6 Common Misconceptions About Metal Roofs

Surprisingly, it wasn’t until recent years that homeowners in Dallas began to seriously consider metal roofs as an option. For years, metal roofs were associated with industrial structures (or even barns), far before they were seen as an option for homeowners. Nevertheless, this has recently been shifting, as the residential sector begins to learn more about metal roofing and its many advantages. After all, this material is highly durable, energy efficient, and even customizable—far more so than many traditional roofing materials, such as asphalt shingles.

Even still, this popularity is quite new, and many Texas homeowners still aren’t especially familiar with the ins and outs of metal roofing. As a consequence of this lack of knowledge or familiarity, misconceptions about metal roofs are still quite common. Unfortunately, due to some of these misconceptions, certain homeowners may be prevented from seriously considering this material for their roof replacement.

Today, we’d like to outline a few of these common metal roofing misconceptions, in order to properly debunk them. Metal roofs are a worthy option for many homeowners, so it’s important that these false beliefs don’t unfairly dissuade you.

Common Misconceptions About Metal Roofs

1. A Metal Roof Will Increase the Interior Temperature of My Home

This could be seen as a particularly problematic misconception, because in reality, it’s actually the opposite! Metal roofing is fantastic at reflecting heat from the sun, rather than simply absorbing it, like many other common roofing materials. For instance, asphalt shingles are an especially popular roofing material with homeowners—they’re also highly susceptible to absorbing heat, leading to an increased temperature within your home. This can result in higher energy bills, especially during the summer months.

Metal roofs are also more lightweight than many other materials, and this lower mass allows them to release heat more quickly. This will help to reduce the overall heat load on your home. Thus, a properly installed metal roof will make it easier for your home to maintain a comfortable and consistent internal temperature; you can expect heating and cooling costs to be reduced by as much as 40 percent.

2. Metal Roofs Are Too Heavy for My Home to Support

As we’ve mentioned, metal roofs are actually made from fairly lightweight material. For perspective, your average metal roof is going to be around 50 percent lighter than a typical asphalt roof. When it comes to common roofing materials, metal roofing is about as light as it gets.

In fact, because metal roofs are so light, it’s not unheard of for homeowners to simply install metal roofs on top of their existing asphalt shingles, when having their homes re-roofed. This is a useful technique if you’re at all worried about your home’s structural integrity and are hesitant to tear out your current roof.

3. Metal Roofs Create Loud Noises When it Rains

In many ways, this is an understandable misconception. After all, if you’ve ever stood inside an old barn during a heavy rainstorm, the sound of the rain hitting the roof is quite loud. However, this isn’t the case for homes with metal roofing. Why? Well, when metal roofing is installed on a house, it’s paired with a roof deck. This roof deck is intended to add structure to your home’s roof, as well as help insulate it from sound. In the end, this method of installation will significantly muffle any excess sound from your roof. Due to this extra precaution, metal roofs can actually be the quieter option.

4. Metal Roofs Attract Lightning During Thunderstorms

This misconception stems from the fact that metal is a conductor of electricity. However, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t mean that metal attracts electricity. In reality, lightning is going to strike whatever structure it happens to be closest to—typically tall objects like trees or telephone poles.

Metal is actually one of the best roofing materials to have if your home is ever struck by lightning. Because the material is a conductor of electricity, it will help to safely disperse energy through your house. Metal is also noncombustible, meaning that your roof isn’t at risk of catching on fire should it be struck by lightning. This isn’t the case for many popular roofing materials which have differing degrees of flammability.

5. Metal Roofs are Vulnerable to Denting from Hail

Again, this is another misconception that just isn’t true. Believe it or not, metal roofs are actually far more durable than many other materials, asphalt roofs in particular. While large hail will always run the risk of doing damage to your home or roof, this is far more likely to occur with asphalt shingles than with metal roofing. A metal roof will likely only be damaged by hail in very extreme cases.

On that note, if you live near Dallas or somewhere that frequently sees extreme weather conditions, a metal roof may actually be your best bet. For instance, asphalt roofs possess weatherproofing granules; these granules are easily knocked off, even if by gentle or small sized hail. Over time, this can tarnish your roof’s appearance, as well as damage its capacity to keep out the weather. If you make the switch over to metal roofing, however, you can avoid damage except in cases of uncharacteristically large hail.

6. Metal Roofs are Too Expensive for Me to Afford

There’s a small token of truth to this one… Although, in the end, it’s quite the opposite.

If we’re speaking only about upfront cost of installation, then yes, metal roofing is generally more expensive than other materials. Still, if we’re talking about lifetime cost, then metal roofs are going to save you a considerable amount of money. Especially compared to materials like asphalt, they’re far more durable, long-lasting, and rarely require major repairs or maintenance jobs. With a metal roof, it’s likely that re-roofing won’t be needed again for another forty to sixty years. With asphalt shingles, re-roofing will likely occur in twenty years or less.

In essence, metal roofing is actually far cheaper than other popular materials.

Need a Roofing Replacement? Consider a Metal Roof

If you’re a homeowner currently in Dallas and are in need of a roofing replacement, then a metal roof could very well be the option for you. As soon as you begin to dispel some of the common myths surrounding metal roofing, it quickly becomes clear that metal is one of the most durable, affordable, and customizable materials available. A metal roof is worth considering, for pretty much any homeowner.