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Many homes in my area have metal roofs due to snow and forest fires. Everyone I know that has a metal roof LOVES it. I do know one family that has a yellow house with a yellow metal roof. It looks horrible! But, most metal roofs look nice on the homes around here. There are alot of wood cabins with green metal roofs and they look very nice.
wireless internet doesn't work underneath a metal roof. Found that out while in Florida.
I am here to tell you it does indeed work, or my husband would not be surfing.
(In case you haven't figured it out, we have both a genuine metal roof, and wireless internet.)
I know of houses which have had metal roofs for over 50 years; no lightning problems yet.
If you have a woodstove or fireplace, a metal roof can provide some peace of mind because they're non-combustible.
The one down side to metal roofs is having to work on them. Snow isn't the only thing that slides off a metal roof quickly.
On more than one occasion I've lost the battle against gravity. I find a rope and a repelling harness hooked to truck on the opposite side are life and limb savers.
They do make foot holds for metal roofs I've seen them somewhere but I don't recall where. They're a installed to stay there, guess if you spend a lot of time on your roof they'd be handy (footy) but who's on there roof that often?
WARNING: If you decide on a metal roof, make sure that you get someone who knows how to help choose the style and color of roof that will look good with your house. There is a small house in town with a hideous metal roof, and every time I drive by I feel so sorry for these people who are stuck with this nightmare. In contrast, there is a house a few blocks over with a metal roof that I drool over. Ask for addresses of homes that the roofer has done, and go look at them. The color and the width of the ridges and the way everything goes together can make or break the curb appeal of a house.
Let's not forget that metal roofing has come a long way from the days when your choice was plain galvanized steel or plain galvanized steel.
There are now dozens of colours available, as well as a wide variety of ridge styles and valley widths. If you really want to go high class, you can opt for steel roofing that has been molded and coloured to look like clay tile. At the upper end of the price range are metal shingles which are stamped to resemble various shake patterns.
And, of course, plain galvanized steel is still available for those who want to redo the wood shed.
G'day I'm a builder in Australia. We have been using "metal" roofs for over a 100 years. The houses here are either metal or concrete tile. I prefer metal over the concrete tile (like your shingles, but made of concrete). The major company that makes the roofing (BHP colourbond) gives a 25 year warranty on the "colour" (they make about 20 different colours). It is screwed down & will withstand a tornado or cyclone as we call them here). During hail storms, a metal roof will only dent, whereas concrete tile will end up with holes in it, plus the mortar on the ridge capping cracks after a few years & has to be re done. I recently replaced a heritage listed house that had the original metal roof, built in 1882. It was actually imported from England as corrugated roofing iron wasn't yet manufactured in Australia back then. Overall, with insulation under neath I wouldn't have any other roof. I have worked in America & know first hand about shingle roofs, & there is no comparison. Hope this helps
I helped work on the "Hoagie House" in Falls Church Virginia. I found a picture of the house that we completed back in 1986. I wonder what it looks like now. This roof is stainless steel with the patented "Rotto Lid".
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Last edited by McGowdog; 07-03-2007 at 08:33 PM..
Reason: roof material
My parents home in Texas has a metal roof, it has an air pocket set up so it helps with insulation however you can't tell its metal. It looks just like a cedar shake unless you get really close to it.
It had some kind of insanely LONG gaurantee on it as well.
The only thing I noticed is when it rained, the noise was a little different.
Before the metal roof was put on, we would have a shake or two blow off during heavy storms but that NEVER happened with the roof once it was metal.
I think they are a great idea. I wish I could have one here in Florida but I think my homeowners association would veto that idea.
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