractor, I get a lot of questions about different metal roofing systems and whether or not they would work in certain situations, of which the most mentioned problem is preventing Ice Dams. Also, here in southern New England (Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut) we have a very unique situation with metal roofs. On one side, metal roofing is not very wide spread here and therefore most people are unaware of these excellent and permanent roofs. However, because of our close proximity to NH, ME and VT, many homeowners who consider a longer lasting roof than asphalt shingles, usually mention a metal roof that they’ve seen “driving through NH”.
Because of such situation, most people that are aware of metal roofing, think that New Hampshire style vertical panels (standing seam roofing) are the only metal roofs in existence, or are the best because that is what they’ve seen.
Despite popular belief about standing seam being “the only” or “the best” metal roofing system, this is just not true. I will mention that though that standing seam metal roofs are very good, and time proven systems, but they have a few negative aspects to them, which make them “not the best” for me personally. You can read my complete overview of why standing seam is an inferior metal roofing system at the end of this article.
Comparing different metal roofing systems:
Getting back to people’s general knowledge about metal roofing - there are many other metal roof systems out there, which in some or most aspects are just a good or better than standing seam roofs. In this article I will try to introduce you to other metal roofing systems, and compare the on the basis of product quality, system design, ease of installation, and price. Just to let you know, ease of installation and price are very inter-dependent, thus the more difficult it is to install a roofing system, the more you will have to pay for it.
So without further adieu, the me introduce our main contender (first one is standing seam, against which I will compare other metal roofs) -Interlocking Shingles. I will omit talking about other systems such as Metal Shakes because they are very similar to metal shingles, and stone coated steel roofs, because besides good looks, while the do work - they are pretty horribly designed (my personal opinion as an installer).
Steel and aluminum interlocking shingles:
Interlocking metal shingle are just that - they have locks or hooks on all four sides. These locks hold the shingles together, preventing water and ice form penetrating the roof, while clips and nails hold the roof down to the deck. Interlocking metal shingle roof is the most versatile metal roof that exists. It can adjust to any normal roof penetration. It is easily installed on hips, valleys, side and end walls. Flashing a skylight or a chimney with metal shingles system is a breeze, if not pleasure (Read the last section of this article, about flashing skylights with standing seam roof panels).
Metal shingle systems that I know of, are VERY well designed. Very durable 3/4″ locks on all sides, easy install sidewall and gable flashing, T-valleys, all with built-in water run-off channels make installation of metal shingle roofs fast, and overall roof quality - outstanding.
Metal shingles installation:
The pros & cons of Standing Seam roofing:
First, the good: In many situations standing seam will be an excellent system that will last for decades, protecting your home or business from rain, snow, high winds, ice dams, etc. If your roof is simple gable, you can also expect a relatively reasonable price for your roof. If you have a walkable roof, the price may decrease a bit more.
The bad: If your roof gets complicated, you can expect to pay a lot for a standing seam roof, and even more for very steep roofs. The main reason for this is the way that a standing seam roof is designed and installed. Because of the vertical panel design, there is no way to put up any kind of roof brackets, so moving on such roof becomes extremely difficult and dangerous. While on a steep gable roof an installer can use a special hook ladder, thrown over the ridge, and move it left or right and he needs, working in valleys or even worse, on hip roofs, borders impossible, without a boom lift, except for roofs with low slope (3-4 in 12).
Another major limitation of standing seam roofing is the inherited design flaws. The ribs on the panels make it a very difficult system to install, when it comes to any kind of flashing detail. For example it it is a wall flashing, the panel must be cut, making sure the cut is straight. Then a lip has to be bent up, and only then the panel can be attached to the roof. But this is not all. Now it is time for Z-bar to be installed and ofter than a side-wall or head-wall flashing. Mind you all of this must be done while installer is on the roof, with all kinds of tools, and trying not to fall off the roof.
While all of the above is doable, and is done on regular basis, there is on type of flashing detail for which there isn’t a single good way to do it. I’m talking about chimneys and sky-lights. There are different ways to flash them, but all are reliant on caulking to make the watertight. The problem in in the back pan of every sky-light of chimney flashing (unless chimney has a cricket) and connection between back-pan and z-bar/sidewall flashing on the sides of the sky-light or a chimney.
I’ve included a link to one of the “best” ways to install such flashing detail, which for one, is very complicated, and I still would not use it. The problem is that there is no better way. Please review the sky-light / chimney flashing detail produced by ATAS. You may also read this thread on ContractorTalk regarding skylights in standing seam: http://www.contractortalk.com/f15/skylight-metal-roofing-60324/
So in a nutshell, standing seam is great when you have an easy roof. As soon as your roof gets complicated, you want to stay away from standing seam. If you still choose to use it, expect of of the following: A contractor you hire (I just don’t see a home owner installing a complicated standing seam roof) will charge a lot for a good installation. If you get a “deal”, expect a frustrated contractor cutting every possible corner. If you hire an eager contractor, chances are it the their first complicated standing seam metal roof and you will get mediocre quality at best, if the contractor actually manages to finish the roof. Some just stop in the middle of installation and never come back to it, leaving you with a roof half-done.
Corrugated steel vs. standing seam roofing:
Many people confuse standing seam with corrugated steel roof. Former one is an all concealed fasteners system, while the latter is an all exposed fasteners system. Also, corrugated steel roofs are made of cheap thin gauge (29 GA usually) steel painted with acrylic paint instead of 24 or 26 GA Galvalume or G-90 galvanized steel painted with Kynar 500 baked on coating consisting of 7 total layers of primer and paint. Kynar is actually a de-facto industry standard, when it comes to metal roof paints. Corrugated roofs are those that you can often see with rust spots all over and have a short life expectancy with high potential for leaks
Conclusion
Basically, unless you are absolutely in love with the looks of standing seam roofs, I strongly recommend getting an interlocking shingles metal roof - be it steel or aluminum. Price wise, you will get same (if not better) performance at about 40% less money. You will also have a happy contractor, which is important for you in the first place, especially if your roof is more or less complicated. You contractor won’t hate life while working on your roof and you will get a better installation quality (which is the most important part). In one sentence - you get a better product for less money - can’t beat that!
Looking around at the different houses on the street and not finding a unique, modern look that satisfies your desire for articulated lines yet is minimalistic enough not be in everyone’s eyes? Perhaps you are looking for Aluminum Standing Seam. Recently we have installed such system and this article will try to show how such a system is installed, its properties and a bit of history.
As you may know aluminum siding has been very popular about 60 years ago; however, with changing tides in the global commodity market and innovative use of cheaper PVC siding, lead to a reduction in the use of aluminum as siding. Nevertheless, it has reemerged as an element in modern and contemporary design and now provides and alternative to the standard options when desiring some thing more.
Modern Standing Seam Panel Features + tips
Length between the seams- should be adjusted so that most penetrations would fall between the seams.
Height of seam- purely aesthetic but should be at least 1” tall.
Wall anchoring- two options nail strip or clips (longer use clips short use nail strip).
Lock type- snap lock or lock in from side, contractor preference.
Paint- KYNAR 500® PVDF or HYLAR 5000® PVDF high quality raisin paint.
Gage- Thickness standard for aluminum siding and roofing is 0.032
Installing Standing Seam Siding
Project: Siding on the back portion of a town house with adjacent units on both sides.
Location: Boston, MA
Substrate: wood siding on top of boards.
Color: Silversmith and mate black window trim.
Type of panel: Nail-strip snap-lock.
Initial Inspection and material order preparation
First thing one should do when installing metal siding is to see if the deck, in our case wood planks, would hold the screws. Make sure that there is no rot or cracked boards (we were lucky as some of the siding was already removed). Second measure every distance from sides to protruding objects such as windows, pipes and outlets- try to record how big a penetration would be - to properly select the width of the panels. This step is crucial to having a clean look, flashing around objects is hard enough flashing with a seam in the middle is twice as hard.
Once all of the above is done, I used Sketchup by Google, draw a diagram and come up with a width that will make the least amount of cuts necessary to go around windows and penetrations. After the diagram is adjusted for accuracy the order is sent to the manufacturer.
Removing old siding, fixing deck and installing underlayment
The main problem here is not to damage the adjacent buildings and the newly installed door. As this was wood siding and the work area was very small we used crow bars which both less destructive and tests the strength of the boards underneath. As expected some of the boards were rotten and on top of that the blown in insulation fell out once we removed the rotten boards. After a quick run to Home Depot we got some 3/4” plywood and pink insulation, and fixed the troubled areas. When installing standing seam for either roofing or siding applications the deck should be as straight as possible and should not have any nails sticking out, if they do sooner or later the aluminum will take the form of anything that’s underneath it.
As with traditional siding choice the wood deck should be covered in undelayment/vapor barrier. Our choice is a synthetic breathable undelayment by GAF called Deck Armor, it allows moisture to escape but doesn’t allow water to penetrate thus removing any excess moisture coming from inside the house, preserving the wood for many years to come, and it also acts as a second water barrier. This treatment makes the side water tight, should be installed from bottom to top, and could be left exposed for months if the project could not be continued.
Flashing around windows and sides
Once all you see is underlayment its time to install trim and wrap windows in aluminum. There are three basic elements of flashing trim in this project.
J-Channel – a piece of metal that looks like the letter “J” in profile. This is installed on all the sides and where the top of the panel will sit.
Sill trim – a piece of metal that looks like the letter “L” with a lip facing down at an angle from the side that will be sitting on top and will hold the bottom of the panels.
Window Trim – this is made up of 4 parts and is held by small trim nails. (see picture for details)
When starting try to square the side to make sure that the panels will be straight. Start by installing sill trim on the bottom where the panels will start, then install J-channel on sides and trim windows. After that install J-channel on the sides and bottom of windows and sill trim on top.
Installing standing seam panels
The first panel is the most important one it has to be straight and square, screw in screws every 8 inches . When encountering penetrations measure the location and cut out an appropriate hole on the panel if its a window leave 1/8” between the panel and trim. Where panel meets J-channel the metal will be lose as the lock is cut. Insert a piece of aluminum to hold it steady or bend a lip in the panel where the lock was cut (about ¾ of width inside the J-channel). To avoid dents when locking the seams together use a rubber mallet or hands. To fill the gaps with the adjacent siding use commercial grade caulking.
And there you have it, installed Standing Seam panels, in my opinion it looks stunning compared to the vinyl or wood siding. Now all the owner has to do is power wash it every few years and thanks to the advanced paint coating and the properties of aluminum this will stand unchanged for the next 30-50 years.
Many homeowners struggle with flat roof leaks on their low slope / flat roofs that are supposed to be protecting their home, but instead fail miserably and cause much aggravation to the homeowner and water damage to the house. If you are reading this flat roof repair guide, then chances are that you are one of the many homeowners suffering from flat roof leaks and you want to find a way to repair your roof. In this guide, I am going to show you how to repair EPDM rubber roof yourself.
Roofing tools and materials you will need to buy:
In order to do proper flat roof repair, you will need to do some shopping for the right roofing tools first.
You will need to locate roofing supply warehouse near you. You can grab your local yellow pages and look for Beacon Supply, Bradco, Alside, or Harvey’s Industries. When you do find RSW near you, go there and buy the following roofing materials:
Roofing Seams Probing tool
Roofing Hand Roller tool
Roofing Membrane Cleaner
EPDM rubber glue
EPDM peel and stick roofing tape
Appropriate Ladder with ladder stabilizer
- Cheaper to buy at home depot
Paint brush used to spread the glue
Bucket of warm water and clean towels
Now that you have completed your shopping for roofing supplies it is time to get to work!
Locate and mark roof leaks
Set up your ladder securely and climb up on the roof. Get all the tools and materials you will need on the roof as well. Most of the time EPDM rubber roof leaks occur because the seams subjected to element such as water and ice, begin to come apart causing a roof leak. Use seam probing tool to identify places where roofing seams have come apart. Mark all the bad seams you find.
Fixing bad roofing seams
Use warm water and towels to clean up the area where roofing seams came apart. Then separate the seams and pull top seam away from the bottom so that you can further separate the seams by a foot in each direction.
Now use roofing cleaner to remove the old glue from inside the seams, Be sure to thoroughly clean up both top and bottom seams. Let it dry so you can apply the rubber roofing glue to repair the seams.
Use paint brush to spread the rubber roofing adhesive to both top and bottom seams. Be sure to go at least six inches deep and get the adhesive deep on the inside of the edges of the seams. Now use the roofing roller to connect the seams nicely. At this point, your seams should be properly glued together and you should let it dry for twenty four hours before testing the seams with seam probing tool. If you find that some seams are not glued to perfection, then you will have to repeat the steps until you get tightly joined and water tight rubber roof seams.
If you do not want to mess around with the glue and wait 24 hours for it to dry, you can use the pill and stick rubber roofing tape that you would place in between the roofing seams to adhere top and bottom seams together. You could then use another 9 inch wide one sided tape to go over the seams to provide extra layer of protection.
Warning
Be sure to properly secure your ladder and safety yourself in, when working on the roof. Get a friend to help you out and be there for you in case you need to call for help.
In this part I will go over the actual installation of standing seam metal roof panels, and in the last part of the metal roofing installation series, I will show you how to install an aluminum and steel metal shingles that also last a lifetime, but are not as widely used, because they require special installation techniques that are different from the standing seam installation.
In this guide, we will not cover several topics of metal roofing installation such as sky-lights on a standing seam roof, as it is a much more advanced topic and requires certain level of experience from the installer in order to be done correctly. In fact, any advanced installation techniques and flashing details involved in metal roof installation will later be described in great detail on our online Metal Roofing Store where you will be able to purchase aluminum and steel roof shingles, as well as learn how to install them on your home, all while saving $1000’s.
Introduction to DIY Metal Roofing Installation:
What we will cover in this article, will be related to the basics of metal roofing installation. As our perspective model, we will assume that the roof we will be installed on a simple gable roof of a ranch style home. Our hypothetical home has one stack pipe and no chimney or skylights. Chimney and skylight flashing will be covered in later post. For ventilation we will be using gable vents…
Well, lets start installing our metal roof!
Step one - installing drip edge.
Installation of drip edge is usually rather simple. but for a novice roofer it can be a challenge. I’ll take a step back to the first part of this guide - when prepping your deck, make sure that old drip edge is completely removed and all rotten wood (boards or plywood sheeting) is replaced.
There are several opinions as to whether install drip edge under or over the underlayment. In theory if you install drip edge over the roofing underlayment, water may get under it. In reality, metal drip edge gets installed so tightly, that water just rolls over it. Therefore I always install underlayment first, and then go over with the drip edge.
Advantages of installing drip edge AFTER underlayment, are as follows: You do not waste precious time during installation of the drip edge; when and if your roof is open and it rains, you may not have enough time to cover it. Second reason is the safety. When I install underlayment, first I can trim the edges as I please, in case that a hang off of the roof is too lengthy. If your drip edge is already in place, and underlayment hangs off of it, trimming it may be rather dangerous, while sitting on the edge of the roof. Lastly - it really does not make much difference in terms of performance. The metal roof will keep the water out, and the only water on the underlayment will be condensation. If rain water gets onto underlayment, than you have bigger problems to worry about.
Install your drip edge using either screws or nails about 8-12″ On Center (O.C.) in a staggered pattern for optimal rigidity. Overlap individual sections by at least 2″ and don’t forget to open up the lip of the overlapping section for better fit. Install drip edge along all eaves (horizontal ends of the roof).
If you have a hip roof, trip your drip edge so it overlaps the batting section.
Note: Usually you will receive a drip edge with 1 1/8″ face. You can optionally order 2 1/8″ face or any other size as well as vented drip edge, in case you want to do the soffit / ridge ventilation and you don’t have the soffits.
Depending on your supplier, you can order pretty much any type of trim detail custom made to your specifications. Unless you specify, you will usually get the standard trip that your supplier has. I once got a 2″ face drip edge while I was exception 1″ and 2 inches did not work, so I had to exchange them. Think about such things ahead of time and you won’t be wasting time and money - always specify what you want to get. Most manufacturers / suppliers will accept your drawings, even hand-drawn.
Step two - Gable / Rake trim:
In standing seam metal roofing there are at leas two ways to trim the gables of your roof with many variations. Two basic once include either using a special gable trim or a regular drip edge. I prefer using special trim as it is easier and safer to install.
Installing your gable trim may have to be done either in the beginning or in the end of the roof installations. This will depend on how you plan to layout your roofing panels If you start with a full or partial panel at the gable, than you can put up the gable trim as soon as your first (and last) panel is installed. You will need to bend up 1-1 1/4″ lip on the outside edge of your panel. This will serve as a hook for the gable trim. Optionally you can cut out the outside part of the double lock on the panel itself, if you are using a full panel. If you will be bending the lip, you can ether use the hand seamer / folder or a special roller (which costs $500 and you may not want it, if you are only doing one roof). If you use the hand seamer / folder, your bend will not be straight, but do not worry about it as the gable trim will hide the imperfections. This will be a very tedious process, especially on a longer panel.
If this will be your last panel, measure the distance between the edge of the roof and the edge of last full panel - this will be the pan width of your last panel. Add at leas an inch to this width for your fake lock. Make sure that you measure both top and bottom of the panel as this width tends to be slightly off due to framing being out of square and panel creeping. You don’t want your panel to bump out by an inch or two.
Once you prepared your first and / or last panel, and created the fake lock to hook your gable trim to, line the panel up so it is flash with the rake board. If this is your last panel, and you measured everything right, the panel will be flash with the rake board or you may have it bumping in or out by 1/8 - 1/4″ - this is normal, and will not be noticeable.
Hook your gable trim into the fake lock, pull it down with your fingers and drive in color matching hex screws with rubber gaskets, approximately 12″ oc. In some situations, for aesthetic reasons, I measured 2″ from each end and measured the remaining distance for equal spacing of screws (usually came out about 10″ oc).
In some situations you will be required or may choose to use a drip edge as gable trim. In that case, instead of bending up 1 inch fake lock, bend down about 7/8″ lock to a 90 degree angle. Hook that side lock to the drip edge and fold in down with your fingers. Use hand seamer to tightly crimp the lock.
All other trim, besides the drip edge and on some occasions gable trim, will be installed as you get to it with your panels.
Step 3 - Installing your first panel, and the field panels.
Whether you are using gable trim or drip edge for your rakes, the first panel will be the most important, because it will determine if your roof is squared, if any penetrations line up in the center of the pan or on the rib / lock. You definitely want to avoid having any penetrations lining up with the lock for it will be quiet problematic for a first-time metal roof installer to flash it properly. This should be solved ahead of time by making the first panel the needed width so you end up with all penetrations through the center of the panel.
Assuming your have the correct width of the firs panel and all drip edge installed, you will have to create the hook-lock at the bottom of each panel. This hook / lock should be 7/8 of an inch wide and folded down (see photo below). Also notice the little “ear” sticking off the double lock. You will need to make this to wrap it around and crimp, once the panel is installed.
Hook the first panel into the drip edge, align it flush with the rake board and install 1 screw through the pan, all the way at the top of the panel (about 1 inch from the upper edge of the panel). This screw will hot it in place while you are installing clips.
Space your clips 10-12″ OC, and using special flat-head screws, attach the panel to the roof deck. To avoid dents in the panel, install screws into outside hole of the clips. If you are located in high wind area you may want to put two screws into each clip, but I would actually increase the number of clips to 6-8″ OC instead of using two screws. Never put two screws if you have boards instead of plywood. Two crews will split the board and panel attachment will not be secure.
Once the firs panel is installed, snap on the next panel. I found the easiest way to do this is to hooks the loose panel into the drip edge and insert the tip of single snap lock into the double snap lock, Push the panel all the way up and only then start putting the lock together. See video bellow:
Use a rubber mallet or the rubber handle of your hammer to snap the seams of the roof panels. Using your palms will begin to hurt after just a couple of panels. Make sure that whatever you use is soft as to not dent the metal panels.
Repeat the process until all panels are installed. Measure and install your last panel as described above. Repeat the process on the other side of the house.
Step 3.1 - flashing a vent (stink) pipe.
If you have a vent pipe (most likely you do), you should have ordered appropriate size pipe boot with metal/rubber flexible adjustable bottom, designed for corrugated steel and standing seam roofs. I hope you aligned your panels so that the stink pipe lands between the ribs. as you approach the stink pipe with last full panel that does not require cutting, finish installing that panels and measure distance from the bottom to the center of the pipe and from the side where last panel is. Locate the spot where you will be cutting a hole for the pipe in on the next panels and cut the hole which would be 1/2 - 3/4″ wider than the pipe.
As you can see in the picture above, we actually had the rib sitting 1″ away from the pipe. We could not avoid this and had to deal with it, but for you, I strongly recommend to spend 5 extra minutes measuring and not doing it the hard way.
Once you cut your hole in the panel, put it up, install the clips and now you are ready to install pipe flashing. Put your pipe flashing on, align it with the panel, use pencil to mark the location of the flashing and pull it off. Apply a thick bead of Solar Seal 900 of equal exterior grade sealant / caukilg withing the perimeter of the flashing, set the flashing back in place so that its base is completer sealed by caulking. Fasten the flashing down with the hex head rubber gasket screws, spacing them about 1.5-2″ apart.
Once again, to avoid the situations where roof penetration lands in the center of the lock, measure carefully beforehand.
Step 4 -Installing z-bars and ridge cap.
If you are using ridge/soffit vent systems, make sure you are not installing it on a low slope roof, as water may get inside through the perforated z-closure.
Cut your z-bare to the width of one panel. Make sure it fits tightly, but not too tight as to scratch the locks of the panel. Usually go about a 1/4 less than nominal width of the panel. This gives you enough room for a snap lock of the next panel to fit in an to have minimum gaps between edges of.
Cut a small piece of ridge cap (about 2″ wide), align in so that it is in the center of the ridge, laying perpendicular with the locks. Mark the outer edges on the top of each rib. You will align your z-bars and the ridge cap to this marks.
Use the first piece as a template and cut enough z-bars to accommodate every panel on your roof (both sides). Using double-sided peel-n-stick foam or some type of exterior grade caulking such as butyl, urethane, or similar, sealant, caulk the connection area between the panel and the z-bar. Attach z-bar wit 3 screws, and caulk the side gaps that wind driven water could not get in. As for the caulking of choice we always use clear (or color matching) Solar Seal 900. It works awesom!
Once all your z-bars are up and sealed, take a section of the ridge cap, cut a 2-inch line down the center bend, on on end of the cap. At the same end, cut off 2 inches of lock and bend down the two flaps. this will be your end piece. Align the flaps you’ve just created with the gable trim and hook in one side of the ridge cap into the z-bar. If your z-bar is space too widely or narrowly, you can bend it in or out so that it fits your ridge cap. Hook the second (unclosed) lock into the opposite z-bars all along the length of the cap. Once it is completely clipped in, use your hands you close the opened lock (lip) on one side of the cap and than use hand seamer, crimp both sides of the cap.
Take the next section of the ridge cap, and cut of about 3″ of locks at one end of the cap. Do not cut along the center. Apply two lines of caulking where the connection between two pieces will be made ad install second piece the same way you did with the first, using the end where you cut off 3 inches of lock, to overlap the 1st piece. Do not use any screws. The connection should be watertight and will not leak.
Once all your ridge cap is in place, your roof is pretty much complete. If you have the stack or bathroom vent pipes, I will show you how to flash it right bellow. In the mean time, if you live in the snow country, you may want to have snow guards installed. Visit Berger snow guards, to find the style you like and where to buy.
Conclusion:
Hope you enjoyed reading this post and found the information helpful. As a word of precaution remember to always safety in and never work alone. Check back soon for the last part of the series on the Installation of Metal Shingles Roofing system.
Modern roofing industry offers an abundance of different roofing materials that homeowners can pick for their roof. Roofing materials differ in visual appearance, cost, durability, maintenance requirements and ease of installation. Anther variable - the roof slope limits the choice of materials suitable for a particular roof.
Gentle and Steep Slopes:
The more level the pitch of the roof, the slower the runoff of water; and a slow runoff calls for an especially waterproof covering. A flat roof surface can be covered with flat roofing membranes such as TPO, EPDM rubber, modified bitumen roofing, built up roof, or a cool flat roofing membrane by IB Roofs. Because of the special skills and tools involved, these materials are best installed by professional roofing contractors; however, they can sometimes be repaired fairly easily. A gentle roof slope can in theory be covered with roll roofing; however despite its inexpensive cost, rolled roofing will only last 5-7 years. Therefore, if you want to avoid having to replace your roof in five years, it makes sense to invest into more durable roofing system such as that offered by IB roofs.
If the roof rises more than 3 inches per foot, then it is considered to be steep, and is suited for a wider range of roofing materials such as asphalt shingles, slate, tile, woof shingles and shakes, and metal roofing systems.
Estimating and Ordering:
Most roofing materials are sold in units called squares, each capable of covering 100 square feet of roofing surface. (The only exception is rolled roofing, and flat roofing membranes that come in rolls of varying lengths, widths and weights). In order to estimate the amount of material needed, determine the area of the roof surface, add 10 percent to allow for double layers of covering along ridges, eaves, and hips, and round the total up to the next highest square. (the next 100 square feet)
Roofing Materials:
Asphalt Shingle - Inexpensive - lasts - 15 -20 years -Minimum Slope 4 in 12. Asphalt shingle roofing is easy to install. It is available in wide variety of weights, styles, and colors; requires little maintenance and is easy to repair. Darker asphalt shingle may not last as long as lighter colored shingles. Goes into landfill at the end of its service life.
Roll roofing - Inexpensive - lasts - 5 - 7 years -Minimum Slope 1 in 12. Rolled roofing is easy to install and repair. Limitations: Poor fire resistance for some types, gets hot in the summer and transfers a lot of thermal solar heat inside the building, requires frequent replacements.
Built-up or Modified Bitumen - Moderate in price - lasts 10-20 years - minimum slope 1/4 in 12. Modified Bitumen is more waterproof than rolled roofing, but it has poor fire resistance for some types; must be installed professionally; leaks are difficult to locate.
EPDM Rubber - Moderate in price - lasts 15-20 years - minimum slope 1/4 in 12. Must be installed professionally. Leaks usually occur in the seams; can be easily repaired.
IB Roof (Modern PVC membrane) - Lasts 30-50 years - No minimum Slope - can withstand ponding water and ice, can further be outfitted with solar roofing panels. Considered to be a cool roof and accredited by green building council, IB flat roofing membrane reflects much of solar radiant heat, which helps keep building cooler and saves money on energy costs over the summer months. Can be properly recycled at the end of its service life.
Wood Shingles and Shakes - Moderate to expensive - lasts 15-30 years - minimum slope 3 in 12 for shingles; 4 in 12 for shakes. Offers attractive rustic appearance and acts as natural insulator. Limitations: Highly flammable unless specially treated; shingles must be laid over open planks or spaced battens.
Slate - Expensive -lasts 50-100 years - minimum slope 4 in 12. Offers attractive traditional appearance; fire resistant. Limitations: Heavy; brittle; requires sturdy roof support; tricky installation that requires special tools; needs regular replacement of damaged pieces; difficult to repair.
Tile - Moderate (concrete) to expensive (clay) - lasts 50-100 years - minimum slope 4-12. Offers attractive and unique appearance; fire resistant. Heavy; brittle;; requires sturdy roof support; time consuming installation; availability of replacement pieces unreliable; difficult to repair.
Metal Roofing - moderate on higher side for galvanized steel and aluminum shingles; expensive for copper lasts 30 - 100 years depending on the system; fire resistant; Offers beautiful modern appearance and a great variety of styles, and finishes.
Comparing Roofing Materials
In this post, “Cost” refers to the relative cost of roofing materials alone-not the cost of labor. In most cases, the cost of professional installation is higher for roofing materials like slate, tile, wood shingles and shakes, and metal roofing than for asphalt shingles or rolled roofing.
The minimum slope is the roofing pitch at which a specific material begins to provide adequate protection against water. All the materials listed can be applied to roofing surfaces steeper than the minimum, but as slopes increase such considerations as appearance durability become more important.
“Durability” provides a rough measure of the length of time a roof will last with proper maintenance in temperate climate.
Let me guess, you have a wonderful home, but your roof is starting to show some signs of age with perhaps a few roof leaks starting to develop here in there. Lets face it, your roof is your first and only line of defense from the rain and snow, and natures’ elements. Obviously your roof plays a very important role protecting your home and you expect it to provide that same reliable protection for years to come. But, after some 12 to 17 years your aging roof has developed a few cracks in the asphalt shingle and you begin to wonder if it is time to get a new roof so that your home would be safe and protected by a great looking roof.
Very plausible scenario indeed, and now that you are faced with dilemma of getting a new roof, you start researching various roofing options and that’s when metal roofing grabs your attention. After doing some research online you learn that metal roofing offers great variety of colors styles and can be made from steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and even copper - the king of metal roofing materials. You learn that metal roofing offers traditional styles such as shingles and metal shakes that resemble ceder shakes, and that there is even metal roofing that looks like natural slate.
Indeed, metal roofing offers great variety of choices and for people who like stricter lines there is also a product called standing seam metal roof. But, the best part of all this metal roofing hype is that metal roofs can last three times longer than conventional asphalt shingle roofs, provided that they were installed by specially trained metal roofing contractors because, your metal roof will only be as good as people who install it.
You learn that metal roofing offers many benefits over asphalt shingle roof. For instance, metal roofs are fire retardant, which would keep your home safer if there was a fire in the forest or neighboring buildings. It keeps your home cool during the summer, which is great because now you can safe money on air conditioning costs as well as do the right thing for the environment; Metal Roofing is fully recyclable at the end of its service life, which by the way, may outlast your home! Since metal roofing can be recycled, there will be no wasted materials going into the landfills, which is always the case with asphalt shingle roofs.
Metal Roofing is considered green building material and it can even earn you LEED credits if it is a new construction and you are building in accordance with green building practices. Green building means that materials used are safe for both humans and environment. It also means that materials will outlast conventional building materials, because green building is all about efficient use of resources.
As the owner of new metal roof, you can now receive $1500.00 in federal tax credits at the end of the year and you can do it twice; one time at the end of 2009, and second time at the end of 2010 provided that you have upgraded your home with energy efficient metal roof.
Metal roof also offers excellent return on the investment, which means that aside from the beautiful curb appeal, metal roof will appraise your home in the range of approximately 90 cents to a dollar spent. Not too bad considering the fact that you will be saving money on air conditioning costs avoiding unnecessary roof repairs and maintenance. Majority of modern metal roofing systems do not require any major maintenance.
Modern Metal roofs such as Standing Seam can be easily upgraded with roof integrated solar roofing panels, which can drastically reduce your electric bill and pay for itself in 7 to 10 years. Not to bad for somebody who plans to stay in their home for a while. Not to mention that there are also solar roofing credits made available by federal and state governments.
In the nutshell, metal roofing is a great investment for somebody who plans to stay in their home for a while, because eventually metal roof will pay for itself. The only drawback is that you can expect to pay more money upfront than you would for an asphalt shingle roof, but over time math will surely work in your favor. You can see the way it works by looking at metal roofing cost overtime. Clearly Metal roofing pros far outweigh the cons, and it is a matter of how long you plan to stay in your home.
This is second part of a series of metal roof installation articles that we will post here in the near future. In part 1 of metal roofing installation guide I discussed the essentials of metal roof installation such as Safety, Tear-off and Preparing a roof deck.
In this part we will go deeper into the actual installation, but before we continue, I will “briefly” talk about things I forgot to mention in the first part of this article series - tools and materials required to install a metal roof.
1) Metal roofing Hand Tools you will need:
A roofing hatchet or a carpenter’s hammer. I prefer a hatchet, but in some cases you do need a claw-hammer of some type to pull out nails. You can also use a flat bar, but it’s not always convenient to have too many bulky things on the roof.
Utility knife. After trying out more than 50 different utility knifes, I came to a conclusion to use the single-use knifes with blades that are long and you just brake off a dull piece of the blade and the next on is sharp. You can buy them at a Dollar Tree - 3 knifes for $1. They are light and I don’t care if I drop or loose one.
Carpenter’s pencil and/or Sharpie permanent marker. You can buy these at Home Depot or Lowe’s
Sheet Metal Snips - I prefer the the 3″ snips (with yellow handles) from Sears - they last the longest, cut easily while staying sharp, cost only $16.99 and and (very important for me) have sharp, pointy tips that make the cut very clean, without ripping the metal.
Tape measure. There are many and many people have their own preference. For me, I find the best tape measure is the one from Lowe’s, that costs $6.99. It’s green and has a black release button. I like it so much because when you pull out the tape, does not retract back, but stays until you press the release button. All other tape measures work in the opposite manner, which I find VERY annoying.
A tool belt. Again, just as with tape measures and many other tools, there are so many choices, but a good belt can make your roof installation as pleasureful as one can be, while a crappy tool belt will make your life hell, and you will hate any king of construction work for the rest of your life :). My personal preference is the $30 from home depot. It is made of blue heavy duty synthetic cloth. It has a metal ring (hammer / snips holder) on each side, large pockets, a special place to put a bulky tape measure, and is otherwise rate small, compared to other full size tool belts. It is also light and somewhat comfortable to wear on the roof. You can also take it apart - eg. remove one of the pockets which will make the tool belt only “half the size”. The Velcro belt also makes it easy to put on.
Sheet metal hand seamer / folder. This tool is invaluable for any metal roofing work. In fact, when I just started installing metal roofs, hand seamer, along with the above tools where the only tools I had and needed to install a metal roof. Everything else is just for convenience / speed. With the hand seamer / folder, You can make such complex flashing pieces as chimney collar, side-wall, etc. You will find it very useful and essential to the installation of the metal roof.
Above tools are the bare essentials which will allow you to install any metal roof, without much hassle.
1.1) Power tools:
Drill/Driver: Aside from these, you will need a cordless drill. I recommend an impact driver with Lithium Ion batteries, and all my power tools are made by Hitachi. I used to work with Craftsman and still own them, but they are heavy, loose power fast, and break, while Hitachi ones are light, strong, have log battery life and do NOT break!
Wood cutting: For minor wood repairs, a cordless sawzall by Hitachi will be more than adequate. Actually, I rarely bring my corded tools to job site any more
2) Material other than metal roofing.
To properly install a metal roof you will need a properly attached underlayment and properly sealed roof penetrations. After trying out many products, I have my favorites, which I exclusively use now on all our jobs:
Underlayment: We use GAF DeckArmor breathable underlayment on every one of our roofs. Why? Because it is the best we found at reasonable price (there is a similar product, but it costs 4 times more and is not any better in actual performance). DeckArmor is durable, slip resistant, water tight, light-weight and comes in 4′6″ wide rolls which makes installation much faster, compared to 3″ rolls.
DeckArmor prevents most moisture problems associated with the synthetic underlayments, where the moisture is trapped between underlayment and roof deck, and makes the wood rot, causes mold, mildew and problems for roofing contractors using them.
Deck Armor works like human skin, by letting vapor molecules pass through, while keeps water out. This way any moisture from the inside escapes and runs down, between the underlayment and the roofing material, instead of being trapped inside.
You can easily walk on it after securely attaching it to the roof deck, and you can leave it exposed up-to 6 months and not worry about leaks.
Nails: We use 1 1/2″ plastic cap nails to attach the underlayment to the roof deck. They are rust-proof, light and do not damage the underlayment, unlike regular roofing nails. You can buy a large bucket of these nails at Home Depot or Lowe’s, but I recommend not to get 1 inch nails which above stores usually stock. Get longer ones, and it will be mych easier to work with them.
Sealant / Caulking: Each roofer has his/her own preference when it comes to sealants, and my love goes to Solar Seal 900. I found it to be the best caulking the is water tight, cures fast, has very strong adhesion, is rather inexpensive and comes in a variety of colors.
Installing a standing seam metal roof is not as easy as it seems at first. Yeah, you may think: :what’s there to do? just put up those panels”.
Not so easy! Standing seam installation is actually a very tedious work, but lets go about it, step by step.
The most important thing about installing standing seam, is to measure the roof correctly AND precisely. Here is why:
Each standing seam roofing panel is cut to the exact size, and if your panels are too short, you:
A) If a panel is only 2″ short, you may not be able to use your ridge cap as it will not cover the ends of the panels. In this case you will have to get or make a wider cap. In this case it will go from 12 to 16″ wide cap (remember - panels are 2” off on each side, so we add 4″ to the ridge cap)
B) If panels are short by 4-6″ you may not be able to get a cap that wide, so now you have only two options: Ether panels are useless, or you splice them. Splicing a 6 inch panels sitting at the ridge of your roof is just as much fun as head-butting the curb You would probably want to get at least 2-3 feet long panels for splicing and you also need at least a foot of overlap on each panel.
In either case you will run into additional work and a lot more money to spend then should have been originally.
Step 0 - Before you begin:
Roofing is a very dangerous profession, and safety should be your number one priority. We always use full body harnesses and fall protection systems consisting of roof anchors, 50′ lifeline, and shock-absorbing lanyard.
You can buy these in most Home Depot and Lowe’s stores, or any roofing supply place or online.
Using heavy duty steel screws or 3″ framing nails with a double head for easy removal, install your roof anchors over the ridge, so each “ear” of the anchor is located on different side of the roof. Best way to install it is to find roof rafters and put your nails into them. This will give you the best hold-down on the roof.
When attaching the lifeline rope, always make sure that the arrow on the lanyard’s self-tracking rope grab points up, toward the roof anchor. Otherwise it will not hold you in case of a fall.
You should always have at least 3 anchors for an average size home. Each person on a roof should be tied off to his or her own anchor. You should not have more than one person tied to one anchor (unless it is the end of the job and all other anchors have already been removed.)
First thing you should do when you get up on the roof, is to install the anchor. You should already be in a body harness and have a rope with you. Once the anchor is securely attached to the roof, snap on your rope and now you can start measuring your roof
Step 1 - Measuring the roof:
So, to get the right measurements, you will actually have to go on the roof and measure every Eave, Gable, Ridge, Valley and Side wall.
Once you get exact to the inch measurements, add 2 inches to each panel for the drip edge, which sticks out by an inch and gets bent back by an inch.
Assuming that your panels will be 16 inches wide, take the wight of your home in feet, multiply by 12 and divide the result by 16. This will give you the number of panels on each side. I like to order my panels at least 1 inch longer than my measurements and also at least one extra panel for screw-ups, which for some reason always happen. I recommend you do the same.
Step 2 - Prepare your roof:
Unlike steel and aluminum metal roofing shingles, standing seam panels should not be installed over existing asphalt shingles. There are two main reasons. First of all, if you install a standing seam metal roof over asphalt shingles, there will be a so called “telegraphing effect” where shingles punch horizontal lines in a standing seam panel. This in neither aesthetically pleasing or good for the metal roofing panels. This gets us to the second reason not to put standing seam over shingles. Since most contractors and homeowners are looking to spend as little as possible, they usually choose to install a Steel Standing Seam, which is usually a Galvalume or G-90 galvanized steel. Well, the truth is such that steel can rust. And if you put steel standing seam over asphalt shingles, which are covered with stone granules, the expansion and contraction of the metal will rub the underside of the panels against stones on the shingles. This will sooner rather than later cause rust spots popping up all over the roof.
To avoid the above mentioned problems, you should tear-off all shingles off the roof, and make sure there are no nails sticking out from the roof deck.
Once the tear-off is complete, repair and replace all rotten wood. You do not want to put a brand new lifetime metal roof over old, rotted decking.
Once a tear-off is complete, install a waterproofing underlayment, which will protect your roof in case it rains during the installation of your new roof and will be a second waterproofing barrier once the main roof goes on. I recommend using GAF DeckArmor breathable synthetic underlayment, and strongly advise against Felt or tar paper, both for safety and performance reasons.
Roof is protected by GAF deckarmor underlayment until metal roofing panels are installed.
Mask sure you start installing the underlayment working your way from the bottom up. On A lower slope roofs, we overlap the underlayment by at least 1 foot. On steeper roofs, all you really need if 6 inches.
Run the underlayment on all flat surfaces of your roof. If you have skylights or chimneys, run it to the base of the curb.
Spend extra time wrapping the chimney as it is very likely to leak if you seal it wrong. Start at the bottom of the chimney with a piece of underlayment that is 4 feet wider than the chimney, so it will have a 2 feet flap on each side. Run underlayment 6 inches up the wall on the chimney and nail the flap to the roof along the straight line of the fold. Put only two nails for now, at each end of the fold line. Cut the corners sticking to the sides of the chimney at 45 degrees from the roof deck and wrap them around the chimney. Install your side flashing in the same manner and then the top flashing.
Run a bead of caulking (we use Solar Seal 900) between the chimney and top 1 inch of the underlayment flashing. This will make your chimney watertight and even if it rains, the water won’t get through.
Here is what your chimney flashing should look like:
This concludes the first part of our standing seam metal roofing installation guide. Part two will be available soon, so you could get to work installing you new metal roof. In the mean time, if you do not feel comfortable installing a metal roof yourself, you should hire a professional metal roofing contractor. If you are located in MA, RI or CT, you can contact us by filling out metal roofing estimate form. You can also use our interactive roofing price calculator to estimate the cost of metal roof installation.
Modern Green Building practices aim to make building envelope as energy efficient as possible. In fact, energy efficiency is a central element in many sustainable building initiatives and programs. One of the ways to improve energy efficiency of the building is to install a cool roof. A cool roof helps reflect solar heat, which reduces the cooling energy requirements of the building. This can help save significant amount of money spent cooling on annual basis. In addition to saving energy, a cool roof can help to reduce the peak electricity demand often seen during the afternoon hours of a summer day.
What is cool roof?
Generally Speaking, a cool roof is one that has relatively high solar reflectance and thermal emmitance. Solar reflectance means ability to reflect solar radiant heat. The higher the solar reflectance of the roofing membrane, the lower the resulting roof surface temperature.
Solar Reflectance
To put this into perspective, a conventional roof like EPDM Rubber can reach the temperature of 170 degrees Fahrenheit on a 90 degree summer day. A true cool roof that reflects solar energy will remain relatively cooler than conventional rubber roof. As an example IB cool roofing membrane will have a surface temperature around 95 degrees Fahrenheit on a 90 degree sunny day.
How Green Building Incentives make solar roofing attractive
Living in a time of green building technology innovations and financial incentives, makes integrating green building technology not only cool, but also financially smart and environmentally responsible. I am sure that you have seem multiple examples of solar roofing panels on residential homes, and chances are that it immediately brought up two questions…
Pros and Cons of older Solar Roofing
Are solar roofing panels affordable enough to install on your existing roof and are they long lasting enough to justify the investment? You may have also wondered about what happens if your roof fails before your solar panels do, and what a task it would be to replace your existing roof with the solar panels on it and still functioning.
In the past solar roofing technology was limited by a few factors. Number one, solar roofing technology has always been pricey. Number two, installing the solar roofing panels on the roof involved significant amount of work and resulted in penetrations to existing roof. Clearly, if the existing roof failed prematurely because of roof penetrations or due to its age, then it would be necessary to remove the solar panels before replacing the roof. The complexity of the process and the number of potential pitfalls made the investment into solar roofing panels questionable.
Solar Roofing today
But, technology does not stand still, and recent technological advances in solar roofing technology offer homeowners long lasting and economical roofing systems that require no roof penetrations and are easy to install. One of the latest advancement in solar roofing technology is as simple as pill and stick process of attaching bumper stickers to your car. Solar photovoltaic Laminates represent new generation in solar roofing. These photovoltaic laminates can be attached to standing seam metal roofing panels using a peel and stick method.
Installation of Solar PV Laminates with Standing Seam Roofing panels.
Combining solar roofing panels with standing seam roofing panels offers the answer to the question of permanency of solar roofing systems. The secret to a long lasting solar roofing system lies in the very roof that’s underneath the solar roofing panels. Simple, yet profound. The problem of the past with solar roofing was that asphalt shingle roofs that had solar roofing panels installed on them would often times fail prematurely due to its age or the fact that solar panels required roof penetrations that eventually could cause a roof leak.
How standing seam offers reliable solar roofing solution
Unlike asphalt shingle roof that is statistically destined to fail in 17 years, standing seam metal roof is made with metal, which is a long lasting and environmentally safe green building material that keeps your roof cooler in a summer, helps to prevent ice dam problems in the winter, and is fully recyclable at the end of its service life. Thus, a metal roof is essentially a long lasting and energy efficient roof that is good for the building owner and the environment. The benefit of combing metal roof with solar roofing panels is that by going with metal roof you can rest assured that your roof will last for a long time requiring no repairs or causing problems with premature roof leaks. Obviously, metal roof is a specialty roofing system that requires special knowledge and tools to be installed correctly. Hence, you need to make sure that your contractor has installed a good number of metal roofing systems successfully before you do business together. When you combine your standing seam metal roof with solar roofing laminates, you get a system that is light weight, reliable, and there are no roof penetrations to worry about in the future.
Thin Film Solar Roofing Laminates Installation Video
Solar Roofing as investment
Just like with any home improvement project, it is important to consider not only the coolness factor of your new project, but also its validity in terms of effectiveness gained on a dollar spent, long term cost savings, and how the new improvement will appraise your property value. Generally speaking, modern solar roofing is cost effective solution especially when it is combined with a reliable roofing system. With all of today’s solar and green building credits, a solar roofing system can pay for itself in about 5 to 7 years. Of Course, you should consult a solar roofing company to see if a new solar roofing system is a plausible option for your home and weather your will get a good return on your investment. There are many different factors that can affect the effectiveness of your solar roofing system, but if your roof faces south, then your home may be a potential candidate for a solar roofing system. I recommend that you read DIY Solar PV installation guide so that you can get an idea on weather or not a solar roof may be a plausible solution for your building.
Our company supplies and installs cool roofing systems for residential homes and commercial buildings. We have created this helpful cool roofing systems guide to showcase some of the work we have done as well as display some of the roofing profiles that we supply and install.
Residential Green Roofing Systems and profiles
Aluminum Shingle roofing system is one of our most popular residential metal roofing profiles. All Aluminum Shingle Roofing systems we install include breathable roofing underlayment, adequate roof ventilation, and lifetime non prorated material and labor warranty. You can view some examples of Aluminum Shingle Roofing below:
Snow Guards on Aluminum Shingle Roof close up
Metal Shingle at the Roof Ridge - Close up
Aluminum Shingle - over the roof ridge view
Raws of Aluminum Shingle when looking down to the ground
Ridge Vent Flashing Installation
Roof Ventilation cut in at the ridge of the roof
Roof Chimney Flashing for Metal Shingle Roof
As you can see in the pictures, aluminum shingle roofing system is comprised of interlocking aluminum shingles that fully interlock with each other on all four sides. Each shingle is also secured to the roof deck with ring-shank aluminum nail. The system is rated for use in Miami Dade county and can withstand hurricane winds with speeds of 110mph. The aluminum roof reflects solar heat in the summer, which reduces the AC load and results in significant energy savings. Aluminum is a permanent roofing material that comes and will not rot, rust or crack like conventional materials. Aluminum roofs we install come with lifetime warranty.
Steel Shingle Roofing
In many ways, steel shingle roofing systems are similar to aluminum shingle roofing. Both systems have fully interlocking metal shingle design, cool roof coatings that reflect solar heat and both systems come with lifetime installation warranty. Steel Shingle is protected by the layer of zinc and aluminum to provide environmental resistance and protection against the elements. Steel Shingle roof is a safe bet investment if you want a reliable and long lasting roof for your home.
Steel Shingle Roof and sky light flashing
Steel Roof on residential home
Installing Steel Shingle Wall Flashing
Close up of Steel Metal Shingle on a roof
As you can see, steel shingle metal roofing system is very similar to Aluminum Shingle Roof. The only difference between the two systems is panel size and pricing. Steel Metal Shingle roofing system costs slightly less than aluminum, because aluminum is pricier than galvanized steel. Both systems, are very reliable and can last a lifetime when professionally installed.
Standing Seam Roofing
It used to be called tin roofing when it was handcrafted by tin roofers of the past. The manufacturing and technological advances have made it possible to get vertical metal roofing panels that come in different width and are available in Kynar coated steel, aluminum and copper. Standing seam is both commercial and residential roofing profile. It can be installed over a small shed, a home or on a roof of a commercial building. Standing seam provides reliable and long lasting roof protection. It provides the same benefits as less expensive metal shingle roof systems. One advantage of standing seam roof over metal shingle is that it can be easily integrated with solar roofing panels.
Standing Seam
No matter what system catches your eye, our professional metal roofing installers will ensure that it gets installed correctly and provides years of reliable protection and energy savings for your home.
A leaky roof can be a major problem for any building, especially if it is the home our family lives in! If you happen to get a leaky roof, or you notice some missing or cracked shingles on your roof, then it may be time you get a professional and honest roofing consultation. My recommendation is to find somebody who will give you their honest professional opinion about your roof. It may be difficult to find such a person because a lot of roofing contractors are primarily interested in getting a job rather than helping you understand the whole picture so you can make an educated and informed decision. It may not be a bad idea to pay for a professional roofing consultation or condition report so that you can obtain unbiased information about the condition of your roof. Such a report should also include information about your attic, condition of the roof deck and the number of shingle layers on your roof.
It may not be a bad idea to ask your friends if they can recommend a reputable roofing contractor who cares more about giving you the right information than getting a job. Once again, if the roofing contractor will take the time to examine your roof and advice you on the condition of your, then you may want to consider paying for the service of getting their professional opinion. If you do decide to hire this particular contractor, then they will normally include the consultation cost into the roof estimate.
Some helpful information for you.
As a general rule, it helps to know the age of your roof and the condition of the shingle on your roof. A well installed asphalt shingle roof will usually last around 17 years before it needs to be replaced. If your roof is only five years old, and it is already leaking, then chances are that it was not properly installed or there may have been some damage to the roof shingle. Even a well installed asphalt shingle roof may be damaged by strong winds, snowstorms and ice built up. If that is the case, and some of the shingles on your roof are damaged or missing, then a professionally done roof repair may be a good option for you. But, if your roof was not properly installed in the first place or it the amount of wind damage was significant, then it may not be a bad idea to get a brand new roof. It goes without saying that if your roof is old and your shingle looks like it is curled and cracked in many places, then it is time for you to invest into a new roof.
Hurricane Prone Areas
If you live in areas with strong coastal wind, then it is a good idea to pay extra for a roof that is designed to withstand strong winds. If you live in an area that gets heavy snow fall, and strong winds, then you may want to consider a metal roof for your next roof. A metal roof is a great alternative to conventional asphalt shingle roof, especially if you live in tough climate zone. Metal roofs are expensive, but there are great incentives available to homeowners who choose to install a metal roof for their home. Metal roof will also appraise the value of your home, help shed snow and ice, provide significant energy savings and many long years of reliable protection. A typical metal roof may last well over thirty years and it appraises the value of your home as well as provides unique curb appeal for your property.
What if I have a flat roof?
If you live in a house with a low slope roof, then you will still want to get a trustworthy roofing contractor to examine your roof so that you can better understand the options that you have. Some flat roofs may be professionally repaired and provide years of reliable protection, while others may require a complete replacement as the only option. A roofing professional specializing in flat roofing should be able to provide with comprehensive report about the condition of your flat roof.
Just like with conventional roofing, not all flat roofs are made the same and you may consider investing into a flat roof that has superior qualities over conventional roofs such as TPO, EPDM, rubber, and roller roofing. Modern technology makes it possible to get a flat roofing membrane that will provide many years of reliable protection, and significant energy savings if you have a cool roofing membrane installed.
Green Roofing and Cool roofing membranes
If you would like to explore some high end roofing solutions options, then consider metal roofing and cool flat roofing membranes. These products, when properly installed by professionals, will greatly outlast conventional roofing systems, and they may appraise the value of your home and offer great energy saving that will add up over time.
No matter what roofing system you end up choosing for your home, getting good information and working with honest and reliable roofing contractor who knows how to install the system that you choose is the key to a long lasting roof.
Resources
Metal Roofing Blog - Educates Homeowners about green roofs with solar panels, cool rooging systems and ways to prevent ice dams.
You would probably want to get at least 2-3 feet long panels for splicing and you also need at least a foot of overlap on each panel.
