If you have spent any length of time on social media or watch television, you have seen the rise in popularity of the traditional farmhouse metal roof on remodeling and interior design shows. They are beautiful, come in a variety of materials and finishes, and provide the best insulation a homeowner could ask for. Metal roofs have been around for decades and are still around because of their premium quality and durability.
When building or remodeling a home, there are hundreds of choices one must make (building materials, design finishes and more). Not only do we want to build a home that looks and feels beautiful—it should, ideally, be built to last. When installed properly by a roofing expert, a metal roof can provide your family with warmth, shelter, and curb appeal for generations.
In This Article
Investing In A Metal Roof
When building or remodeling a home, it can feel very intimidating knowing what materials to choose and if it will be a good investment. Oftentimes people don’t invest in the exterior of a home because they prioritize their living conditions. With most people spending the majority of their budgets on the inside of their house, sometimes issues can arise down the road because of older materials left unrepaired. Installing a metal roof is not only a wise decision financially, it is an investment you can make back ten fold.
A metal roof is better than standard shingles because they are:
- A strong source of
- Durable and long lasting.
- Environmentally friendly, being made out of mostly recycled materials.
- Energy efficient.
- Timeless and have yet to go out of style.
- Fire, water, and hail resistant (though they may dent).
Installing a metal roof can protect your home more efficiently than standard shingles could. Standard shingle roofing lasts around 12-25 years, as opposed to metal roofing, which can last upwards of 70 years. Depending on the climate, shingle roofing will often need to be repaired more than once in the span of time before completely replacing it altogether. While the initial investment on a metal roof might seem daunting at first, the savings in overall costs to install, repair, and replace a shingle roof far outweigh it.
Metal Roofs Add Curb Appeal
Metal roofs provide a broad range of finishes and unique styles to a property. In terms of resale value, a metal roof is a valuable feature to potential homebuyers—not to mention the significant increase in curb appeal. Metal roofs come in a variety of materials, such as copper, aluminum, zinc and steel. With materials like copper, as they age, they slowly create what’s called a “patina.” The patina is the scientific process of the metal slowly oxidizing due to the elements.
When first installed, copper has the look of a shiny new penny. The patina process ages the copper to a variety of beautiful, rustic colors like turquoise, green, and brown, making your copper roof a stunning focal point for any home. This process can take twenty plus years to achieve. But, with the popularization of the patina look, companies like Vintage Hardware have released patina aging solutions that can expedite the oxidizing process, so your roof can get that Statue of Liberty green without having to age for over a century.
With modern technology, metal roofs now can even appear to look like other materials. Wooden shingling like cedar shake roofing gives a lovely, cottage core look to any home, but it is subject to rot and mold and the need for consistent repairing. With the invention of metal shake roofing, your roof can have the appearance of classic wooden shingles but can last 20 plus years longer. Other unique metal roofing materials include:
- Slate Metal Profiles
- Standard Seam Metal Roofs
- Stainless Steel Roofing
- Copper Shingles
- Corrugated Metal Roofing
With the variety of options available, there is certain to be something for everyone.
Ease of Installation
With an experienced professional roofer, the process for installing a metal roof can be less time consuming than the installation of asphalt shingles. In addition to this, it is not a requirement to remove the previous roofing. With metal roofing, you can install it right over the previous material of your home—reducing the cost of labor significantly in comparison to having the previous materials removed.
Metal Roofing Can Reduce the Cost of Your Homeowners Insurance
While building codes are different everywhere, the installation of a metal roof can reduce the cost of your homeowners insurance significantly. Since metal roofing is more durable and less likely to be damaged, many home insurance policies will offer policy discounts of up to 35% for homeowners with metal roofing.
Energy Saving
Metal roofs provide a substantial amount of insulation to your home. Whether you’re in the heat of summer or the dead of winter, you can expect your power bills to be substantially lower than a traditional, shingled home. Reflective metal roofing can save you up to 40% of cooling costs and reduce the temperature in your home up 15 degrees naturally. In addition to this, metal roofing is made out of recycled material and is also almost 100% recyclable.
Safety
Metal roofing provides safety in numerous ways. Being impervious to fire is one of them. The thought that metal roofing might attract lighting is false, with many studies proving that metal roofing is no more likely to be struck by lighting than a shingled roof. In many dry regions, metal roofing has become increasingly popular due to the rise of wildfires. If you are looking for a safe, durable material, metal roofing is an excellent choice.
There is a reason metal roofing has been the most popular choice for roofing materials for over a century. It is reliable, sustainable, and a great option if you are looking for a low maintenance home. Whether you love the look of an antiqued patina, or industrial, exposed metal roofing, there is no doubt that you will not only receive a beautiful result but a roof that will stand the test of time.