If you are thinking to replace your roof, it’s a great time to compare a metal roof vs. shingles. Metal roofs are becoming much more common these days due to their durability, longevity, and energy efficiency. Traditional asphalt shingles are still widely popular, but as more people are learning about all of the benefits of metal roofs, they are opting to make the switch.
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Energy Efficiency
When comparing a metal roof vs. shingles, the energy efficiency is a big deal to consider. Shingles are known to absorb heat, making your house warmer inside when it’s hot out. This just makes you air conditioning run in overtime.
Metal roofs reflect heat, keeping the inside cooler. This can cut your air conditioning bills by as much as 40%! This is also a major plus for the environment – as your energy use is much less.
Longevity
Traditional shingles generally last 20-30 years. During that time, they almost always need a repair of some sort as well. Metal roofs can last up to 4 times as long! Their lifetime is known to be 40-70 years, but they’ve even been known to last 100 years in some cases. When installed correctly, metal roofs virtually never need repairs – and most likely won’t need to be replaced in your lifetime. They are even less likely to accumulate mold and mildew than asphalt shingles.
Metal roofs can withstand harsh weather conditions better than shingles. High winds, rain, snow, and hail can damage shingles and cause them to tear off. This will not happen with a metal roof. Metal roofs are even popular in places with frequent hurricanes, as they are very durable. Snow also slides off metal roofs, so it doesn’t sit and cause damage and leaks.
Environmental Sustainability
Metal roofs are virtually 100% recyclable, and made with some recycled materials. Shingles are made with many chemicals. They end up in landfills after their short life spans and can take up to 300 years to decompose. Comparing a metal roof vs. shingles when thinking of our planet, there is really no comparison. A metal roof is much better for the environment. Cutting energy use and using recyclable materials are important to consider.
Read: Home Renovation – What You Need to Know
Styles
When using shingles, you will be somewhat limited with colors. With metal roofs, there’s a myriad of colors and styles available. Steel and aluminum are popular materials for metal roofs. Copper and stainless steel are more expensive options. Styles such as metal slate/shingle, metal tile, metal shake, vertical panel/standing seam, and natural metals are also available for metal roofs. There are many different looks you can achieve, in almost any color you desire.
Other Benefits of Metal
Having a metal roof can boost your home’s value. Knowing all of the benefits of metal roofs, people are becoming more informed and knowledgeable. If you ever go to sell, know that your roof will be one less thing to worry about during inspections.
Another impressive plus to having a metal roof is that they are fire proof! Isn’t that nice? Metal roofs have a class A, B, or C fire rating, depending on roof preparations. They are also very light weight which is less cause for concern in the event of a cave-in due to an interior fire.
The Cost
An important thing to consider when comparing a metal roof vs. shingles is the cost. Up front, a metal roof is much more expensive. Like…2-3 times more expensive. Shingles range from $350 – $900 per square foot and metal roofs range from $800 – $1200 per square foot. I know, it’s a lot. But the benefits far outweigh the cost! You will save money from not having to repair or replace, you will save money on your energy bills, and you will be helping the environment. Metal roofs can also be eligible for insurance breaks and tax credit options!
When deciding on a metal roof vs. shingles, just make sure that you hire the right people to do the job. Make sure if you opt to go with a metal roof, you go with the best metal roofer in your area. Not all roofers are knowledgeable about the best ways to install a metal roof. Our contractor was hesitant to do a metal roof – which isn’t common by us. I think that he really just didn’t have a lot of experience with them. So we had to do some research on true metal roofers to make sure we got the best job done. Make sure you do your research and get what you really want!
14 thoughts on “Metal Roof vs. Shingles”
I had no idea about the difference for metal roof vs. shingles. Such an interesting read.
We agreed that we want a metal roof for our next home. Our precious rental had had one and I just loved the way the rain sounded on it. So peaceful.
I’m all for sustainability and reusability! An initial investment that on the long run is better for the pocket and environment is the right choice, anyday! Thanks for the differentiation and insight. 🙂
really learnt a lot after reading your sharing here, very informative & well explained on the difference, thanks for this
cheers, siennylovesdrawing
Well written article. I learned quite a lot of new information from your work. Thanks for sharing this.
Depending on how they are done, I think they can look pretty nice.
I actually really like metal roofing. We have a lot of homes and building in Florida that have him and mixed with the Coquina and block houses that we tend to have a lot of it can look really cool. Unfortunately it doesn’t really work in my neighborhood so metal roofing is not an option (thanks HOA) for me but in my next house it may be something I look into investing in
I remember when my grandparents changed the roof of their house, from shingles to metal. Living in a hot country, summers became unbearable, the metal roof was raising the temperature inside the house to the point where it was hard to breath. Back then there wasn’t modern air conditioning units either.
Wow. I had no idea about these. I do not have a house yet but this article is surely very informative for my later use. Thanks for this.
Informative comparison. Will consider this when renovating our old family house. Thanks for sharing.
I want my dream house to have a metal roof. I just rehabbed a home and my 1st choice was a metal roof but the numbers didn’t work. Will always be a fan of metal, I think it’s something so clean and simple. Great post.
My husband and I are creating our dream home and have been going back and forth about the roof. I will show him this post later. I am hoping to build in the next couple of years so this information will be useful for our planning!
I am definitely saving this for later! Our 120 year old farmhouse desperately needs a new roof and these comparisons are so helpful. Thanks for sharing!!
I don’t have my house yet but this is good to take into consideration