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Old 05-16-2010, 11:25 AM
 
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
653 posts, read 1,794,168 times
Reputation: 276

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I am seriously considering buying a house that needs a new roof, and really want to get the most energy efficient (for cooling) roof that I find reasonable.

Has anyone had this type of roof installed?
Has it stood up well to hail?
Does it really lower cooling costs (by reflecting heat back)?

I know there are different types.
Is there a specific anyone would recommend?

Has anyone had a bad experience with a metal roof?

I don't want to spend much more than 10000, for a roof that is maybe 2500 sq feet. (It is probably less than that. The house is 1050 sq ft, w-2car garage, typical bungalow architecture used in the mid 80s).

I might end up having to get approval from a neighborhood committee. So the roof has to look ok as well. But I am not really wanting to pay much extra just for cosmetic reasons. I personally don't think metal looks much worse than asphalt.
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Old 05-16-2010, 12:22 PM
 
Location: SE Florida
1,194 posts, read 4,126,340 times
Reputation: 758
Metal and shingle roofs in Texas probably get the same beating as they do here in South Florida .

I would not have a metal roof because they hold the heat and transfer it to the inside of the attic or a crawlspace. In addition they usually cost 30% more. Roofing sites that endorse metal roofs tell us that the metal reflects the heat and of course it does to an extent. My neighbor has a white metal roof to cover his 2,100sf + home and it does look great but the cost was around $16,000 compared to our roof on new home cost us $11,000.

Some homeowners in Florida have metal roofs installed because they seem to hold up to the hurricanes but so does 3 tabbed shingled roof.

Our home is 5 years old and if we wanted to really save on energy we would have had spent $25,000 more to have a heavy tile roof because the tile spreads out the heat and does not absorb the sun's rays but it does require cleaning every 5 or less years.

Our neighbor's metal roof has withstood 3 big hurricanes without a trace of damage so I guess hail may not damage it. As far as the reflection of heat goes I was on his roof in February and I thought my shoes were gonna melt. His home is also warmer and we both have our thermostats set at 76 during the day. The good side is that the roof will probably last 50 years and it does well with ice or rain. They also come in colors. However, using minimum insulation in the attic could spell high cooling bills. A metal roof could spell higher electric costs to cool as my neighbor's home.

A high R value of insulation such as R30 or R45 would help dissipate the roof heat. Our home has a 3 tabbed shingled roof and 30lb underlayment. We have R45 in the attic and it must be at least 18" high and our walls are R30 using state of the art insulation over and in between concrete and cinder block wall construction.

Bottom line:
If I were consdering a new roof I would need shingles. In Florida it does rain a lot but it also dries quick so algae doesn't have a chance to grow on the North side of the home compared to Northern homes would encounter.
Also at least 30lb. paper should be used as an underlayment between the wood roof and the shingles. Have the roofer cut in a full roof ridge vent for you. If you use shingles and the roofer says 15 lb. will do then tell them you require 30lb. Then use 3 tabbed premium shingles. They usually have a 30 year guarantee. Finally have the attic heavily insulated to at least R30.


Good luck and let us know what you decide...Oh..Get several estimates..


...

Last edited by Synergy1; 05-16-2010 at 12:45 PM..
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Old 05-16-2010, 01:37 PM
 
Location: Dallas
31,290 posts, read 20,733,986 times
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I have a metal roof and it's six years old. It is absolutely wonderful. I do not agree with the other poster about heat transfer. We have very low cooling costs and I believe some of that is due to the metal roof. I believe it reflects the heat.

Our roof is made by Gerard (Gerard Roofing Technologies - Stone Coated Steel Roofs) and they look just like tile until you get really close. We also get a discount on our house insurance since it has high resistance to hail, wind and fire damage.
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Old 05-16-2010, 03:28 PM
 
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
653 posts, read 1,794,168 times
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So if I went with steel, but not stone coated steel, I wonder if it would stand up well?

I also wonder what the Stone Coated Steel roof costs compared to none stone coasted metal roofs?

The neighborhood is not high end, it is very middle class. While I do not necessarily expect to get 100% of the investment back if I have to re-sell, I want to get some of it back.

As for energy savings, what I have read tends to agree with Roadking. But only certain colors are energystar rated. I would definitely get an energystar rated color.
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Old 05-16-2010, 03:28 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,055,823 times
Reputation: 9478
Here is a good reference on roofing materials in the Sustainable Materials Sourcebook. See the pro's and con's it describes.

Green Building Sustainable Building Sourcebook - Materials: Roofing

As an Architect I have installed and replaced metal roofs on numerous buildings during my 30+ year career and have not yet seen one damaged by hail storms. I have also removed and replaced lots of other bad roofs, I consider standing seam or battened seam metal roofs the best option on a sloped roof. Galvalume finished if you can afford it and the aesthetics (reflectivity) are not a problem. Some people object to them, as they are more reflective when the sun shines off of them at some angles. photo http://www.westtexasconstruction.com/ssbhouse1.JPG (broken link)

Galvalume has a factory applied galvanized zinc coating applied over an aluminum sheet metal. Otherwise, I would pick an aluminum roof with a factory applied Fluoropolymer resin finish in a very light color.

Coated steel roofs are a good option too as long as care is taken to prevent the coatings from being scratched during installation. A scratch can result in rusting and streaking a few years down the road.

Metal roofs do reflect heat, the lighter the color the better they perform. The color issue is true of all roofs. Heat Island Group: Cool Roofing Samples (http://heatisland.lbl.gov/coolroofs/Samples.html - broken link) Make sure that adequate ridge and eave vents are installed to let the roof shed heat from the attic.

It is critical that you pick a metal roof that does not have any exposed fasteners, such as screws or rivets that use a neoprene washer to caulk to seal the head against the roof's weather surface. I have seen buildings almost destroyed by all the leaks those can have and the subsequent mold problems that developed inside. Most of the best designs have standing seams or battens at the seams.

If your neighborhood association has any legal right to object to a sheet metal roof (most older neighborhoods do NOT), you might want to explore if they will allow metal shingle roofs, they are more traditional looking.

Welcome to MetalShingle.com - Stamped Diamond Pattern Roofing Shingles
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Old 05-17-2010, 10:59 AM
 
Location: Austin
7,244 posts, read 21,804,442 times
Reputation: 10015
From the hail storm last March, my inlaws had to get a new metal roof. Some of the hail went right through the metal over their carport part of the garage. The roof was destroyed, and I happened to be at their house during the storm and it sounded like we were being attacked by machine guns. I've never heard hail that LOUD before!
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Old 05-17-2010, 09:46 PM
 
Location: Corvallis, Oregon
653 posts, read 1,794,168 times
Reputation: 276
What kind of metal roof did they have, there are different gauges, not all are equal.
Did they have the recommended insulation?

From what I have been reading (mostly since I started this thread), metal roofs are rated very high, for standing up to hail.
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Old 05-17-2010, 09:55 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
16,787 posts, read 49,055,823 times
Reputation: 9478
Quote:
Originally Posted by FalconheadWest View Post
From the hail storm last March, my inlaws had to get a new metal roof. Some of the hail went right through the metal over their carport part of the garage. The roof was destroyed, and I happened to be at their house during the storm and it sounded like we were being attacked by machine guns. I've never heard hail that LOUD before!
The hail went right through the metal? Sounds like a very inferior installation to me, tinfoil perhaps? I'd recommend having a roofing consultant evaluate the roof and see if it meets legal standards, your parents could have legal recourse against the roofer. I can recommend a good one if you need.

I have built lots of buildings with metal roofs and never yet seen one even dented by hail. My car yes, but none of the roofs I've been involved with.
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Old 05-18-2010, 07:29 AM
 
Location: Austin
7,244 posts, read 21,804,442 times
Reputation: 10015
I have no idea what kind of metal it was, but it looked fairly thin as I remembered thinking why anyone would put something so thin on the roof and it prevent anything from getting in. But I saw the dents and holes with my own eyes. I also thought metal would withstand the hail. Insurance replaced it, but I'm not their keeper, so I have no idea if they replaced it like for like or got something better.
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Old 07-28-2015, 10:03 PM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,981 posts, read 6,734,735 times
Reputation: 2882
Any suggestions for a company that does standing seam metal roofs?
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