What are the pros and cons? I live in So Cal were the summers and winter are relatively mild. I currently have worn asphalt shingles over wood shake. So the whole thing will need to be torn off and sheeted. I find metal roofing to have an interesting look and I am wondering if it has a longer life than asphalt shingle. I'm sure the initial cost is more. The house is about 1000 sq' and has a hip roof. TIA!
Not a professional roofer & didn't stay @ Holiday Inn Express.
Metal is preferable in fires, which you know about. Some metal types have much longer reported lifetime. Metal requires quite different skills to install properly, and costs much more than 3-tab or wood.
John
you know that when a house built with roof trusses burns, the roof fails due to the steel gusset plates curling, way before the wood becomes unsafe. :o)
The house is in California where the fire referred to is a woods fire and hot embers are falling on the roof of the house. The steel will not burn from small embers that could set the other roofs on fire from the top.
If you can afford it, I would vote for metal. The price may not be so bad if you factor in possible fire insurance rate savings. Yes metal generally last much longer than asphalt shingles. I doubt if you will live long enough to know how long it last.
As I just replied to someone else, I replaced my heavy shake with Gerard metal a few years ago. Very happy with it. I live in hail belt my homeowners dropped 27%. (I would have loved to have had this roof when I lived in Chatsworth during a big fire).
We have a metal roof. Because they are uncommon it was a real trial to get it done. They delayed the project enormously. Still leaks 10 years later. Cost a fortune. Nobody else seems to know how to fix it. Installer no good now what? Beautiful though.
You bring up the problem with any technology where that technology is not common.
What brand roof? I have a Gerard roof and can't imagine how it could leak.
Still leaks? What have you done to fix this? I mean even legally.
later,
tom
we also have a gerard in central ohio, very happy. 1/3 more than 40 yr shingle.
You must have some real idiots working around there. I am a farmer. I have a steel roof on my barn that is 50 years old. It had a few leaks because of loose nails. I fixed them using screws, and used a little silicone caulk on some others that would not easily come out, but had bad washers. However, this is the old corrigated steel. That stuff was never the best as far as being 100% leak proof, and the old nails had lead washers. Add to that, the fact that it's around 50 years old, and the roof has a little sag in the center from snow loading, and the fact the roof should have had more pitch, and I guess I really cant complain.
The newer style barn steel is much better. Screws are now used with neoprene washers. The shape of the steel makes it nearly impossible to leak. I have built several sheds with it, and never one leak, unless I missed the wood when I installed a screw (easily fixed with silicone). I can not understand why they cant fix your leaks. It's not rocket science.
I believe the stuff they use on some houses now, is even supposed to be better than the barn type steel, but much more costly. I have the barn steel on my back porch roof, and have a neighbor that used it on his whole house. No leaks at all. I know my asphalt shingles will be needing replacement in a few years, and will use the barn steel. Pricewise, it's a little more than double the cost of shingles, for the materials. I do my own work, so I have no idea what the labor would run). But replacing shingles that loose tabs everytime there are high winds is irritating, and replacing the entire roof every 15 years or so is not my idea of fun. Once I put the barn steel on my roof, it will outlast me, and it's faster to install than shingles.
I would not even consider another asphalt shingle roof. In my opinion, they are obsolete technology.
Mark
I also have used metal on many barns and sheds without problems. However I would use the type that a frien used on his house once the type installed that is held down by fasteners that are hidden when the adjoining panel is snapped into place and seamed together. Those type requires professional installation but really is there until the house falls down and no exposed screws/nails to leak either, more like the commercial buildings use.
MC
Metal Master installed my roof, Berridge or something close to that was the manufacturer. Chicago area. Metal Master was very unsatisfactory.
Leaks around a chimney. Called the installer back multiple times. Also got another company come out to find the leak and they improved it some. Still leaks after it rains for several days straight. The cost was the same as a cedar shake roof quote. Very frustrating but we aren't the sueing types.
That's what I saw on a few newer houses. I was not sure how that worked. Just curious. Do you have any idea what your friend had to pay per square? Like I said, the barn steel is about double the price of the shingles (for materials only). I have a feeling the stuff you are talking about is much more costly.
Those types of leaks can be frustrating. If you are referring to a brick chimney it may not be the roof at all but water seeping through porous bricks I had something like that. Finally got control of it after eliminating flat spots on top and using a water sealant over the outside of the fireplace chimney
You're sure it's leaking around the chimney and not through it? What kind of chimney cap do you have?
Hmmmm. I don't know the answer to that one. The chimney is brick. They were unable to duplicate it by running a hose on the outside of the chimney for 20 minutes or so. The chimney cap is supposedly concrete but it is way up there, I have never seen it. The flashing doesn't seem to be the problem.
I have a fireplace chimney. Half of it is a dummy area cemented shut at the top and just a board closing it at the bottom. When we get rain for a couple days (very rare in this area) water begins to seep from the inside. It drains down the inside of the chimney. No water noticed on the fireplace side. A single day of rain is no problem. I put additional sealant on the top and that helped some. I now used Thompsons water seal on the outside and will have to wait to see if that cures the problem. I also noted some very fine cracks in the mortar that I sealed with some silicon.
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.