subject: Metal Roofing Materials: The New Vogue [print this page] Metal roofing materials have long been seen to be the province of stark industrial buildings looking to improve their fire ratings and energy efficiency. But the fact is, energy-efficiency is not the dull, book-balancing issue it once was. With green policies becoming increasingly popular amidst growing concern about global warming and the environment, the energy-saving characteristics of having a metal roof are starting to look more and more desirable for the average person.
Furthermore, metal roofing is much more recyclable than other type of roofing materials - unlike fiberglass it can be easily melted down and reshaped. Quite aside from such social and environmental issues, metal roofs are also known for being the most durable and safe option around. Many insurance companies will actually give discounts topping 25% off your payments if you have a metal roof, given their resilience when faced with the hazards of hail, strong wind, and fire.
You'll be pleased to find that, since metal roofs moved from factories to top the most desirable suburban homes, residential metal roofing materials have come a long way in terms of their design aesthetics, as well as their functionality. You'll even find metal shingles treated and colored to resemble all manner of traditional products, including clay tiles and wooden slats.
If, however, you're more keen on moving into the modern era of architectural beauty, you'll find no end of variety and gorgeous design, with panels in everything from stainless steel and copper (which weathers to an enchanting green patina) to gleaming, chrome-like aluminum.
If you're looking for the most solid, durable design, that of the standing-seam metal roof is a good way to go - these panels clip together to be virtually water tight, while still having enough flexibility to endure the stress place on them by swelling ice and, by some accounts, hurricane-force winds. The best material to look for is Galvalume, which consists of a Zinc-Aluminum alloy that's laid over galvanized sheets steel. It's corrosion resistant and reflects light even better than standard metal roofing materials.
How long will it last? Well, manufacturers are notoriously conservative in how they issue warranties, and the average metal roofing material manufacturer issues a forty year warranty on properly installed roofs. Scientific estimates of how long modern built metal roofs will last range more to the sixty or seventy year mark. So invest now, and look forward to a roof that will protect your home as long as you choose to live in it.
