If you own a home in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, or anywhere else in Pennsylvania, you probably want to do everything you can to maximize the property’s value, reduce maintenance costs, and keep it looking its best. A new metal roof can be an upgrade for any home in Pennsylvania, offering property owners who make the switch tremendous value thanks to the stellar cost of ownership of a professionally installed metal roof.
Most people know that metal roofs can last much longer than traditional asphalt shingle roofs, but just how long do they actually last? If you are looking for a long-term investment in your property that offers an incredible return, a metal roof has many surprising benefits aside from its longevity.
In This Article
Lifespan and Return on Investment of a Metal Roof
Like any home improvement project, it’s vital to choose a reputable and experienced contractor to handle your metal roof installation. An unlicensed or inexperienced roofer may promise a great deal, but you could face significant issues as the result of shoddy work. When you choose the right metal roofing contractor for your metal roof upgrade, your new metal roof could last 50 years or more! This means an incredible return on your initial investment when taking long-term cost of ownership into consideration.
The most well-built and professionally installed asphalt shingle roofs will only last up to 30 years under the best conditions. A metal roof on a Pennsylvania property will not only last almost two to times as long as an asphalt shingle roof, but it will also experience a fraction of the maintenance needs.
While Pennsylvania property owners with asphalt shingle roofs may need to pay for shingle repairs and other occasional issues, a metal roof will rarely, if ever, require maintenance. A metal roof’s main vulnerability is corrosion from chemical reactions when fragments of other metals, brick, concrete, and some other substances come into contact with the roof. As long as you inspect your metal roof regularly and remove any problematic substances promptly, your metal roof will incur a fraction of the damage that an asphalt shingle roof will experience in the same timeframe.
Metal Roofs and Pennsylvania Weather
Pennsylvania has a variable climate, typically experiencing cold and snowy winter months and hot and humid summers, with mild temperatures and lots of precipitation in between. Metal roofs not only stand up to this type of variable weather incredibly well, but also provide additional benefits. For example, many property owners assume that a metal roof would be much noisier during a heavy storm than a traditional asphalt roof, but metal roofs are no louder than a traditional asphalt roof.
During the winter, asphalt shingle roofs’ granular, rough surfaces tend to keep snow in place and can absorb moisture if the shingle is worn. This can cause problems as the sun melts the snow and then colder temperatures at night refreeze it, causing expansion and contraction in a repetitive cycle. This can eventually loosen the shingles and lead to water damage in the roof bed or the building’s siding. Metal roofing avoids these issues by reflecting heat and melting snow quicker, as well as offering a non-porous surface that doesn’t absorb any moisture.
Metal roofs also absorb sunlight much better than asphalt shingle roofs, warming them during the winter and creating a heat buffer around the structure, making it difficult for cold air to enter. While this may sound like it would only be beneficial during the winter, this heat absorption is valuable in the summer as well, absorbing sunlight without letting it influence the interior temperature of a structure. Throughout its entire lifespan, a professionally installed metal roof can offer incredible value in many different ways as long as the property owner cares for it.
Verify Warranty Coverage
Different metal roof manufacturers offer different types of warranty coverage. Metal roofs are becoming a popular choice among property owners in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and throughout Pennsylvania, and warranties offer an extra layer of protection on an already durable product. Some manufacturers offer limited lifetime warranties that cover metal roofing materials that fail to meet industry standards or experience unforeseen critical failures. If you plan to upgrade your Pennsylvania property with a new metal roof, be sure to verify the warranty coverage available for the project before committing to the purchase.
A new metal roof not only offers incredible performance and a longer lifespan compared to asphalt shingle roofs but can also increase the resale value of a property. Whether you want to ensure your home is ready to pass on to your children many years from now or you want to maximize the value of your property in Pennsylvania, a metal roof is one of the best investments to make.