6 Ways Metal Roofs Offer the Best Protection During New York Winters

Winter is approaching quickly, and if you live in New York, you know that means snowstorms will soon be arriving. These storms not only create messy road conditions and icy sidewalks, they also have a heavy impact on your roof. Throughout Rochester, homeowners realize the many benefits of having a metal roof during the harsh winter weather. If you have considered installing a metal roof on your home, now is the time to act. You will begin to see the benefits in the next few months and continue to enjoy the protection that a metal roof offers for many years to come.

How Do Metal Roofs Offer Protection in the Winter?

Many homeowners fail to realize that different types of roofing materials hold up differently to varied weather conditions. Metal roofs offer unparalleled protection no matter where you live, but when you live in the Northeast you need a roof equipped to handle everything Mother Nature throws at you during the colder months of the year. Consider these benefits of having a metal roof in New York.

1. Installation. The first thing worthy of mentioning when it comes to metal roofs in the winter is that they can be installed at any time of the year. Traditional shingles usually require moderate temperatures and conditions for proper installation, but metal roofs can be installed during the year’s coldest times. This is a major benefit to any homeowner who finds that they need a roof replacement just as winter arrives. Instead of waiting until spring and potentially suffering unnecessary damage to the house’s interior, a metal roof can be installed right away.
2. Time and money savings. You may also find that you get a better deal from your roofing contractor during the winter. Contractors typically don’t have as much work when it is cold outside, so they are more likely to offer deals to potential customers to keep work coming in. Because their schedules aren’t as full, you may also find a more efficient installation timeline because there are fewer scheduling conflicts for the contractor.
3. Snow-shedding qualities. One of the best qualities of metal roofs in the northeastern United States is that their design encourages snow accumulations to slide off during the day when the sun warms the roof. This prevents the snow from building up and putting stress on the house’s structure, especially when several snowstorms arrive back to back.
4. Energy efficiency. A well designed and properly installed metal roof offers the benefit of keeping your house warmer and saving on energy bills over the winter. It does this by stopping temperature fluctuations between the outdoor air and your attic. Because your New England home will be warmer, your furnace will not need to run as often, and your utility bills will be lower.
5. Attic protection. One of the other positive attributes of a metal roof that keeps the house warmer is that it prevents excessive condensation from building up in the attic. This is important because condensation can lead to the growth of mold and mildew, which may negatively impact your household’s health. Less condensation also means that your attic insulation will hold up better and be more effective in insulating your home.
6. Ice dam prevention. Traditional roofing materials come with a serious issue in winter weather that can affect the home’s interior and roof. This problem is known as ice damming, and it occurs as the snow on the roof begins to melt during the day and then refreezes at night when the temperatures drop. As the snow freezes again, the meltwater creates dams that cause the melting snow the next day to back up on the roof. Because the meltwater has no place to go, it begins to find places to seep underneath the shingles to the materials underneath. Once the water reaches these elements, it can cause rotting and issues with mold and mildew. If this occurs, it can be very costly to have the damage repaired. Metal roofs prevent ice dams and feature vertical seams that prevent water from getting underneath the panels.

Are Metal Roofs Good in the Summer, too?

Even though winters are rough in New York, temperatures heat up in the summertime, and thunderstorms replace the snow. Many homeowners wonder if metal roofs offer benefits in the summer as well as the winter. If you have these concerns, consider these benefits.

• Ventilation efficiency. Having a well-ventilated attic in the summer is essential to your home’s energy efficiency. The air in your attic needs to circulate properly to prevent the home from getting too hot and making the cooling system work overtime. Metal roofs help keep your attic cooler in the summer, so your air conditioning can provide the best cooling without running up your energy bills.

• Reflective properties. Metal roofs have a low thermal mass and are very effective at reflecting light and heat during New York summers. Instead of absorbing heat and staying hot well into the evening, like asphalt shingles, metal roofs cool off easily. These properties all work together to save you money on your energy utilities.

• Storm resistance. When summer storms arrive, they often bring wind and hail, which can cause a great deal of damage to asphalt and other traditional roofing materials. Metal roofs stand up to hail damage and resist wind gusts of up to 140 miles per hour. If you are worried about lightning, a metal roof can ease your mind because the metal surface can disperse the strike more effectively than other materials. It is also resistant to fire, so you are less likely to have a house fire if there is a strike.

Rochester, New York winters may be rough on a roof because it is the home’s first line of defense against the elements, but a metal roof will offer the ultimate protection from winter storms. If you need a roof replacement, contact your local metal roofing contractor to discuss a new metal roof for your home this winter.