Meet the New Kid on the block

Nowadays, building owners aware of the benefits that green building technology has to offer, turn to metal roofing as a green roofing alternative for their existing roofs. Thus, the predominantly popular asphalt shingle roofing, gets abolished and thrown out of the picture to make room for a much greener alternative in form of metal roofing materials that can offer superior longevity, unprecedented reliability, unique appearance with a hint of beauty and modernity, significantly noticeable energy savings, tax credits for the cost of qualified metal roofing materials used, and last but not least the envy or admiration of your neighbors.

Modern Metal Roofing Alternative

In this post, I am going to present before you the major chunk of metal roofing materials that you may choose for your new roof. I will cover some of the most popular metal roofing systems and materials available to homeowners and building owners of restaurants, office buildings and other types of businesses. When covering the specific metal roofing system, I will cover its aesthetic appeal in appearance, usefulness, reliability, ease of installation, cost e.t.c. When covering the actual metal roofing material or the essence of the metal that it is made out of I will focus on the longevity of that particular metal its usefulness / practicality of use for common roofing applications, and the material system costs and comparison analysis vs. other types of metal roofing systems.

Hypothetical situation – how your roof can really make or break your home:

It would not be too far out there to assume that aside from your wife and kids, your home is your most valuable and precious 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.

Now that we sort have of covered metal roofing material basics, lets get to a more system specific look at some of the popular metal roofing systems and materials they are available in:

Before I begin covering different metal roofing systems, keep in mind that there is a big important distinction between metal roofing systems, which constitutes roof system design, system components and flashings, appearance, reliability and ease of installation, and the actual metal that the given metal roofing system’s materials are made out of, which essential is responsible for the cost, longevity, and plays an important role in determining the appropriateness for a specific use, which will vary depending on your situation or project requirements.

Standing Seam Metal Roofing:

This type of roof is one of the most widely used types of all metal roofing systems. Standing seam metal roofing panels are available in architectural and commercial system designs and styles. It comes with concealed and exposed fasteners. Concealed fasteners offer higher reliability and lessen the chance of a roof leak. Standing seam roofing offers great advantages over asphalt shingle roofs. For example, standing seam metal roof that was installed correctly and in accordance with manufacturers specifications can last a really long time, providing reliable and maintenance free protection without the need for costly roof repairs. It provides modern look for the building, makes a green statement about the owner and compliments the beauty of the building. In fact, many architects choose metal roofing precisely because of the modern looks and feel of technologically advanced roofing system. The initial higher cost of investment is offset by the visual appearance and boldness of straight lines and use of metal, excellent reliability with proven track record, energy savings, and prevention of ice dam build up issues. Many standing seam metal roofs can also be outfitted with thin film solar metal roofing panels taking your roof’s energy efficiency to yet another level. Standing seam can be used in retrofit and new construction applications. I do not recommend using standing seam metal roof on cut up roof with multiple skylights, dormers, and level changes because, every change in length of the panel to account for changes in roof terrain will amount to a large amount in labor, which will drive up costs through the roof, and can hinder the overall quality because of the likely installer’s error due to heightened complexity. Standing seam is the type of metal roofing system that can be easy to install on straight runs with simple roof structures such as gable roofs. Should your roof be extremely cut up, I would recommend using aluminum shingle roofing, which will work well for a complex roof. The reason for a versatility of aluminum shingle is its small panel size that can be compared to building a highly complex home, roof, and whatnot out of the small Lego pieces in the form of aluminum shingles.

Green Standing Seam Metal Roof

Choice of metal material for standing seam metal roof:

Aluminum, which is a permanent metal that is not subjected to corrosion from being exposed to the elements, can last an infinite amount of time provided that the metal roof was installed correctly with respect to water tightness and roof ventilation. It is very lightweight and flexible metal that can withstand salty environment, and strong wind uplift. Aluminum standing seam would make for a perfect metal roof around coastal areas where less expensive steel could eventually fail to the corrosion due to high concentration of salt in the air. Steel can be a slightly less expensive metal roofing material of choice when the roof in question is not in close proximity to the coastal area. Modern day steel metal roofs are protected / coated with layer of zinc and aluminum, which provides protection from the elements in the environment and helps prevent corrosion. Thus steel is generally safe for use in roofing applications and can last a very long time given that it is also protected with a quality paint finish such as Kynar 500, the industry standard, or better. Copper, the ageless beauty of copper is an expensive investment, but if money is not an issue then the visual appeal and longevity will bring great amounts of satisfaction, longevity, and compliments form your neighbors.

Standing Seam for low Slope Roofs

Typically, a snap lock profile of standing seam is used in residential roofing applications. Snap lock refers to aligning the panels together, with the locking mechanism over the preceding panel and then gently taping over the panels, until it snaps into place. The snap lock based design standing seam can be used on roofs with pitch of 3 to 12 and higher. For lower slope roofs, a mechanically locked standing seam roof system should be used. Refer to the specific Metal Roofing manufacturer’s specs on the use of any given metal roofing system and materials.

Metal Shingle Roofs

Aluminum shingle Metal Roof shown below

Steel Shingle Metal Roof shown below:

Most Metal Shingle roofs require a minimum roof pitch of 4 to 12.They typically feature interlocking design and are fairly easy to install because panels can be easily adjusted for changes in roof patterns.

Custom Metal Roofing Systems

Every once in a while, there is a need for a custom build metal roofing materials that can meet architect’s specifications for wind uplift, environmental factors and style. There are smaller metal roofing manufacturers who are willing to adapt to your needs. Picture below illustrates custom metal roofing system comprised of blue color metal shakes.

Custom Order Metal Roofing Materials

When you finally decide on the type of metal roofing materials you want to use for your projects, be sure to check with manufacturer that your roof is suitable for the metal roofing materials you would like to use. Factors to consider would be pitch, metal type used, and system specific installation requirements.