Why You Might Get a Metal Roof Installed
Every house and public building will have a roof on it, of course, to block out the elements such as wind, rain, and the sun. Roofs also prevent items from dropping into the building and can also serve as an important part of the building’s climate control. Like the walls, the roof of a house will have insulation in it to help prevent warm air from escaping the house in winter, and keep cool air in during summer. But any roof may experience some faults or issues over time, and roof repair or even roof replacement may be necessary. A responsible homeowner will get their roof inspected at least once or twice per year, and metal roof companies will have metal roof contractors who can install a metal roof if the homeowner so chooses. Aluminum roofing, steel roofing, and alloy roofs offer a number of advantages over traditional slate or asphalt shingle roofs, and a local roofing company in one’s area may be able to install such a aluminum roofing. What may go wrong with a roof, and why might an aluminum roofing job be the next step?
Roof Problems
A good roof is a durable and reliable piece of hardware that may last for around two decades, but any number of problems may come up. Aside from thin insulation, a roof may suffer trauma, such as heavy hail, a lightning strike, or even windblown debris from a tornado or hurricane. Such trauma may blast off the tiles of an older roof and put cracks into it, and this allows water to leak right into the house. In other cases, even if blunt trauma does not happen, sheer age may cause a roof to start developing leaks. Wood and shingles wear out with age, and problems may arise. Leaking water can wreak havoc on the home, starting with the attic. Loose water may rot and expand the wooden surfaces in the attic, and even foster unwanted mold growth in there. Elsewhere, leaking rain water will drip onto the house’s drywall and damage it, and this puts ugly strains on the wall. Meanwhile, this leaking water may short out electrical components in the walls, and loose water might also pool on the floor or in the basement and damage anything it touches.
A roof may also suffer if squirrels break in, as these rodents are known for chewing their way into wooden attics and building their nests in air ducts. Those nests block air flow, and the chewed holes allow rain water to get into the house. On top of that, intruding squirrels are known to chew on electric wires and plastic pipes, ruining those utilities. The good news is that roof repair is always possible, and if a roof is badly damaged, replacing the entire thing with aluminum roofing may be the more price-efficient option.
Installing a Metal Roof
If a roof’s repairs are more expensive than the roof is worth, a homeowner may call local metal roof contractors to remove it and put on an aluminum model. Someone who buys an old, fixer-upper house may do this too. A metal roof offers many advantages, starting with its durability due to being metal. A metal roof may last three to seven times longer than a shingle or tile model, and may last up to 50 years. In fact, if steel roofing is coated with a zinc-aluminum alloy, it may be expected to last an impressive 100 years. These roofs are tough enough to endure strong winds up to 140 MPH, and they may resist windblown debris or hail better than shingle models. These roofs are resource efficient, being made of 30-60% recycled metal, and are 100% recyclable when they are finally retired.
Better yet, a homeowner won’t have to pay heavy expenses for all this. In fact, even advanced metal roofs may cost around 30% less to install on the house than shingle or slate roofs, and what is more, they are friendly towards the home’s insulation needs. Metal roofs work well for home insulation, and a homeowner may expect to save as much as 25% on their home energy bill over the course of the year. For aesthetics, metal roofs also come in many different colors.