Sister's Landlord replaced roof with metal. (house, legally, furnace, pay)

[lolbored801]

My sister her husband and kids recently moved to Tennessee and rented a house from someone and just recently the landlord replaced the roof with metal because it is maintenance free. Can the landlord legally do this? I am asking because I know my nephew has some health issues that are made worse in a cold environment. Also she is saying that it gets so cold in the house they sleep with coats on and wear them throughout the day.

Any info on this would be appreciated. I don't like the idea of my nephews having to deal with this.

[QIS]

How do they think the metal roof is making the house colder? Does the house have any attic insulation? Do they have a working furnace/heating system in the house?

[Mercury Cougar]

Originally Posted by lolbored801

My sister her husband and kids recently moved to Tennessee and rented a house from someone and just recently the landlord replaced the roof with metal because it is maintenance free. Can the landlord legally do this?

Of course he can, it's his house. He can repair and maintain it however he likes. A metal roof is actually a good choice to put on a house. It's especially resistant to things like hail damage, and will last a long time.

I am asking because I know my nephew has some health issues that are made worse in a cold environment. Also she is saying that it gets so cold in the house they sleep with coats on and wear them throughout the day.

Any info on this would be appreciated. I don't like the idea of my nephews having to deal with this.

A metal roof isn't causing that. Look to the insulation, the weatherproofing, the windows, and the heating system.

[mels]

I don't understand...metal roofs are very common in areas that get lots of snow. Think upstate NY, northern New England, etc. They don't make the house colder unless it was installed all sorts of wrong. It is like any other roof, but are more expensive because so little maintenance needed, the long life of the roof, and snow slides off easily to boot. And yes, the landlord can legally install whatever roof he/she wants as long as it is up to current code.

[Ultrarunner]

Most would consider it an upgrade... could be the old adage that no good deed goes unpunished...

I have yet to see a home that couldn't be kept toasty as long as someone is willing to pay the price...

One of the best parts about renting is the lack of long term obligations and the freedom to move... if your sister finds the roof objectionable for any reason... she should start looking for something more to her liking.

[STT Resident]

Galvanized roofing sheets are totally acceptable throughout the world. They're generally layered over the T-111 sheets or simply over basic wooden rafters (not the best idea) and sometimes topped with decorative tiles.

[chance2jump]

Is the house older?

What kind of foundation? Crawl space? Basement?

Your sister needs to take action to make the house more efficient so that the heat being used is utilized better. If the windows are old, insulate them. Make sure all the exterior doors have weather stripping and are sealed. Close off areas of the house that are not in use. Use energy efficient window coverings.

Your sister cannot do much if the house does not have a lot of insulation above the ceiling, in the walls or below the floor. She can take measures to keep the kids warm. Make sure they have good slippers, sweat shirts, blankets, etc to snuggle into. Depending on the cost of heating (gas, propane, etc), it make be more cost effective to run space heaters on a low temp in which ever room is in use to take the edge off.

I lived in a 100yr old house that was always cold. I purchased very cheap straw bales from a local farmer and put the bales on their sides around the perimeter of the foundation. This took off the chill coming up from the floor, cost me very little and wasn't damaging to the property. I also go the pink insulation foam 8x4 sheets from Home Depot, cut a sheet for each window and put the sheets in the windows for the winter. It was dark in the house, but it cut down the drafts significantly. Popped them out in spring, no damage to the house.