Is metal roofing right for you?
Metal roof installation for homes in Texas is becoming more common every year. Gone are the days that metal roofing was only thought to be for barns and sheds out in the country. If your home is needing a new roof, you may be asking yourself, “Will a metal roof look good on my house?” For what they cost, it’s understandable you want to make sure it’s going to look good.
Rest assured, the metal roof you’re picturing on an old barn is not the same metal roof installation you’ll have on your home. Contrary to common mistaken belief, the wide range of metal roof finishes and styles will match your home’s architecture beautifully. Some of the options for metal roof installation include:
- Metal shakes to match the wood shakes of country or rustic architecture
- Metal tile, a great alternative to clay tile
- Architectural shingles
- Traditional Standing Seam Metal Roofing
These different styles are also available in different types of metal, each of them having advantages and disadvantages you’ll want to consider as you choose your metal roof installation material. Bearing this in mind, what are the types of metal roof? There is a wide range of metal types and with an understanding of the differences, the wide range in pricing will be understandable too. The different types of metal and their features for metal roof installation include:
Aluminum Metal Roofing
The longest-lasting metal for roofing with a reflective pigment that maintains coolness inside the home by reflecting radiant heat, making it a popular choice in Texas. This helps reduce utility costs by reducing air conditioning usage. Aluminum roofing comes in shingles and tiles with shingles lasting up to 40 years or longer and having strong resistance to leaking and rusting, being able to hold up to hurricane-level winds and other severe weather conditions.
Copper Metal Roofing
A beautiful metal that will develop a patina over time to a beautiful green and is fire resistant, providing a long lifespan of 60 years or longer.
Corrugated Metal Roofing
The repeated rippled or wavy pattern throughout makes this a unique style for any metal roof installation. This metal roof has a longer life expectancy than many kinds of plain metal roof and it holds up better under harsh weather conditions. This is the least expensive type of metal roofing, is thin, lightweight, and easy to install, even on top of existing roofing. Those three features help keep costs low. The downside to this metal roofing is its vulnerability to leaking and rusting.
Metal Slate Roofing
Metal slate roofing or stone-coated steel roofing is different than natural slate roofing in both weight and cost. Natural slate roofing is heavier and more expensive to have installed because of the weight. A home new to natural slate roofing needs an engineer report prior to assure the structure can maintain its weight. With the aesthetic diversity this metal roofing offers, you can have the look of traditional clay or slate shingles for just a fraction of what real clay or slate cost.
Standing Seam Metal Roofing
Standing seam metal roofing has superior longevity, up to three times longer than a non-metal roof. This material is available all across the country, making it easy to obtain, and with the interlocking seams of the metal panels, it becomes a durable and strong roofing material. It’s available in copper, painted aluminum, galvalume steel, galvanized steel, or zinc, and it’s ideal for areas prone to hailstorms along with being fire resistant.
Steel Metal Roofing
A steel metal roof installation will provide a cracking, eroding, and shrink resistant roofing material, giving you up to a 30-year lifespan. An energy-efficient and recyclable material, this is a popular choice, even though it can be more expensive.
Tin Metal Roofing
Tin metal roofing is chemically bonded to steel metal by heating the steel and a plating process saturates it with tin. This combination rapidly vibrates and becomes interlocked, creating a bond that is crack resistant and durable, with a life expectancy of 40 years or longer.
Zinc Metal Roofing
Zinc metal roofing has been around for over 100 years and is an easily foldable material that is popular for designing a unique roof that is still durable and strong. Resistant to cracking and eroding, it is a strong material in harsh weather. It’s also an eco-friendly material that is 100% recyclable with a low toxicity level.
What are the parts of a metal roof called?
A metal roof installation will provide you with strong and long-lasting protection for your home. Even in the toughest environment, a metal roof properly installed and maintained will last up to 70 years or longer depending on the type of metal you choose. Some key components to a metal roof are as follows:
- Metal Panels: The most obvious part of a metal roof installation is the metal. Available in different types of metal which should be selected based on the weather conditions typical of your area.
- Fasteners & Clips: There is a wide selection of fasteners and clips depending on the type of metal chosen. The fasteners can be concealed or exposed bolts, cleats, clips, nails, and screws. The clips are what anchor the metal to the substrate by securing to each other in a fixed or floating manner.
- Underlayment: This is a crucial component to a metal roof installation because of the protection it provides against extreme temperatures, ice, moisture, and more.
- Sealant: Another important protection component that ensures dirt, water, wind, or other matter is kept out of small areas. A significant component for waterproofing.
- Trim: This provides the finished look of a metal roof installation.
- Closures: These are crucial elements to a metal roof installation for keeping animals and insects out of the attic and providing ventilation too.
Other important components to any roof installation regardless of the materials are:
- Decking
- Soffit
- Valley
- Pitch
- Eave
- Ridge
- Fascia
- Flashing
- Hip
- Gable
- Drip Edge
What do you put under a metal roof?
Using an experienced, professional roofing contractor that knows how to install metal roofing, will use the most common, traditional material of underlayment that is non-perforated, asphalt-impregnated felt. There are other types of felt underlayment that are inorganic or organic reinforced.
How much does a metal roof cost in Texas?
The pricing varies based on the metal chosen, the size of the roof, and any special issues with the roofing. Metal shingles can cost upward of $15,000 and copper metal roof installation can cost up to $48,000 and corrugated steel up to $19,500.
Is a standing seam metal roof worth it?
Standing seam metal roof installation will cost more than a conventional asphalt shingle roofing system, but it will last three times longer. This means you’ll replace an asphalt shingle roof three times during the lifespan of one standing seam metal roof installation. Because of that, though it may be more expensive at the outset, you will typically save a lot of money in the long run, making it well worth it.
Topping Off This Roofing Article
So, if a metal roof installation doesn’t have to look like old barn roofing, is there a metal roof that looks like shingles? Absolutely! In fact, today, stamped metal roofing can encompass not only a traditional shingle look, but it can be stamped to look like clay or concrete tiles, slate tile, and even wood shakes. Your metal roofing contractor can provide you with examples of the different types of metal roofing available.
And once you have chosen your metal roof style and type, what is the best color for a metal roof? Here in Texas, where we have more hot sunny days than we do cloudy cold days, choosing a color that reflects the sun is recommended. The lighter colors of beige, light blue, green, or bronze are the most popular choices for UV reflectiveness.