Metal Roofing In Texas
REDUCE THE COST OF COOLING YOUR HOUSE
Roofs are always a pain to replace, but in Texas, hot summers and intense weather make replacing your roof even more difficult. One option that may cut down on your hassle is metal roofing. With metal roofing in Houston, TX, your home can look great while enjoying many advantages.
1. Reduce the Cost of Cooling Your House
If you live near Houston, TX, you know that summers crank up the heat. Your electric bill definitely feels it every time you turn on the air conditioning, but with metal roofing, you can lower your cooling costs. Metal naturally reflects the sun’s radiant heat, allowing your home to stay cooler. A white metal roof will accentuate this effect as white reflects heat.
With the average metal roof, you will save between 15-25% on energy in the summer. But the 2008 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings found that homeowners could even save up to 40% on cooling costs by choosing specific materials. When choosing a metal roof for its cooling abilities, it’s better to choose aluminum and steel over copper and zinc.
2. Reduce Risk of House Fires
Because of the heat and dry conditions of Houston, wildfires and fires sparked by the sun are not uncommon. One advantage of a metal roof is it eliminates the danger of a fire on your roof completely. A metal roof cannot spark and ignite, even if a piece of burning material lands on it. You can rest easy knowing that no matter how hot or dry it is, your roof doesn’t pose any risk to your home.
You also do not have to worry about fire from lightning storms. With asphalt roofs, fires can start from a lightning strike. Metal roofs cannot catch fire, even from lightning. In fact, the overall safety of metal roofs is incredible. FEMA encourages the use of metal roofs in any area prone to natural disasters, but even if you don’t live in such a spot, you can’t beat the safety of a metal roof.
3. Durability Against Intense Weather
Not only are metal roofs safe against the threat of fire, but they are very durable, even through intense weather. Metal roofs will last against hurricane-level winds. Some systems hold up steadily against winds of up to 160 mph. While Houston isn’t known for hurricanes, we can get strong tropical storms and high winds that might damage a lesser roof.
Metal roofs are also very durable against hail and any other large falling objects, such as tree limbs. Metal roofs also handle snow and ice very well, though snow isn’t much of a concern in Houston. Whatever weather we experience, though, with metal roofing in Houston, TX weather won’t be able to damage your roof.
4. Last Longer Than Asphalt Roofs
One of the best advantages of a metal roof is longevity. In many places, metal roofs are known as the “forever roof.” While asphalt roofs need replacing every 12 to 20 years, metal roofs can last more than a lifetime. Many roofing companies will even offer 40-year material warranties on their roof systems because they are so confident in the longevity.
This great performance stays the same no matter the style of your metal roof. Depending on your metals, your roof is unlikely to rust, rot, or need patching, so it has a very low upkeep cost if you end up paying anything at all. The biggest upkeep may be repainting your roof to keep it a fresh color, but this is also unnecessary depending on the style and material of your metal roof.
5. May Help You Lower Home Insurance Premiums
Metal roofs are safe, durable, and last a long time. Research has found that metal roofs receive less damage through falling objects, fires, and natural disasters. For insurance companies, that is a happy sign that they won’t have to make an insurance claim because of your roof. A new roof will also show them they will be less likely to pay for a claim on your behalf.
Because of this, you may be able to lower your home insurance or qualify for a Class 4 impact resistance rating. That rating could allow you to discount your insurance up to 20%. Insurance companies will view your metal roof favorably, which may help you negotiate a cheaper monthly premium. This advantage is just another way that metal roofs will save you money.
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6. Environmentally Friendly
Metal roofs are the most environmentally friendly roofs. Not only are they energy-efficient, but are made out of recycled metals. Even a brand new roof contains between 30% and 60% recycled metal. Some metal roofs can contain up to 95% recycled metal. Manufacturing metal roofs also is very green, using few resources and producing no petroleum by-products.
Metal roofs are also 100% recyclable once they become too old. Once a metal roof has lived its very long life, it will be immediately recycled. You won’t find any metal roofs in a landfill, saving on precious space. Metal is also one of the few materials that can be recycled over and over again without degrading the material at all. A metal roof will help you protect the environment and be environmentally conscious, even while you protect your home.
7. Easier to Install
Many metal roofs are easier to install than asphalt roofs. This can help keep labor costs lower and keep your laborers out of that intense Houston sun. Some metal roofs can even be installed directly over your existing asphalt roof so you don’t even have to remove your existing roof. We do recommend that your metal roof be installed by experts to avoid any leaks from improper installation.
A standing seam metal roof is relatively easy to install. These roofs use long panels that snap together with built-in, concealed fasteners. These are the most common styles of a metal roof. However, metal shingles can sometimes be cheaper because they are faster and easier to install than the standing seam roof.
8. More Color Options Than Asphalt Roofs
Metal roofs can come in all different colors of the rainbow. You can also pick particular metals, such as copper, for an elegant look. With asphalt roofs, you are lucky to have maybe 10 to 15 color options. Modern metal roofs have over a hundred different colors to choose from. You can make your house pop with a colorful roof or choose a color that may mimic a different roof, such as a cedar shake or slate tile.
For homes in Houston, TX, you may consider choosing a light color such as yellow or white to improve the solar heat reflection of your metal roof. Light colors, especially white, reflect heat rather than absorb it like dark colors such as black or navy blue. You can also choose something colorful to make your home stand out. With colorful metal roofing in Houston, TX your home can be a unique tapestry that reflects your style and has serious curb appeal.
9. Low Maintenance
As we pointed out briefly earlier, metal roofs are very low maintenance. You can easily clean them with just water, and it is unlikely they will need repair at any point in their lifetime. Some metals, such as aluminum, are naturally protected against rust and corrosion. Most metal roofs are at least treated against it. Metal is also naturally resistant to mold, termites, or other pests that can destroy asphalt roofing.
The two possible maintenance needs of a metal roof would be occasionally tightening exposed fasteners and repainting. A corrugated metal roof has exposed fasteners that will need to be tightened every 10 to 15 years. Standing seam roofs have concealed fasteners, so tightening is unnecessary. You may also consider repainting your roof after many years to make it look fresh. However, depending on your materials, this too might be unnecessary.
10. Gives Your Home a Better Resale Value
If you think you will eventually sell your home, replacing your roof with a metal roof will actually help you sell faster for more. Metal roofs offer the best return on your investment. The average roof cost that regained at resale is 86%, which is an incredible return on investment. One of the biggest reasons for this is the reliability of a metal roof. Buyers know metal roofs will last longer, which will save them money over time.
Metal roofs are also attractive aesthetically. Attracting potential buyers can be the hardest part of selling a home, so any advantages are key. Overall, metal roofs give homes a 6% resale increase over homes with asphalt shingle roofs just in terms of aesthetics.
With metal roofing in Houston, TX, you can beat the heat and stay protected even as you stay environmentally conscious. You will save money while getting a durable roof that looks amazing. You may even save on your home insurance and be able to resell your house for more money.
Frequent Questions We Hear Often
Because metal roofing is a premium home product, you can expect your new roof to cost roughly two to three times what an asphalt shingle roof costs. However, a metal roof is comparable in price to tile roofing or cedar shake roofing. If you currently have a slate roof, you can expect your metal roof to cost less.
No matter what kind of metal roofing style you choose, you’ll never have to worry about your roof again. Most come with a true 30 to 50 year warranty. Plus, your new metal roof will add to the resale value of your home, save you money on your energy bills, and give you peace of mind that you’ll likely never have to re-roof again.
Today’s residential metal roofing is made to look like common roofing material – such as asphalt shingle, cedar shake, clay tile or slate roofing – only stronger and more durable. So there’s an endless variety of options available.
You can expect a metal roof to last at least 2 to 3 times longer than a regular roof. In general terms, count on a metal roof lasting 30 to 50+ years since metal roofs can often be repainted versus replaced.
To put it in context, the average lifespan of an asphalt roof is 12 to 20 years. That lifespan can be shorter depending on the pitch of your roof and the climate in your area. Made of oil impregnated paper or fiberglass, asphalt begins to deteriorate as soon as you expose it to normal weather. A metal roof, however, will never decompose.
Other roofing materials like wood shingle, shake and tile have varying degrees of weather-related problems that lead to breakdown. Wood shingle and shake roofs often need replacement before twenty years. Concrete tile roofs can crack and warp in the freeze/thaw cycle of more northern climates.
All of the above roofing materials are well-outlasted by metal roofing, which retains its good looks and durability decade after decade after decade.
There is little difference between metal and other materials when it comes to noise from rain or hail. Normal attic insulation also absorbs most of the sound.
A metal roof can withstand decades of abuse from extreme weather like high winds, heavy snow, hail storms and even wildfires. Metal roofing has a 140-mph wind rating, meaning it can withstand wind gusts up to 140 miles per hour. Under high wind conditions, says architect Rich Carroll, “Metal roofing systems have wind resistance and uplift resistance that is above the new building code requirement. That gives us a sense of relief in that we can use the best material to meet those criteria.”1
In locations that see heavy snow, metal roofing has been the choice of homeowners for years. It sheds snow fast, which protects the structural integrity of the roof.
If you live in a part of the country that is prone to wildfires, metal roofing can protect your home should burning embers land on your roof.
Not only is metal roofing great for your home, it’s great for the environment. The recycled content of the steel in a metal roof is about 28% and is completely recyclable at the end of it’s lifespan. This make metal roofing a green building material.
According to the National Association of Homebuilders Research Center, 20 billion pounds of asphalt shingles are dumped into U.S. landfills every year. If you loaded those shingles into tractor trailers, then lined them up end-to-end, they would make a line from New York City to Los Angeles, back to New York City again, then on to Chicago.
That’s a lot of wasted asphalt. But because a metal roof can often be installed over your current roof, without tearing off what’s already there, metal roofing helps to reduce this excessive shingle waste.
You’ll be surprised to learn that a metal roof is, on average, 50% lighter than an asphalt shingle roof, and 75% lighter than concrete tile, fiber cement shakes and slate. With metal roofing weight on a structure is never an issue.
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