May be building a house. What’s the pro con of metal roofs?
Will be in an area that gets some hail ( Minnesota)
How noisy are they when it rains?

We have had metal roof on our house for over 20 years now. We love it. No more worries about ice dams, snow just slides right off. We were a little worried the snow sliding off might damage our gutters, but hasn't happened. It has been hailed on with no damage. Raindrops falling on our roof dont keep us awake. Now, we would not own a house with anything but a metal roof. We live in the mountainous area of Wyoming.

best nights sleep you'll ever have.

A lot better fire protection.

My metal roof put on in 1996 was a good decision. It has been through several hail storms and about 50 inches of rain every year. Still in good shape. Get 26 gauge if you think 29 isn't stout enough. Mine is silver colored and was called Galvalume I think. The reflective quality took a big load off the air conditioner. If you are decently insulated I don't think the noise will be an issue.

Metal roofs are the way to go but they can be spendy, we were quoted $25k to put one on our house so we went with asphalt shingles instead. We do have a metal roof on our remote cabin, shop and outhouse and should we build anything else down the road, it will get a metal roof as well.

There are no cons, besides the initial price that is.

It's all good, very, very good.

We had a metal roof installed in about 2007, I think. It was put on over the shingles. There may have been some wood strips on top of the shingles but I don't remember for sure.

You can barely hear rain falling on it unless it's a downpour. Even then it's not loud. Had a hailstorm about 10 years ago up to over 2". Did not cause any leaks. Some dents, mostly in the trim along the edges. A lot of the dents disappeared after being in the hot sun. That hail would have destroyed a shingle roof. I'd do it again in a flash. Beats getting shingles blown off like we had before too. The color has faded some but that is to be expected. My metal barns have too even being a light color.

Great roof to have on your home. As said earlier, snow slides off and no ice dams. We foamed ours in for insulation and it quiets it down a lot, but I love to hear the rain on it. We have had ours for 7 years and are doing another house with a metal roof next Spring.

We put one on here about 5 years ago. One of those that’s installed right over the existing shingles. As advertised, it saves on heating and cooling.
Only downside to my mind is that with a steep pitch, the snow comes off pretty quickly, even with snowbirds. Kinda a bitch to shovel out the sidewalk and deck, only to have 2 feet come off the roof and really pack itself in there!
7mm

As well as come down on the unsuspecting head of some older lady standing at the door.

A Witness lady?

Avon?

Local Coast Guard Auxiliary?

Geno

Old gal attempting to enter the library.

Not sure how 'much' roof you have.


Me and a bud did this one last month. It was right at 30 squares. 4 valley runs, and 2 chimneys.

Trimmed the edges, laid #30 felt over the shingle and put the screws to it.
Did the bay window too, just didnt take a final pic.


$8500 materials and labor

The avalanches off mine are epic..... wrong place and wrong time and someone is getting hurt.... snow blocks made it worse... when it tore the snow blocks off and came down it was twice as big

It is a wonderful tool for training someone to be aware of their environment!
It whizzes me off, cause I’ll get done shoveling and come in and take my boots off, and brappppp - kerthump, it’s knee deed on the sidewalk!
Worse yet it comes down late evening and freezes solid till morning.
Like I said though, it’s the only drawback in my mind. We’ve got a 60* roof, maybe more.
7mm

The best thing about metal roof-- you most likely only ever have to buy one--

I had a steel roof put on the house about four years ago. It went on over an existing shingle roof. Only downside: I was expecting and hoping to be able to hear the rain hitting it, and it's actually pretty well muted so I'm kinda disappointed!

I have a metal roof on a small hunting cabin (14 x 20) and it's been great. Not more than a year after the cabin was built there was a nasty wildfire in the area that burned thousands of acres around my land (all the way to about 100 yards from my cabin). No damage at all from all the flaming stuff flying around, but another property owner about half a mile from me had his cabin burn to the ground (it didn't have a metal roof). My only complaint is the expansion/contraction noises, and that's not much of a complaint.

I'll be the dissenter.
Built my home and shop in 2007. Shop got metal and home got three tab.

The shingle looks much richer than the metal.
Our good friend and neighbor built a gorgeous home, but his metal roof looks cheap as hell. Regrettable.
It's not maintenance free either, and it's noisy, our shop constantly pops and groans.

Can always tell the metal roofed homes around here, they are the ones with 6 feet of snow on the decks and everywhere else until April.

No free lunch.

I had a tornado near my house 8 years ago that blew some shingles off. When the insurance adjuster looked at it he found hail damage too and they paid for a new roof. Metal was only a few hundred more than going back to shingles so I gladly paid the difference out of pocket. I'll probably never have to do the roof again in my lifetime. Wouldn't go back to shingles.

Rain noise isn't a problem. But during the early fall it is often perfect to sleep at night with the windows open. I have several oak trees near the house and when an acorn falls on the roof at 2 AM with the windows open it sounds like a gunshot. The 1st time that happened was interesting, but once I figured out what was happening I don't even pay attention any more.

If the hail is substantial I'd hard pass.

The metal roof on my house is about 120 years old.
I would never consider shingles again.

There is the cosmetic concern. On some houses they just don't look right. Stay away from silver-colored - makes the house look like a machine shed.

If you go with 5v which has exposed screw heads make sure to use the umbrellas screws if you are worried about your rubber grommets deteriorating and causing leaks. The grommets usually last about 15 years in a hot coastal environment and longer inland.

If it were me I would go with standing seam with screw fins in no less than 26 ga.

If going with a color make sure to get a ceramic based paint colored metal or Kynar style as the poly paints will fade. Make sure to read color warranties as well.

Also make sure to use a High temp tile and metal rated ice and water underneath the metal and not felt or low temp ice and water, especially in areas with higher temps. If you don't you are likely to have tar dripping down the side of your house.

You will like a metal roof, cell phones may need a booster to work.

only if you put it up on perlings….My metal roof lays flat on OSB and it survived actual 6" diameter hail a few years back. Some folks had hail stones actually drop to the floor of their living room.....

I had hi density poly foamed under the OSB 2" thick...one can barely hear rain when it happens here.

I'm 100% sold on the steel roof.

100% sold on standing seam galvalume 24 gauge with foam insulation underneath. Best move made on my home.

We are going on seventeen years with a metal roof as slumlord posted on our place in north Idaho. It seems some pretty healthy winters. Zero issues. We have a standing seam metal roof on our place in Texas. While it obviously doesn't see snow it does see heat, lots of rain and hail. It is going on twelve years and, short of some hail dings, looks new. Metal is all I will ever own.

A few hundo? I was quoted a difference of over $10k on a 2800 sq ft house. $16k vs $28k or thereabout.

My house is 2200 square feet, and I think my roof was around $8000. That was a while back, though. I think I said four years in a post above, but it could have been five or six years back.

I'm looking at replacing the south 1/2 of the roof at the ranch house - 'course it's only been there since '56 !

Great in every way. But rain is LOUD. You'll turn the radio up.

You get used to it like living by a railroad.

They are more expensive out of the box. That's for sure

But, they stand up to the Florida Sun very well.

You'll never be sorry you put a metal roof on. I've installed miles of it from Florida to Alaska but mostly in Montana.

I currently have a home that has a 57 year old metal roof I've considered replacing.
It doesn't leak, it's not rusted or damaged, I'm torn over if I will replace the entire roof or just the fasteners or just leave it alone.

You want to see what your home might look like with a metal roof?
Check out this link...It's a visualizer... https://www.gulfcoastsupply.com/metal-roofing/proof-my-roof/


You don't have to let the snow slide off your metal roof.

First, you can design the home so it doesn't matter if it did slide. (think monkey think)
Self shoveling roof's can be pretty handy in heavy snow country.

After the fact, there are attachments that prevent the snow from sliding. They are quite common on metal roofing installations in heavy snow country.

One such attachment is called Snow Guard, there are many different types. They can be installed in just the areas that it matters or the full length of the roof if you desire. (take note: there are no screws on the tops of the ribs on the roof in this video, it's obviously in snow country, screws on the rib tops get in the way when shoveling snow)

After recent hurricanes devastated the Florida Keys they tried to make metal roof's mandatory.
Metal roof's were the only ones left intact after these storms.
The "Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association" battled this proposal, who'd of thunk there was such a association?
https://www.flkeysnews.com/search/?q=metal+roof


Here are before and after shots of a beater home I just picked up and flipped where a metal roof was installed over three tab. The roof is 14' 8" x 50' per side or almost 15 squares in total.
Total material costs were just under 2K. That's ridge cap and vent material, screws, 28 gauge roofing panels, transition flashing, butyl tape, (I tape all overlaps), vent pipe and electrical boots and outside foam w/adhesive.

There is what they call barn steel, and the no screws showing. Looks is the difference.

Flashing around vents is better now.

The hidden fastener metal is sometimes called Standing Seam

FWIW, we had a metal roof put on the big house 4-5 yrs ago. Liked it so much I put a metal roof on the house I'm remodeling. Cost about $1000 more for the metal vs 25 yr. 3 tab shingles, on approx. 1800 sq ft of roof.

Steel can be used on the building sides as well.

I built our house in 2004 put metal on the roof and on the sides. no maintenance noise level is zero. I had to put a drivway bell in , we ant hear someone pull up in the drive.seems that the metal is more reflective of the sound waves. the key is insulation.

I just put a new (entire!) roof on our rental apartments, due to a tenant fire. The metal roofing I put on in 81 or 82 was still doing it's job, but faded out. Still wasn't bad- going for the "rustic" look.... The new stuff looks good.

I love the sound of rain on metal roofing.

I haven't comparison priced materials/labor, but even if metal is more expensive, it goes up fast, saving on labor hours over shingles.. I suspect it's largely a wash. If weather or timeliness is an issue, definately go metal, especially on simple roofes- that gable fitting might drive costs up, some.

The only downside I know of is that many installers of dishes or antenaas won't do it on metal.. Buncha pussies, IMHO.

We had a big hail storm in Idaho Falls a while back, and as a percentage, more metal roofs were damaged than shingles.

I replaced our roof this Spring, and I wanted to like metal, but the warranties on the shingle roofs were better and they were considerably cheaper. If wild fire is not a concern, a premium shingle roof with a 30 year warranty is hard to beat.

Never had one hail damaged in the last 35 years of installing them in NW Montana, Alaska and Florida.

The last metal roofing I bought came with a 40 year warranty.

I did have an older home in Montana with a light weight metal siding get dinged up in a hail storm once but the dents popped out after the first sunny day.

I was continually having to replace shingles from wind damage to our house, several times a year. We've had several tornadoes come close by and get a lot of storms. Finally called insurance after a big storm and they recommended a new roof. We weighted the pro/con's...asked for opinions here....and went with standing seam metal roofing. It was a good bit more expensive than 30 year shingles but it should never need to be replaced. We're very happy with it so far and I'd do it again.

Metal roofs last 30 years or so out here in rain-soaked, wind-blown Aleutian Hell where everything rusts, rots, grows moss, mold and mildew. Anywhere else and you should get 50 years out of it.

Put down ice and water before putting on the metal and you're pretty much bullet proof.

its funny that no roofer in my area will put a screw on metal roof on my house. it has a worn out standing seam roof now. they will not tear it off and install a screw on metal roof on it because the shingle roof under them is what stops them from leaking and sweating. I've seen to that were put on over shingles blow off already.
they had 2x4 under the metal and the bottom ones rotted due to the metal sweating and running down longer runs. they are counting on the shingles sealing the screws under the metal and keeping the seal once the washers on the screws crack . I don't think any of them will last anywhere as long as they say.

Understanding what could make a metal roof sweat on the underside might make you reconsider your theory.

I put a metal roof on my house 4 years ago. Only problem is, the roof is noisy. When the sun heats it up in the morning it creaks and groans.
Later in the day, if a cloud obscures the sun, the roof cools a little and makes more noise, creaking etc.

I like the roof but damn it is noisy.

Did you pre drill the holes?

I predrill the whole stack (sorted by section) with an 1/8" blue mol

It helps *some*


I did not pre drill my polycarb panel sunroom roof. That sombitch sounds like lady fingers popping off sometimes at sunset. I'll probably yank that down and put metal panel on

Over the life of the roof, the cheapest roof you can put on a house is a copper roof.

It needs more screws.

What kind of shoes do you wear to walk on metal roofs? Tried to clean my gutters on barn roof wearing work boots & damn near went down.

I've always used a good tennis shoe.
Avoid really hot periods of the day, cooks right through the soles.

I'm good up to a 6/12 with tennis shoes with some cautions.
Rinse the roof off first if it's dusty and then let it dry.
Don't snap a chalk line and then attempt to walk over areas dusted with chalk, it's like trying to walk on tiny ball bearings
At 6/12, keep your feet as flat on the roof as possible, no leaning up on your toes.
Keep your body weight on your feet, actives such as transferring your body weight to a tool, like a drill to add pressure can make your shoes loose their grip.

The position one might find himself in while cleaning rain gutters can be compromising on any roofing material.
You don't want to do a header off any roof.

If completing the task off a ladder is out of the question a guy might want to consider sub'in the job out to a insured contractor or renting a man lift.
Both alternatives may seem spendy for such a simple task but a fall can change your life.

If I need to rent a lift, I save up numerous small projects first to justify the costs of the rental.
I pay around 300 a day for rental but have done thousands of dollars worth of tree work, and other high, hard spot tasks for a days worth of rental fees.

The cost for asphalt shingle roof was 8500 dollars. Same roof for a no.26 steel was 10000. This summer home is 40-50ft and I had already roofed it once 12 years ago with asphalt shingles. I like the looks of the steel roof and the POM that goes with it. Folks in this vicinity, also in need of a new roof, are considering steel after seeing mine. Noise of any sort is not a problem.

Anyone had any experience with the newer types of metal roofs that go on similar to 3-tabs? Mike Holmes and others used them on their shows. They screw down and the screws are hidden. From a distance, they mimic Stone, slate or just asphalt look.

A friend has steel shingles. They are in sections.

Metal roof all the way. I’ve put them on my last two homes and helped install a half dozen. If diy don’t use treated wood for the strips. The new treatment corrodes the screws and roofing. The roof will fail within three years if you use treated wood. I put reflective insulation under the roof strips. Between the reflective galvalume , air space , and reflective insulation the reduction in air conditioning costs will more than pay for the roof in just a few years here in Florida.

It's expensive and mostly about aesthetics. They look great.

If you can afford it, go for it. They have them in solid copper even.

Personally I feel you might lose some of the wind resistance that is achieved with solid metal panels.
Standing Seam panels also hide the screws if that is all you are after.

I'm not so sure the added expense would be recognized in your average home appraisal when re-sale is considered it may just be valued as any metal roof.

Have lived in our log home for 34 years with two different metal roofs on it.

The first roof was put on with screws, and put on over just a vapor barrier, over an open beam ceiling.

After about the first 8 years, we replaced it with snap lock steel.

We had 1/2" plywood put down, a vapor barrier over that, then the roofing installed.

Very little noise. It's gotta rain really hard to hear it at all, and our bedroom is up stairs, so we're sleeping right under the roof.

We live in the woods, so fire danger is top priority here, but we really like our metal roof.

Last year, when two foot of snow started sliding, it did pull part of the gutters loose.

Virgil B.

What inspired the change after the first 8 years?

Metal roofs are nice, however they aren't as rosy as everyone says. There are considerations.

1. Snow - if you live in a climate where is snows, the run off of that snow can block doors and other access if your roof is pitched towards those items. If you are not there, lets say its a cabin you visit, , it will freeze into a large pile of ice that won't be able to be removed until spring.

2. Cost - sometimes costing more than 3x that of a 50 year shingle install

3. Repairs in winter - if you have snow or ice on the roof and need to get on the roof for any reason, good luck, you will slide right down.

4. little known issue - sometime metal roofs can affect cellular signal or at least degrade the signal to unusable. Keep that in mind if you use your phone in the house and don't have wifi.

metal roofs are good, they will last but be aware of some of the drawbacks.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tingley-fit-for-work-overshoes

I put a metal roof on my house when I built the house 26 years ago. I'm satisfied with it. Quick and easy installation for a one man operation. 7/12 pitch. There are things I would do differently but the metal roof isn't one of them. GD

We just replaced the standings seam metal roof with a new one this fall. The old one was installed in the late 1950s. I figure I won't have to replace it.
Most of the old roof was excellent yet, bottom edges were getting thin from condensation problems, which were addressed before replacing with this roof, otherwise it could have lasted 20 more years.
The old roof had a high tin content we suspect, which the new don't have but still at my age it should last longer than me easily. Unless of course a catastrophic wind or fire event happens.


nt I like the sound of a rainy night. It has to rain hard to hear it though, of course my hearing isn't what it her to be.

The new clip on standing seam steel roof is a lot quieter in rain because the new roof has solid wood under it with a tyvek vapor barrier. The old standing seam was just installed over the old cedar shingles. I believe the house was built mid 1800s, and by all accounts from research this is probably only the 3rd roof.

Just replaced our roof this summer. We had shingle, went to metal. 7/12 pitch. My son who is a builder and I put it on ourselves. stripped the old roof. New underlayment, snap lock roofing. 3 bedroom rambler. Just under 1600 sq. ft. The whole job including shingle disposal at the county dump was under $6000.00. We really have to listen to notice the noise difference when it rains. Love the metal. Really glad we went this route.

I used to have a seamless gutter business as a side job.

Barefoot ,hospital socks or wrestling shoes.

Shocked how many would put the sh t on a (presumably) quality house, but I shouldn't be. Wish I could have shingled my shop build, but with the mild pitch I didn't want the weight on it. So I tolerate the shed snow piles throughout Spring.
Sure as hell would never tolerate that with a home.

Most folks living in heavy snow country are aware of what "snow guards" are.
Snow only slides off a metal roof where you allow it to.

my old house had a steel roof and we had a new born baby, and our septic plugged up bad, rather than pull the toilet I figured I'd run the snake down the vent pipe.

So here I am 2 AM in the rain barefoot (to slick for the boots) in my underwear snaking out the line, the horrible neighbors are having a huge fight (I really didn't care) and around the corner come 4 cop cars, One of the cops sees me half naked on the roof and shines his spot on me gets out of his car and says what are you doing? And I got the opportunity to say "chitters Full"

Waited my whole life to say that didn't think I'd be soaking wet in the middle of the night in my underwear saying it to a cop but it almost makes the story better.

So long story short steel roofs are awesome but slick as snot on a glass door knob.

Ding Ding, we gotta winner!

#1 post in this thread....

And they look like hell.

That is a beautiful roof.

Was contemplating a metal roof for my FIL before he passed. Asphalt was not an option.

Metal ....couple other tips , heavest gauge u can aford, dark colors back screws out over time. Standing seam goes up fast and easy, if u have any valleys, use a heavy gauge piece and make it way bigger than normal ..mines 3' up on each side...water and blowing snow will get u..be sure a have the metal bent up to slide over/ cover the 2bys on all the gabbels,ends etc...
Snow brakes are a must for plumbing and doorways, and really long pieces catch helLwith expandtion and contraction !

Aesthetics over function, what ever makes your boat float.

Only needed when a home is poorly designed for it's environment to begin with.

In heavy snow country I've designed my homes to where my doors are in the front and back with the roof shedding snow to the sides of the home. Extended tails on my trusses keep the snow that piles up plenty far enough away from the sides of the house to where it is of no concern. If the property is graded properly for run off, snow and melt down is a non-issue. Some times you have to think before you build.

What a concept.......

Yup.
Having the snow dump in front of the doors is called a design flaw.

No kidding.

I don't deal with any of it, I laid shingle.... into gutters......into French drains.


Not everybody has the option of changing the layout of their home; the flaw is using metal where the application shouldn't be used.

Winter must be different in Idaho than in Montana where my homes are.
Rain gutters here fill with ice and snow and cease to function in the winter months. I think that's why they call them rain gutters instead of snow gutters.
There always seems to be that guy that fights ice on his walkways all winter long from roof runoff.
Heat tapes can be applied for the full length of gutters and down spouts but they cost a ton to keep power up all winter.
Just like the snow blocks, heat tapes seem to be a band-aid for a design flaw.

Our French drains don't see much water once the ground freezes either during the winter months, that is why proper grade is required. Most of our water stays on top of frozen ground until spring thaw allows for it to percolate down through to where my French drains are located.

I just find it easier to design a home to fully self-function through all seasons in the environment it is located in.
A self shoveling metal roof, shedding snow in directions that don't block any doors just always seemed to make sense to me but I don't live full time Montana either.
I'd hate to have to be running to Montana to shovel roofs and check to see if heat tapes were still working.
It might cost me a good days fishing on the bay here in Florida.

The cost of roofers and roofing materials, just here in FL, greatly differs by geography. Joe Citizen can put the same roof on a house in Tampa or Gainesville, by my bud Mannlicher, for $9-10k less than MIA-FTL area.

Thankfully, I have a good roofer that does excellent work and don't have to pay/play into that game.