Metal is one of the most durable materials you can use for the roof of your home. But as with all roofs, there are pros and cons of a metal roof.
Pros of a metal roof:
- Durable: Metal roofs are durable and weather-resistant. For instance, professionally installed metal roofs from Erie Home offer a hurricane wind performance rating, withstanding winds up to 120 miles per hour, Class 4 hail impact resistance, and a Class A fire rating.
- Insurance Incentives: In many places, shingles with the Class 4 hail impact resistance rating may also have insurance incentives, including discounts of up to 25%, further increasing the value of your investment. Get in touch with your insurance carrier for the exact rates for your home.
- Long lifespan: Metal roofs last three times as long (up to 75 years) as traditional shingle roofs with proper care and maintenance.
- Environmentally friendly: Metal roofs are environmentally friendly and energy-efficient, helping to keep your home cooler in the hot summer months. Plus, metal roofing materials are 100% recyclable.
- Aesthetically pleasing: Residential metal roofs are aesthetically pleasing and come in various styles in addition to traditional vertical seam-style metal roofs. For instance, Erie Home offers dimensional shingle-style metal roofs that look similar to traditional asphalt shingles, cedar shake-style metal roofs that can give your home a beach-house look, and sophisticated Spanish tile-style metal roofs.
- Easy maintenance: Metal roofs are easy to maintain, with a surface that allows snow to shed in regions where snowfall is common. This reduces the odds of ice dam formation and increases sun exposure for better temperature regulation. As with any roof, you should always ensure any gutters are kept clear, but otherwise metal roofs require very little maintenance.
Cons of a metal roof:
- Potential for damage: Metal roofs can still be damaged.
- Some types of metal roofs can be noisy: Some, but not all, metal roofs can be noisy, such as standing-seam barn-style metal roofs. For example, Erie Home uses stone-coated steel shingles that are as quiet as traditional roofing.
- Possibly higher upfront costs: Metal roofs can be more expensive upfront than a traditional shingle roof. However, an Erie Home metal roof offers long-term cost savings through reduced maintenance requirements, adds value to your home, and has a significantly longer lifespan than traditional shingle roofs.
- Complex installation: Metal roofs are typically more complex to install compared to traditional shingle roofs. Installation requires specialized training, and as a result, many roofing companies are unable to do the job. When you purchase a metal roof from Erie Home, our professional installers ensure your roof is properly installed for maximum performance and lifespan.
While it’s clear metal roofs are a plus for most homes, keep reading as we break down the pros and cons of a metal roof.
- Pros and Cons of a Metal Roof
- Benefits of Metal Roofs
- What is a Metal Roof?
- What’s the Cost of a Metal Roof?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Pros and Cons of Metal Roof
Pros of a metal roof:
- Highly durable: A metal roof is highly durable. Made from some of the strongest material there is, metal roofs last a long time – up to 50 years with proper upkeep. In contrast, a traditional asphalt roof has an average lifespan of around 25 years. Additionally, a metal roof from Erie Home comes with a transferable 50-Year, Lifetime Limited Warranty that protects you against any manufacturing or installation defects.
- Weather-resistant: Metal roofs are resistant to weather. They can handle extreme elements and withstand wind gusts up to 120 miles per hour. Metal roofs from Erie Home also offer Class 4 hail impact resistance and a Class A fire rating.
- Energy-efficient and environmentally friendly: Metal roofs are 100% recyclable. Additionally, metal is lightweight and keeps your home cooler in the heat of summer.
- Adds value to your home: A metal roof is a positive investment for your home and its value. Most home buyers are attracted to houses with metal roofs thanks to its durability, low maintenance and weather resistance.
- Less maintenance than traditional roofing: Most metal roofs require very little ongoing maintenance, unlike traditional roofing, which may require frequent inspections and upkeep. Gutters may still need to be cleaned, but the roof almost takes care of itself.
Metal roofs offer several practical advantages over typical asphalt shingle roofs, but did you know they can save you money, too?
– Erie Home (@ErieMidWest) July 30, 2018
Cons of a metal roof:
- Can be more expensive upfront than traditional roofs: Metal roofs can be more expensive than traditional roofs, such as asphalt, wood, fiberglass, and clay. Aluminum is the cheapest within the metal family, whereas copper is the most expensive. However, on the plus side, a metal roof can increase the resale value of your home by up to 6%.
While a metal roof can cost more than asphalt, professionally installed metal roofs from Erie Home require less maintenance and last up to three times as longer than traditional asphalt roofs, resulting in significant cost savings over time. Additionally, your insurance carrier may offer discounts of up to 25% for an Erie Home metal roof, thanks to its Class 4 hail rating.
- Weather-resistant but not indestructible: Metal roofs may be durable and long-lasting, particularly those installed by professional installers. However, while they’re not indestructible, they’re still more resilient than traditional roofing materials.
- Some can be noisier than other roofing materials: Some folks enjoy the sound of rain on a tin roof; some don’t. Some types of metal roofs, such as standing-seam barn-style metal roofs, are noisier than traditional roofing materials.
Layering insulation underneath can help minimize extraneous noise. At Erie Home, we use stone-coated steel shingles that are no noisier than traditional roofing.
Benefits of Metal Roofs
The primary benefit of a metal roof is its durability. Metal roofing is a strong, lasting material that can protect your home.
Metal roofs require very little maintenance to perform optimally, and overall, they increase the value of your home. While doing the job of being weather-resistant, metal roofs are also energy-efficient and good for the environment.
What is a Metal Roof?
A metal roof features a variety of materials, styles, and gauges. Materials range from moderate to strong, and gauge ranges from thin to thick (the lower the number, the thicker the metal).
Materials include:
- Aluminum: The cheapest of the metals, aluminum is pliable, recyclable, light, and energy-efficient. Aluminum metal roofs come in sheets or shingles and can last up to 45 years.
- Copper: The most expensive of the metals, copper is the most durable. Lasting up to 100 years or more, copper metal roofs are low maintenance and highly weather-resistant.
- Lead: Lead metal roofs are typically copper coated in lead and can last 100 years or more. They’re corrosion-resistant and malleable.
- Rusted: Rusted metal roofs have a rustic look, but they are not recommended for the coast.
- Steel: Steel metal roofs are available as galvalume, galvanized, and stainless. These roofs are rust-resistant, energy-efficient, and low maintenance. Their life expectancy is 50 years.
- Tin: Tin metal roofs can last up to 70 years but require regular maintenance to prevent rust.
- Zinc: Zinc metal roofs are either shingles or standing seam, the former of which is cheaper. Zinc weathers well and can last 100 years or more.
Styles include:
- Corrugated: Corrugated metal roofs are easy to install but require some maintenance. The exposed bolts on the brackets may need checking from time to time.
- Sheet: Sheet metal is the cheapest option among metal roof styles. They can either be painted or remain unpainted.
- Shingles: Metal roof shingles are durable and long-lasting. They’re often made to look like asphalt or wood.
- Standing seam: Standing seam metal roofs are the most common type of metal roof and can be customized to your home.
- Stone-coated: Stone-coated metal roofs are resistant to extreme weather, such as hail, high winds (including hurricanes), torrential rains and even and wildfires. They feature shake, shingles, or tile, and are gaining popularity.
- Tiled: Tiled metal roofs are thick, but lightweight, and have a modern look.
What’s the Cost of a Metal Roof?
Metal roofs are an investment. Though they are more costly upfront than other traditional roofing styles, you’re paying for a more durable roof with a longer life that adds value to your home.
Perhaps the most obvious factor that influences pricing is the type of material used. For example, aluminum is one of the most inexpensive, while copper could cost you up to four times more.
Whichever option you choose, it’s worth remembering the benefits a metal roof brings to your home. The initial outlay may be more than traditional asphalt shingles, but the longevity and added value to your home is well worth the investment.
For example, an aluminum roof can last twice as long as a regular asphalt roof, while copper can potentially last up to 100 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the disadvantages of a metal roof?
The disadvantages of a metal roof are affordability, noise (with certain types of metal roofs), and maintenance of exposed bolts or screws.
Does a metal roof devalue a house?
No, a metal roof does not devalue a house. According to Remodeling’s 2022 Cost vs. Value Report, metal roofs received a 54.8 percent return on investment.
Do metal roofs leak more than shingles?
Metal roofs do not leak more than shingles when installed properly by Erie Home’s professional installers. In fact, properly installed metal roofs are more durable than traditional shingles, and can last up to three times longer.
For instance, a metal roof installed by Erie Home easily sheds ice and snow, reducing moisture buildup and decreasing the likelihood of ice dam formation. In addition, Erie Home’s metal roofs have a hurricane wind performance rating (withstanding winds up to 120 miles per hour), Class 4 hail impact resistance, and Class A fire rating.
What is better, metal roof or shingles?
Traditional asphalt shingles may be less expensive than a metal roof, but given its longevity and added value to the home, a metal roof is the better investment. Metal roofs can also be replicated in shingle form.
Do metal roofs make a house warmer?
No, metal roofs do not make a house warmer. Metal roofs are energy-efficient and environmentally friendly and can actually help to keep your home cooler in the hot summer months.
Metal Roofing Services Near You: