Minnesota metal roofing has become quite the trend. Individuals have the choice of different colors and even different styles. For instance, you can have a blue roof if you want a blue roof. You can also have a metal roof that mimics the look of shingles if you want. There are more and more options being made available to homeowners as metal roof innovations are being made.
However, there are some myths about metal roofing in Minnesota that need to be addressed so that individuals such as yourself can make the right decisions regarding metal roofing.
Those myths include:
Metal roofs are too hot and don’t have insulating properties – It has been shown that metal roofs are saving homeowners money on their heating and cooling costs when they are installed properly. Metal roofs actually reflect a lot of the solar energy that tends to heat up the attics of homes. This results in the home remaining a more consistent temperature, which means you do not have to deal with the extreme temperature fluctuations you would have to deal with otherwise.
Lightning loves metal roofs – The truth here is that lighting hates metal roofs. The Metal Roof Alliance states that the instance of lightning hitting your home with a metal roof is not increased. If lightning does hit your home, the metal roof disperses the energy from the lightning evenly and safely. The instance of fire is also greatly reduced with a metal roof because metal is not flammable.
Metal roofs don’t last long – Quality metal roofs come with a 20 year guarantee from the manufacturer. Metal roofs do require special skills from Minnesota roofing contractors. Not everyone can install a metal roof, which says a lot about the quality of the roof. The more complex, the better it is. When installed properly, the expected lifespan of a metal roof is 50 years. This is much longer than most other roof types, which includes asphalt shingles that have a maximum life of 30 years.
Metal roofs aren’t very beneficial – Right now, you can receive a tax credit on your income tax return when you put metal roofing on your home. As you’ve read so far, metal roofing is not flammable, they are not too hot, and they do keep cool air in and hot air out. When you use an Energy Star rated metal roofing, your energy costs can be cut by 10% to 15%.
Metal roofs aren’t worth the cost – Metal roofs may cost more than asphalt shingles, but the overall savings exceeds that of asphalt shingles and the roof more or less pays for itself over time in the form of energy savings. Asphalt shingles do need to be replaced 2 to 4 times more often than metal roofing. Considering roof replacement costs thousands, the overall savings is astronomical.
When you decide to take the metal roofing route, you do need a Minnesota roofing company that specializes in installing metal roofs. It takes 4 to 5 years for a roofer to gain the experience needed to install these roofs, but once they are installed, they are an amazing asset to your home.
One of a roof’s most vile enemies is the hail storm. Hail can range in size from pea sized to the size of golf balls. On rare occasions, hail can be even larger than that. When it is, roofs in Minnesota see quite a bit of damage. That damage can range from the granules being removed from asphalt shingles to actual penetration of the shingles, exposing everything underneath. This can then lead to leaks that cause even more damage to the home.
One of the most important parts of your roofing system is your ventilation system. Your ventilation system ensures that hot air is not trapped in your attic. When the sun shines down upon your roof, your roof absorbs the heat that is generated from the UV rays. This is unless you have a “cool roof” that is light colored and reflects the sunlight so that head does not become trapped to the extent that dark roofs do.
Roofing maintenance is very important so that you can make sure your roof lasts as long as possible. In order to properly maintain your roof, you do need to know your roofing enemies. And believe it or not, your roof has many enemies that can compromise its performance. However, regular inspections and maintenance can combat these enemies so that your roof lasts as long as possible.
If you are not aware of what an ice dam is, it is the build up of ice at the edge of your roof. Sometimes these ice dams become so large that they back up water behind them and the water cannot properly drain from the roof and into the gutters. This water backup then causes the water to make its way under shingles, which then makes its way to the underlayment, and then to the roof deck. Once the water makes it to the roof deck, it becomes saturated and this can lead to rotting. This also leads to major leaks that result in further and more expensive damage to the home.
