Metal Roofing Pros and Cons for Denver, CO Properties in 2019

Many Denver, CO homeowners avoid using metal roofing materials thinking it will give their properties a too-modern and brutalist look. The truth is, metal roofs introduce a unique and beautiful residential aesthetic. However, like all roofing materials, metal roofing pros and cons do exist. It pays to know all of these before you decide to use metal roofs for your property.

HomeTips has a good breakdown on metal roofing pros and cons. If you can cope with its disadvantages (they're not that plenty to tell you honestly), you can definitely improve your residence with a metal roof.

Pros & Cons of Metal Roofing

What are the benefits and drawbacks of steel and other metal roofing materials? This unbiased, expert article gives you the pros and cons of metal roofs so you can make an informed choice about whether or not to choose metal roofing for your home.

If you are considering buying metal roofing for your home, it’s very important to weigh the pros and cons of metal against other more common roof materials, such as asphalt, wood, and tile.

This expert article offers a close look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of steel, aluminum, and other metal roofing.

Metal Roofing Benefits

Metal beats out conventional roofing materials in several ways:

Expected life. Properly installed, a metal roof should last as long as the house, sealing out water, surviving high winds, and easily shedding snow. Metal is resistant to fire, mildew, insects, and rot.

Warranties vary widely, but most companies back their products for 20 to 50 years. Paint finishes typically have a 30-year limited warranty.

Weight. Compared to the weight of tile at 750 pounds per square (an area equal to 100 square feet) or concrete tile at 900 pounds per square, metal roofing is very lightweight. Most varieties run from 50 to 150 pounds per square.

Sheet-metal roofing is lightweight, fire-resistant, quick to install, and great at shedding water and snow.

Because of the material’s light weight, you can save on engineering and building the supporting structure. In fact, if you’re building a house or an addition, you can often downsize or reduce the number of roof support members.

Some types of metal roofing materials may be applied over an existing roof without the need for tear-off or additional structural support. (Read the full post here)

Indeed, these metal roofing pros and cons are often statements contractors hear from their customers during the first year of maintenance. However, its advantages are truly undeniable -- even for academic and product-improvement researchers looking for tangible data to improve product performance.

BCD Network has an excellent selection of three case studies that show you how crucial a new metal roof can be to improving the overall lifespan and durability of even the most ancestral and aged of properties -- residential or commercial.

3 Metal Roofing Case Studies Illustrate Benefits

Metal roofing systems offer values such as longevity, favorable life cycle costs, and heightened aesthetic appeal.

1. METAL ROOF MAKES A SPLASH

The new water park at Hope Lake Lodge in Virgil, N.Y., has transformed the resort into a year-round destination. By installing a metal roof, the owners of the water park have been able to maintain its interior temperature at 80-84°F, even during the coldest months.

VIP Structures, Syracuse, N.Y., erected the building and installed 60,000 sf of Metl-Span insulated roof and wall panels. The steep roof, with its 100-foot-long skylight at the ridge line, was something of a challenge, but the crew successfully managed the hips, valleys, and trim, according to Leonard Pogroski, project manager for VIP Structures.

The LEED Silver project was designed by RBA Group, Charlotte, N.C. “By using a steel superstructure with insulated panels, we were able to create the large clear spans necessary for housing the water-park features and provide high thermal efficiency,” says architect Steven E. Finch, LEED AP, Assoc. AIA, RBA’s director of hospitality. IMPs were also chosen because they permitted multiple punched openings where the waterslide chutes exit and reenter the building, according to Finch.

2. RETROFIT HELPS DRY OUT SCHOOL ROOF (Read More Here)

If you're not convinced, it pays to look at the nitty-gritty detail of installation. Unlike single-ply roofs that use adhesive and asphalt shingles and tiles that use nails against crumbly, composite material, metal roofing pros and cons will always exist when nails or fasteners put all metal roofs in place.

American Building Components has an excellent guide to performing metal roof installations on your own.  with the right tools. This will give you an idea on how secure and airtight metal roofs are most of the time when you have the best equipment.

METAL ROOFING INSTALLATION TOOLS AND TIPS

At ABC, we value our partnership with you, and aim to provide you with the tools your customers need. Our wide variety of installation resources and tips help your customers seamlessly integrate our high-quality metal roof and wall products into their building projects.

Learn from one of our experts about the tools and steps necessary to install metal roofing by watching the short video or reading the transcript below:

Below is a list of necessary tools you will want to use in a typical metal roofing installation. We use some common tools that you may recognize, as well as some not so common tools that are very helpful during the installation process.

24 and 12 Inch Squares

A 24” square is often used when preparing panels for the valley. We also have a 12” square, which we use for leveling and doing plumb cuts and bends along the ridge line and other places.

Rivet Gun

Next we have a rivet gun which is used in tandem with the 1/8” drill bits. This is used a lot on ridge lines, hips, trim alongside walls, and end walls.

Panel Hemming Tool

The panel hemming tool is very important in the installation process. ABC makes this hemming tool for use at the top and bottom of the panel. This is how we hem the panel to fit into the offset cleat. We can also use it when we do a bread pan fold at the top.

Duck Bill Snip

A duck bill snip makes for a clean, long cut when cutting through the flat of the pan. These two snips, especially the red handled pair, are what you're going to use the most throughout the installation of your metal roof. They make for a serrated cut. They can also make very tight cuts as you cut around plumbing vents and other roof openings. The most common cut you're going to make is usually one-inch-deep, especially when you're preparing the ends of panels.

Seaming / Bending Tool

Next is a seaming or a bending tool. This is used to prepare the eave trim and bed around corners. Any time you're bending up to an inch, it's marked every half an inch. This is probably another one of the most common tools that you're going to use throughout the installation.

Measuring Tape, Marking Tools, and Blade (Read Full Post)

Now that you're familiar with the pros, cons, and equipment needed to install metal roofs, you're ready to make your decision. If you think the installation, repair, or replacement process is daunting, then it's time to call on top-notch Denver, CO roofing professionals that get the work done 100% properly. Ropa Roofing is always at your service -- contact us today to get a free quote on your metal roof service!

Originally Published Here: Metal Roofing Pros and Cons for Denver, CO Properties in 2019

Ropa Roofing
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Golden, CO 80401
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