Dealing with Perceived Disadvantages of Metal Roofing

Installing a metal roof is one of the best ways to gain a number of advantages as a home owner; especially if you are looking for a low maintenance, long-lasting roof for your home. Metal roofs last two to three times longer than a traditional composition roof, can help lower your insurance rates, are environmentally friendly, energy efficient, impact resistant, and can increase the value of your home by up to $1.45 per square foot. As we approach Election Day here in the USA, we realize that you are probably very aware that there are two sides to every story. That being the case, there are some disadvantages to owning a metal roof.

One perceived disadvantage is that metal roofs are louder than other types of roofs during a storm. This is true if you are on the outside of the home. However, inside the home, when the metal roof is installed with the correct underlayment, your metal roof will not be any louder than an asphalt roof.

The second disadvantage is that snow slides off of metal roofs easier than asphalt roofs. You may be thinking, “Isn’t this an advantage?” The answer is no. As snow slides down a metal roof it melts and refreezes. As this happens, screws are pulled out of the roof. Overtime snow can pull a screw out of a metal roof by up to a quarter inch. The result is several hundred tiny holes in your roof where water can get in and cause damage to your home. Sliding snow can also tear rain gutters off the side of your home, damage landscaping below, and even kill someone.

There is a solution to the second disadvantage which adds another advantage to owning a metal roof. The solution is snow guards. Snow guards are small devices that are attached to a metal roof to prevent snow from sliding down the roof. The advantage of keeping snow on your roof is an extra layer of insulation which results in less heat escaping from your home. It also means you do not have to shovel your driveway twice as the snow comes sliding off your roof after you have already shoveled. Most homes are built to handle snow loads in their area for the entire winter and keeping the snow up there is good. (Just a quick side note – If you have that freak 100 year snow storm, it is wise to remove the snow with a roof rake or shovel. Removing the snow this way does much less damage to your roof than letting the snow slide off, but be careful because a metal roof with snow will be slick.)

Snow guards can be installed by any roofer, or a do-it-yourself homeowner. Visit www.snoshield.com to read more about snow guards. You can purchase snow guards from most home improvement stores or online at www.roofthings.com.