The Biggest Myths About Metal Roofs

Many myths have been started about Metal Roofing.  It’s hard to know how they start, but they certainly tend to be spread by roofing contractors that don’t handle metal. Here are the most common myths we have come across about Metal Roofing:

A Metal Roof is too expensive:
One of the biggest misconceptions in the residential construction industry is the REAL cost of a roof vs. the initial cost you pay upfront. While a metal roof can cost double the price of asphalt shingles of the same size, asphalt will actually turn out to be more expensive over the course of its life.

Once you install a Metal Roof, you never need to worry about replacement again, because it will last 40-60 years and beyond, so you only incur a onetime cost. Now, when you install a shingle roof, you can expect it to last 12-20 years at best, meaning that you will be replacing this roof 2-4 times over that same 40-60 year period. This means that you will end up spending the same amount or more than it would have cost you to initially install metal.

Roof replacement costs are not the only expenses you need to consider, you have to include the cost of maintenance and repair. A properly installed Metal Roof will require minimal maintenance, which you can do yourself and will not require repair. In comparison, asphalt shingle roofs will require both maintenance and repair, as individual shingles tend to rot, warp, break, etc. and need to be repaired and replaced. This means that you can expect to spend at least a few hundred dollars every year on repairs. Over the years, this will add up, in addition to stress and time you will spend looking for and dealing with contractors.

Metal Roofing attracts lightning strikes:
While metal conducts electricity, electricity is not drawn to it.

Metal roofs are noisy, especially in the rain:
This is not true. It may come as a surprise to many homeowners; a metal roof may be even quieter than asphalt shingles. Contrary to popular belief, these roofs are not loud at all. They have solid sheathing attached to the underlayment that actually helps silence the noise from rain, hail, falling branches and other weather conditions, better than other types of materials. So you do not ever have to worry about waking up to the sound of rain.

Metal roofs are susceptible to damage by hail:
While extremely large hailstones can dent a metal roof, normal hailstorms will not, and with textured roofs, minor denting is not readily visible. Metal Roofs are unbeatable in protecting the home from ice dams and hail damage, which can cost thousands of dollars. They shed snow extremely fast, preventing water from backing up on the roof and leaking inside your home.

* A metal roof will make your house colder in winter and hotter in the summer: A metal roof has no effect on the temperature of your typical vented attic in winter. It’s the insulation under (or on top of) the floor of your attic that keeps your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.