Metal Roofing: Everything You Need to Know

Maybe your roof has been leaking for a while and you’re looking to do a full re-roofing, or maybe you’re renovating and looking to change up the exterior style of your home. Either way, you’ll have some questions about metal roofing. Well, you’ve come to the right place – here are some of your questions answered by our professional roofing experts.

Why use metal roofing?

Good question!

As a standard, metal is both strong and lightweight, so it can hold its own shape very well, making it an excellent roofing material. It is also highly durable, so whatever the fraught Wellington weather can throw at it will slide right off – they’re essentially impervious to rain. In fact, the rain will most likely just leave your roof looking clean and new. Rot, lichen, and falling shingles will no longer be a constant worry over your head – literally.

Installation of a metal roof is also generally easier than with traditional shingle roofing as they come in panels that fasten down quickly and easily, and the panels are lightweight, making them easy to manoeuvre during the installation process.

On that note, you should also consider the burden your roofing can cause on the structure of your house. Choosing a metal roof means your house will carry less of a burden than with other materials, precisely because metal is so lightweight. In addition, you only need minimal pitch to your roof in order to install it without risk of leakage.

To top it all off, metal roofs are fire-resistant, reflect heat from the midday sun to save on your power bill, and (when properly installed) almost all brands provide a 30-year guarantee with no major repairs needed.

Are metal roofs loud?

This is a myth that’s been around since metal roofing was first invented, and it is one that doesn’t hold any water in the real world. Choosing this option for roofing your property is not going to make your roof any louder. In fact, rain generates the same amount of noise on any roofing material – metal or not. If your property is sufficiently insulated, noise should be the least of your concerns.

What does metal roofing look like? Do I have options?

You have nothing but options! One of the brilliant aspects of metal roofing is that you can repaint it after years of use to mimic the shine of a newly-installed roof. There’s no need to blast the paint off, you just have to give the roof a good scrubbing and go over it with sealed paint recommended by your local paint store.

Basically, if you want to change the overall look of your home in a couple of years’ time, you’re not stuck with a one-trick roof.

Is a metal roof hard to maintain?

Metal roofing is not susceptible to the typical host of combatants like rot and lichen; all it needs is a hose-down and it’s clean as a whistle. The major concern with a metal roof would be, to no one’s surprise, rust.

In order to fight the appearance of rust, make sure to use rust primer and sealed paint is used on a new roof and after any subsequent colour changes. Give it a look-over once every few weeks after a new paint. If you see any signs of rust clean the affected area and apply a layer of rust deterrent.

Once again, most properly installed metal roofs have a guaranteed life-span of 30 years, so rust is not a major concern.

How much does metal roofing cost?

Metal roofing costs about the same as any other premium roofing material on the market, so it isn’t as cheap as materials like shingle up front. However, when you pay for this choice of material, you pay for the durability and permanence that comes with it. In the long run, you will pay less on repairs and remodelling and deal with far less hassle!

What to do next

If you’re still considering whether or not metal roofing the right choice for you, or you’ve decided and you’re ready to take the leap to shinier climbs, the right move is to contact us now so we can help you along. Here at Paul Milne, we’re the experts on all things roof-related, with a team that’s ready to sort out all your roofing problems.