Metal roofing is easy to install and sustainable. Over the past few decades, it has been rising up the scales of preference for many builders and homeowners, particularly in the residential market. This is in spite of the fact other roofing options are getting affordable and more innovative as well. In the past decade alone, the metal roofing market share has quadrupled as it finds its way into new construction projects.
The benefits of metal roofing have proven too hard ignore. Innovative manufacturing technologies in the fabrication of metal roofing materials now also enable homeowners to build or upgrade their property using metal roofing materials that provide lasting value. The main drawback with metal roofing has been the fact they diminish in value pretty quickly compared to other roofing materials. However, they still offer you plenty of benefits that make them worth considering for your building and home improvement projects.
#1 Ease of Installation
Perhaps the biggest benefit with metal roofing is the ease with each you can install it. While the shingles vary in design and sizes, metal roofing is on average easier to install compared to other roofing materials.
#2 Sustainability
Metal roofing contributes to sustainability on so many levels. For one, they reflect the radiant solar heat which can cut down on your cooling costs by between 10% and 25%.
Then there is the sustainability generated from the manufacturing process. Metal roofs are generally fabricated from 25% to 95% recycled materials. The metal roof is also 100% recyclable so once it is past its use by date, it can be fed back into the manufacturing kilns and used in fabricating new metal roofing materials and other metallic materials.
Advances in metal manufacturing techniques now result in even more energy-efficient metal roofing materials. Some metal roofing materials have been coated with infrared reflective finishes that will reflect much of the infrared rays from the sun to help keep the roof temperatures cool. For homeowners, this can result in significant energy savings and reductions in the HVAC costs. Metal roofing panels can also be used to easily host other energy-efficient and even energy-producing building materials.
Metal roofing can be use in conjunction with all types of insulation systems. You can use them with thick insulation to help maximize on the performance of your buildings.
If you are planning to go green, it is easy to install solar panels on your metal roofing. The photovoltaic (PV) panels can easily be installed on any part your metal roofing without having to penetrate the roofing surface. This will enable you to get optimal performance from your PV cells without much risk.
#3 Longevity
When you use modern metal roofing materials, you are assured of excellent quality roofing over the long haul. Metal roofing has a lifespan ranging from 40 to 70 years. This is quite impressive if you consider that the traditional asphalt roofing has a lifespan of just 12 to 20 years.
A Metal Construction Association (MCA) study found that metal roofing consisting of low-slope unpainted 55% Al-Zn alloy coating has a lifespan of up to 60 years. That is an entire lifetime! This is also the service life of a typical commercial building. Using metal roofing in your building is generally a ‘set and forget’ scenario. Once you install the roofing, you might as well forget about it. This long lifespan further contributes to the sustainability of metal as a roofing material as it cuts down on the demand for replacement metal roofing materials and the heavy-duty manufacturing involved in producing them.
#4 Durability
Metal roofing can withstand a quite a bit of battering without getting damaged. From snowstorms to hailstones, gusts of winds and even stones, your metal roofing will withstand it all and stay intact. They don’t crack and modern metal roofing materials do not corrode easily. Their resilience means they can withstand even the most extreme weather conditions.
#5 Low Maintenance Costs
One of the issues that you face with other roofing materials apart from the high labor costs and complex installation involved is usually the regularity with which you have to carry out the maintenance. According with the Toowoomba Roofer team, with metal roofing, you won’t have to grapple with the costly periodic maintenance. It is, however, advisable to inspect your metal roofing periodically for any signs of deterioration or damage.