Benefits of Metal Roofing
Metal beats out conventional
roofing materials in several ways:
Expected life.
Properly installed, a
metal roof should last as long as the house, sealing out water, surviving high
winds, and easily shedding snow. Metal is resistant to fire, mildew, insects,
and rot.
Weight.
Compared to the weight
of tile at 750 pounds per square (an area equal to 100 square feet) or concrete
tile at 900 pounds per square, metal roofing is very lightweight. Most
varieties run from 50 to 150 pounds per square.
Speed & ease of roofing installation.
Most metal roofing materials
come in multiple-shingle sections or in 12- to 36-inch-wide panels.
Fire resistance.
Because metal roof materials are noncombustible, they
typically have a Class A fire rating (the most fire-resistant rating).
Heat conduction.
Metal reflects radiant heat
from the sun, minimizing midday heat gain. This means you save energy needed
for air conditioning during the day. Though the material itself is low in
insulation R-value, metal roofing can be applied over rigid-foam insulation
that has very high R-values.
Metal Roofing Drawbacks
Though metal roofing offers many pluses, a few drawbacks
are worthy of mention. For the most part, metal roofing manufacturers have
improved their products to address or solve many of these concerns:
Cost.
The biggest drawback is initial
cost. Metal roofing is equivalent in cost to other premium materials—from about
$150 to $600 per square (100 square feet).
Noise.
For some, the sound of rain
tapping on the roof is romantic and homey. For others, it’s like living inside
a drum. In a rainstorm or hailstorm, living beneath thin sheets of metal is
bound to be noisier than living beneath thick slate or tile.
Denting.
Just as your car will dent if a
golf ball hits it, a metal roof can dent if large hailstones
fall on it.
Comments
Post a Comment