When it’s time for a new roof for the home, it’s important to consider what kind of roof is the best choice. That’s especially true in the Treasure Valley, because the harsh winters and warm summers mean that your Boise, Idaho home needs a roof that can withstand any kind of weather. Because of that, several home owners have wondered: is metal roofing the right choice for my needs?
The honest answer is that it depends on several factors, because as with any kind of roof, there are benefits and drawbacks to choosing a metal roof for your home. Given that a metal roof ranks highly in both cost and durability, you probably won’t be replacing it once you’ve had it installed, so if you’re going to consider metal roofing, you really need to be sure about whether it’s right for you. Here are a few of the biggest pluses and minuses that come with a metal roof!
Pro: Durability and Maintenance
If you’re looking to buy your last roof and you know that you’re going to be staying in your home for years to come, it’s hard to beat the long-term durability of a metal roof. Most metal roofs will last 50 years or more, and some materials such as copper can last close to 100 years.
Conversely, if you’re fortunate, you’ll be replacing a roof of asphalt shingles at around the 20-year mark. If you’re not so fortunate, you could end up buying a new asphalt-shingled roof three different times in the lifespan of one metal roof.
If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t really enjoy the idea of DIY work, metal roofing is a really good choice for your Treasure Valley home. That’s because the maintenance work on a metal roof is virtually non-existent, especially compared to a traditional asphalt shingle roof. Contrary to popular belief, metal roofs actually don’t attract lightning, so you don’t have to worry about damage to your roof from a storm.
On the other hand, shingles on an asphalt roof can get damaged by wind, rain, moss, animals and other natural occurrences. If a shingle gets damaged, you’ve got to replace it right away so that further damage doesn’t occur. With metal roofs, you don’t have that issue, as the metal is a lot more durable and won’t corrode in the face of Boise, Idaho’s weather.
Con: The High Costs
If you’re going to consider metal roofing, you really want to make sure that you’re going to be in your home for many years to come. That’s because metal roofs cost more than twice the amount that traditional shingle roofs do, which means you’ve got a really high up-front cost to opt for metal.
Now, if you’re certain that you’re going to be in your home for 20 years or more barring some unseen hardship, the costs really shouldn’t bother you. But if you don’t plan to live in your Treasure Valley home for at least the next 15 years, you should really think twice about opting for a metal roof.
That’s because if you’re likely to move before that length of time, it’s the next owner who will be reaping the benefits of your expensive roof. Metal roofs do provide an increase in your home’s value, but the benefits aren’t quite enough to offset the high starting cost if you don’t spend at least 20 years in your home taking advantage of the durability and lack of maintenance.
Pro: Snow Protection
If you’ve spent much of your life in Boise, Idaho, you’re well aware by now of how much it snows in the Treasure Valley and elsewhere in the Gem State. Metal roofing is a great way to defend against snow buildup because it’s a slippery surface, making it very difficult for snow to actually stick to the roof.
But how can that be, if metal gets frozen in the cold temperatures of winter? Well, your metal roof isn’t just sitting there exposed to the elements when temperatures start to drop in the Treasure Valley. Unlike a light post or stop sign, your metal roof is receiving a source of heat from underneath from your home, making it more difficult for metal to stick to the roof.
Plus, if you’ve opted for a darker metal for your roof, it’s going to heat up quicker than other parts of the home because metal is one of the best conductors of heat. As your roof warms up, any snow that did manage to stick will end up melting fairly quickly.
Con: The Sound of Rain
Rain damage isn’t a worry when you’ve got a metal roof. The noise that comes from rain hitting your roof, on the other hand, can be a disaster if you’re trying to rest. Rain on your roof means that you’re going to be living with a lot of sound, even if your home has been properly insulated.
With little in the way of sound protection from a metal roof, you’re going to have decide whether the durability you’ll get over the next two decades is worth the lack of peace and quiet whenever the skies open up above Boise, Idaho.
Remember, there’s no way to know how a house will handle the elements until you actually move in and experience them for yourself. If you think that you can deal with the loud sound of rain hitting the roof for years to come, metal roofing might be a great choice for you. If you need to have a quiet environment at home in order to get anything done, you might want to think twice about going this route.
Pro: A Cooler, Greener Home
If you’re the type of person who cares about the environment and green energy, opting for a metal roof might be an excellent solution. Having a metal roof can actually help keep your house cooler in the summer, because metal roofs are designed to reflect sunlight away from the roof and spread it elsewhere in the environment.
How does that help your home? Simple: when your home doesn’t have to work as hard at keeping the home cool, your energy usage and energy costs go down. If your roof is actively reflecting sunlight away from your home during the summer in Boise, Idaho, it’s going to take longer for the outside air temperature to heat your home, which gives your HVAC a break. You can even install solar panels on your roof, as metal’s the best choice to support a panel.
In practice, that means that you’d both be reducing the amount of energy you use and saving money on your monthly electric bills. Furthermore, when the time does come to replace the old metal roof, you, or more likely, the person you sell the house to when you decide it’s time to move, can have the roof recycled. That’s definitely a win-win-win situation, especially when you consider that asphalt shingles have little to no use in recycling.
Con: Specialized Repairs
Earlier in this piece, you saw that metal roofing makes a great choice if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t really like doing your own repairs and maintenance work. On the other side of the coin, if you’re the kind of person who really enjoys DIY work, a metal roof might not be your best choice.
That’s because metal roofs require specialized fixes by a professional roofer in order to maintain the integrity of the roof. If you’ve got a traditional asphalt shingle roof and you notice that a shingle or two has been damaged, you can sometimes get away with nailing in a new shingle to replace it.
That doesn’t work with a metal roof. You’ve got to make sure that you get the right metal (for instance, you can’t combine steel and copper) hammered out to the exact dimensions needed to seamlessly replace the roof. Even if you do attain that metal, it’s then got to be put in place in such a way that the structure isn’t compromised on your Boise, Idaho home. Unless you’ve had specific training as a roofer, that’s not going to happen without the work of a trained professional.
Pro: They’re Light and Versatile
If you ask an experienced roofing contractor, they’ll likely tell you they greatly enjoy metal roofing because it’s both lightweight and easy to customize. Metal roofs might require a trained professional to install and repair, but if you do know what you’re doing with a metal roof, the possibilities are endless.
That’s because metal roofing panels can be cut in order to create the exact roof that a customer wanted. If you’ve got a vision in place for the perfect roof, chances are that the right contractor can make it a reality as long as it’s made out of metal.
Whether you choose metal roofing, an asphalt shingle roof or another type of roof for your home in Boise, Idaho or elsewhere in the Treasure Valley, trust My Signature Roofing to install it properly. Our team has the ability to install any kind of roof for Treasure Valley homes and can make sure you get a roof that can stand up to both the heat of a Boise summer and the snow of an Idaho winter. Contact us today to get assistance!
