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Page 26 2016 Fall Home Improvement LINCOLN DAILY NEWS SEPT. 27, 2016
Metal roofs on homes
Today’s metal roofing products
come in a variety of types
and colors to fit any home.
Materials can be the flat metal,
as seen on the barn, or pressed
sheets resembling wood
shingles, or even stone grit
coated sheets that look very
similar to the classic asphalt
shingle.
Assets for adding metal to your
home:
- According to internet
resources, metal is proven to
last longer than a standard
asphalt shingle and generally
will carry a 50-year warranty
with an expected lifespan of up
to 100 years.
- Metal roofing is also cooler
than asphalt in the summer
time.
Sources claim metal does a
better job of deflecting heat
away from the home, therefore
saving on energy costs. Which
by the way, depending on
the product, many of the
commercial metal roof products
come with an Energy Star
rating, so the buyer can see
what the expected savings
might be.
Potential drawbacks
- As with any product, there
are pitfalls. Cost is the first big
one.
According to online resources,
metal roofing is higher
priced than asphalt shingles.
However, the cost is often
justified based on the fact that a
metal roof will last three to four
times longer than a standard
asphalt roof that will last about
20 years.
- Another issue is storm
damage, specifically hail.
Metal roofs, like metal cars, can
be dented by hail. For some,
having a roof that is dimpled
like a golf ball may be no big
deal, but for others, the fact that
their roof is no longer perfect
may bring them a lot of anxiety.
Before you buy that metal roof,
try to figure out which person
you are!
- A bigger concern might be
panel replacement. Because
most of this roofing is installed
in large sheets, carefully fitted
together to prevent leaking, if
one sheet becomes damaged
to the point of needing to
be replaced, that can be a
complicated process.
- And finally, putting a metal
roof on a home, if you intend to
build on at a later date, may not
be the best decision. Because
a growing trend for homes
Metal roofing,
O
ld-timers and even some “youngin’s” may well-remember seeing metal
roofs on the barns. Rain showers in the open rafter buildings produce
a sing-songy rhythm not unpleasant to work to in the barn. But when
the shower turns to heavy rain, the thunderous roar could bring on a big
headache in no time at all, not something home-dwellers would be interested
in. In those days, a “tin roof” on a house was not classy!
However, with design and technology what was unthinkable then, has
become vogue and stylish today.
By Nila Smith
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