Why Metal Roofing?
Common Roofing Materials
The most important component of any building is the roof. Without a good roof, even the sturdiest of buildings will fall into disrepair when exposed to nature’s extremes. Modern roofing capabilities offer a wide variety of roofing materials to suit your needs. The most common materials used for roofing are steel, also known as metal roofing, and composite, or petroleum based shingles.
Modern Metal Roofing
Metal roofing is no longer just a practical roofing material that out lasts shingles. Metal is quickly replacing shingles as a stylish and cost effective alternative. Not to mention the energy and money saving properties that goes along with it. Today, metal roofing offers a variety of panels and styles that allow the consumer to customize and stylize to their needs and even desires.
METAL VS. SHINGLES
Labor Efficiency and Waste
Most of us are familiar with the unavoidable mess that occurs when worn out shingles must be torn off of a neighbor’s house. A few thousand pounds of shingles, tar paper, and rusty nails being heaved to the ground, instantly turns your landscaping into a construction zone. One of the benefits of metal roofing is, in most cases, the metal can be run right over shingles. This allows the shingles to act as additional insulation and you can avoid the extra cost and mess associated with tear off.
Cost
The price of a new roof system depends on many variables: materials used, contractor utilized, location, labor cost, and even time of year. For each roofing material, there are different gauges with corresponding prices, as well as a variety of styles and paint systems. The best advice is to research the full range of products available and make a choice according to your budget and needs. However, metal roofing is much less expensive when considering the life expense of a roof. Also consider, installing a new metal roof will likely be the last decision you make about the roof of your home.
Life Span
An asphalt shingle roof needs to be replaced approximately every 15 years, while a properly installed and maintained metal roof can last over 50 years. This means you typically have to replace your shingle roof three times in the life span of a metal one.
Green and Efficient
The life span is not the only way you can save money with metal roofing. A metal roof can help save you 10-20% on your energy bill, making a metal roof good for your wallet and the environment. Adding to this point, petroleum based shingles prices are rising with the price of gasoline. Taking into account the upward trend in oil and gas prices, one can conclude that the prices of shingles will follow.
Protection and Aesthetic Appeal
The most common metal roofing panel is made of steel coated with zinc and/or aluminum. This special coating protects the steel from exposure and damage. Siliconized modified polyester (SMP) paints can also be applied further protecting the metal roofing from oxidation as well as providing an elegant aesthetic appeal.