Whether you are looking for a roof for your new home or scrapping the existing roof of your house for giving it a makeover, there are many options. Metal roofs offer an attractive option too since they are long-lasting, offer energy efficiency, and involve minimal maintenance. Moreover, there is a variety of metals available for making the roof. This includes galvanized, weathering, or galvalume steel, copper, aluminum, tin as well as zinc.
You can get them in the form of vertical seam, pre-formed as well as granular coated panels. Whatever be the style and metal of the roof, make sure that it is tested, labeled, and listed with testing organizations like FM or UL. This makes sure that the material is rigorously tested for its wind, fire, and impact-resistant qualities. However, installation may vary from one location to another owing to manufacturer guidelines and local building code requirements.
Pros of metal roofs
Metal roofs last really long. Depending on the material it may last up to 70 years. On the contrary, a traditional asphalt roof may last just around 20 years. You just need to take care of
repainting a metal roof regularly.
When correctly installed, metal roofs can stand up against a gust of wind going up to around 140 miles an hour. Moreover, these roofs don’t crack or corrode and are also impact-resistant.
Metal roofs don't need periodic maintenance like traditional roofing materials. However, you need to inspect them periodically.
Metal roofs reflect harmful UV and infrared rays of the sun that contribute to the warming of the house. So, your metal roof can reduce your home cooling cost by 10-25%.
Cons of metal roofs
Metal roofs have some cons too. These include-
Metal roofs are costly. In fact, their cost can be about two to three times of traditional roofing materials. Since metal roofs last really long, it is an affordable proposition if you are planning to stay in the house for a long time to come. Moreover, it is noisy during a hailstorm or heavy rain. However, proper attic insulation can bring down noise substantially.
- Expansion and contraction
Metal roofing materials are prone to expansion and contraction with changes in ambient heat. As they do so, fasteners have a trying time adjusting to the sheets. This degrades the fasteners and may dislodge them over time.
In case you need to extend the house, it may become difficult to find a roofing sheet of the same color. This may give rise to a color inconsistency.
Metal roofs may spark and ignite into flames during a lightning strike. So, you need to use a lightning arrester wisely for safety against lightning strikes.
Conclusion There is no doubt that the pros outweigh the cons. However, before going for a metal roof you need to ask yourself – can you repaint a metal roof? Repainting may be necessary few times during the lifetime of the roof. So, if you can’t do it yourself, make sure to contact an expert in metal repainting.
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