Environmentally Friendly Metal Roofs Are the Wave of the Future

Climate change and environmental awareness are two of the most pressing issues that influence our daily lives today. Sustainable building materials and environmentally friendly options in home building and renovations are becoming increasingly popular as individuals worldwide realize that we must reduce our carbon footprint and reverse the damage that industry has imparted on the environment over the past 150 years. The construction industry has heeded the call to respect the environment by offering alternatives that meet sustainability and recyclability standards. If you need a roof replacement and are looking for a green option, a metal roof is one of the best choices you can make. Metal roofs are popular across the country as homeowners discover their many benefits. The following are some of the ways that installing a metal roof positively impacts the world around you.

Green Homes Have Better Resale Value

One of the reasons homeowners are leaning toward metal roofs instead of other roofing materials is because they increase their value if it comes to selling. Homebuyers are looking for features in homes that contribute to a healthier environment, and they are often willing to pay more for these features. They often list energy-efficient lighting and appliances among the top items they are looking for in their purchase. This makes sense on several levels, as energy-efficiency provides utility savings over time that defray the extra expense of buying a green home. The popularity of these features increases every year, and metal roofs are sure to add value to homes well into the future.

Metal Roofs Can Be Recycled

The future of a healthy environment relies highly on recycling. Many communities have been recycling glass, plastic, cans, and paper for years, which has been a major step in conserving resources and keeping trash out of landfills. One of the most appealing attributes of metal roofs is that they are completely recyclable once they have reached the end of their lifespan, and many are made from a large percentage of recycled metals. This means that a metal roof never has to end up taking space in a landfill. Thousands of tons of asphalt shingles, on the other hand, get hauled to the dump every year. We don’t often think about this, but metal roofing could have a huge impact on the amount of waste we dump as more homeowners choose it as a green option.

The Most Energy-Efficient Option

The way that roofs relate to energy efficiency depends on their reflectivity of the sun’s rays and how it influences the home’s temperature throughout the year. To meet federal EnergyStar requirements, a roof’s reflectance level must be at least 60%. Asphalt roofs fail to meet this requirement because they typically only have a reflectance level of 5% to 25%. However, metal roofs often meet this requirement because their reflectance can be between 10% and 75%. The easiest way to understand this concept and how it will affect your home is to consider the color choices available. White and lighter-colored roofs reflect more of the sun’s rays in hotter climates and keep the house cooler. When the house is cooler, the air conditioning system doesn’t have to work as hard, and less energy is used.

Conversely, darker shades on a roof help absorb energy from the sun in colder areas and keep the house warmer. This means that the furnace runs less, and energy savings are achieved. This is great for the environment and saves the homeowner money on utility bills, which is another advantage.

A Metal Roof May Be the Last Roof You Ever Install

Among the many benefits of metal roofs to homeowners and the environment is their longevity. The upfront expense of installing a metal roof is a little more than that of asphalt, but the roof’s lifespan is greater than nearly any other product available. Asphalt shingles typically need to be replaced after 20 to 25 years, but metal roofs commonly hold up for over 60 years. With proper maintenance and care, a metal roof may last as long as 75 years. The best thing is that the maintenance of metal roofs is minimal, and repairs are rarely necessary. Metal roofing materials are among the most durable on the market today. They stand up to summer rains and thunderstorms, as well as winter snows and ice. Even hail has little to no effect against the strength of a metal roof. If you live in an area prone to storms with high winds, you can also breathe easy because metal roofs are known to withstand wind gusts of up to 140 miles per hour.

Go Right Over Your Old Roof

Because keeping waste out of landfills is a major concern of homebuyers who are shopping for green homes, there is another reason that metal roofs are a popular environmentally friendly choice. When you replace your roof with asphalt shingles or other traditional options, the existing roof typically needs to be removed before the new one can be put on. Once the contractor tears the roof off, they haul it away to the dump because it is not a recyclable material. This takes additional time and costs the homeowner extra money. The beauty of metal roofs is that they can be installed over top of old roofing materials. There is no need to waste time removing the old roof, and there is no worry of adding to the waste in our landfills.

Choose the Green Option

If you have been considering the type of roofing material you should select for your new roof, the best move is to go green and positively influence the world’s future. You can’t go wrong with a roof that you will never have to replace again, and it will get you more bang for your buck if you must sell your house. As more homeowners choose to go green with new construction and renovations, metal roofs are becoming a very popular style that looks great in any neighborhood. Reach out to an experienced metal roofing contractor in your area to schedule an estimate.