Here’s the Story Between a Metal Roof vs Shingles

The Same or Different?

Did you know a roof can last 25 to 50 years on average? If you’re looking to replace your roof, it might be to increase ROI before selling your house or because your roof suffered storm damage. Regardless, you need to decide between roofing materials.

More specifically, you need to decide between a metal roof and shingles. But, as of yet, you don’t know a lot about either material. Fortunately, this article can assist you.

Here’s everything you need to know on the topic of a metal roof vs shingles.

Aesthetics

Aesthetically speaking, these materials can be quite different from one another. That said, depending on the style of metal roofing that you’re talking about, they can also be quite similar.

Asphalt shingles are fairly simple in their aesthetic. While generally rectangular in shape, they sometimes come in squares and oblong shapes as well. They also possess a wide variety of colors.

Metal roofing, on the other hand, comes in a wide variety of styles. There are standing seam metal roofs, metal barrel roofs, stone-coated metal roofs, wood shake metal roofs, and, yes, asphalt shingle metal roofs, the last of which is designed to look just like asphalt shingles. These too come in a variety of different colors.

Neither material is better or worse than the other in terms of looks. In the end, it comes down to personal preference. So, call up a local metal roof specialist and ask them to see examples of both. This should help you make your final decision.

Durability

In terms of durability, it’s not even close: metal roofs are much more durable than asphalt shingles. This is due to their superior anti-weathering capabilities, not to mention their exceptional toughness.

How long does a metal roof last? In most cases, somewhere between 40 and 70 years. The exact duration of a metal roof depends on its type, not to mention the amount of maintenance that it receives.

How long do asphalt shingles last? Typically no more than 30 years. Again, though, this is highly dependent on regular and proper maintenance.

So, if you want your new roof to last as long as possible, and if you’re choosing between asphalt shingles and metal, metal is the only option.

Maintenance Needs

When it comes to maintenance, these materials aren’t much different. In most cases, they just need to be cleaned on occasion. Remove any algae that appear and these roof materials will, more or less, be alright.

That said, overall, metal roofing requires less maintenance than asphalt shingles. The reason for this? Asphalt shingles can sometimes crack or fall off.

See, when a high wind comes, it might blow some asphalt shingles off the top of a roof. To counteract this, you’ll need to replace the shingles that have been blown off. This is a fairly rare occurrence but likely will happen at least a few times over the 30-odd years of your asphalt roof’s existence.

Weather-resistant Capabilities

Both asphalt shingles and metal roofing offer plenty of resistance against weathering. Not only do they resist the effects of rain but sunlight as well.

However, when all is said and done, metal roofing is more weather-resistant. See, whereas asphalt shingles will eventually curl and buckle as a result of weather exposure, metal roofing never will. In fact, rain and sunlight have almost no effect on metal roofing at all.

The one type of weather that can hurt metal roofing is hail. If large enough, it can put dents into the surface of a metal roof. That said, most metal roofs are strong enough to defend against this.

Environmental Friendliness

As far as environmental friendliness goes, it’s not even close: metal roofing is much more environmentally friendly than asphalt shingles. The reasons for this are plenty.

For one, metal roofing is 100% recyclable. As such, once it’s done being used, it can be melted down and turned into something else. Asphalt shingles don’t possess this ability.

Instead, asphalt shingles need to be thrown in a dump. Once there, they break down very slowly and thereby don’t benefit the earth in any measurable way.

In addition, asphalt shingles are manufactured with the use of fossil fuels. Metal roofing is not. In other words, metal roofing has a less negative impact on the world’s scarce resources.

Installation

Now, which material is easier to install? Generally speaking, asphalt shingles. Traditional shingles can be nailed down one at a time and don’t require extensive measuring or fine-tuning.

Metal roofs, on the other hand, need to be measured, trimmed, and perfectly aligned with the structural components below them. Because of this, they’re not as good a choice for DIYers.

But this shouldn’t turn you away from choosing a metal roof. You just need to make sure that you hire a reputable installer. Find a company that specializes in metal roof installation and you should be good to go.

Insulation

We’ll round this article out by discussing insulation. Simply put, neither material offers much insulation in and of itself. However, you can place insulation underneath each material during installation, allowing for better energy efficiency.

As long as you do this, both materials will do a good job of keeping your home warm in the winter, and cold in the summer.

Choose Between a Metal Roof vs Shingles

Have you made a choice on the issue of a metal roof vs shingles? Have you decided on a metal roof? If so, we here at Garvin Metal Roofs are the people to see.

We’ve installed countless metal roofs throughout the Scranton area and would love to install yours as well. Offering a variety of metal roof styles, we’re sure to have something that you like.

Contact us now to discuss your metal roofing needs!