There is a large variety of building types and styles spread throughout the United States, and all need the perfect roof covering to keep them watertight and safe. For a residential home, that could be asphalt shingles or concrete tile for a condo association.
Metal roofs are an older form of roofing, but advances in material technologies mean the modern metal roof isn’t too like the old-fashioned tin roof you’ve probably heard of. Let’s explore what metal roofing is, and some situations in which metal roofing is the best material for the job.
So, What is Metal Roofing?
Simply put, metal roofing is a roofing material that’s primarily constructed of metal. In the roofing world that material is most often steel. Roofing metal is manufactured in several types of styles, sizes, colors, and strengths, so it’s easy to match your home or commercial building to the perfect roofing material.
While metal is still more popular for commercial roofing projects, shows it is quickly becoming more popular for residential use as well.
Advantages of Metal Roofing
- Strong: Why is anything built with metal? Because it’s strong. Metal roofing has been known to stand up to fierce winds, hail, driving precipitation, snow, ice and anything else Mother Nature can throw at it. When you choose metal, you choose strength.
- Variety: Since metal roofing is manufactured in several assorted styles, it’s easy to match your building to the proper metal roof. Traditional metal roofing may not be the most pretty to look at, but modern materials are much easier on the eyes.
- Versatile: You can choose metal roofing for almost any type of project. Personal home or commercial warehouse, the metal will work on most roof types.
- Longevity: Metal roofs have strong warranties and useful lives, upwards of 50 years. If you want a material you won’t need to replace anytime soon, look to metal roofing.
Disadvantages of Metal Roofing
- Cost: Metal roofing is much stronger than traditional roofing materials, but you will have to pay for it. The good news is that a metal roof will last much longer than traditional materials.
- Difficulty in Good Contractors: If you live in a major city, it won’t be difficult to find reliable metal roofers, but you may have difficulty finding reliable help for metal roofing in a small town.
- Noise: Some homeowners have reported that their metal roofs are noisy during heavy precipitation, but many modern metal roofs come with dampeners to quiet the noise.
The choice of roofing materials is up to you. Metal roofing is reliable, durable, and lasts a long time, but it costs much more than traditional roofing materials. Your best strategy is to meet with a local and reputable metal roofing contractor to see if metal roofing is the right call for you.