Do you need a new roof and are currently weighing your options? There are many different roofing materials on the market and it’s smart to thoroughly research the pros and cons of each. You may have heard about the many benefits of metal roofs, but they aren’t a perfect solution.
At Western States Metal Roofing, we do more than just manufacture and sell metal roofing. We also continuously create content to keep you informed about everything involved with metal roofing. We’ve already written an article about all the advantages of a metal roof. But where there’s good news, there’s also bad news.
You might think we’re crazy to point out the negatives associated with our own products. We want to make sure you get the whole picture before you either choose, or decide against, metal roofing.
In this article, we’re going to go over the disadvantages of a metal roof so you can make an informed choice on whether a metal roof is right for you.
Talking about affordability is tricky because what is considered affordable to one person might be really expensive to someone else. However, when compared to other kinds of roofing, metal has a higher price point.
When compared to asphalt shingles, a metal roof can be twice as expensive. There are even variations of cost within the metal roofing category. A standing seam metal roof can be twice as much as a corrugated metal roof.
Let’s breakdown the price ranges:
While a metal roof lasts much longer than shingles, the upfront cost of metal is still the same no matter how long the roof lasts.
In the price estimates mentioned above, we factored in the cost of installation. However, you may see some prices online that are deceiving because they only represent the price of the material. You have to remember to consider installation cost as well.
Since a metal roof installation is more complex and time consuming than an asphalt shingle installation, it’s going to cost more as well.
If you are using a painted metal panel, then at some point you’ll be dealing with fading and chalking.
Fading refers to the visible loss of the color of the paint over time.
Chalking is when the appearance of a powdery substance forms on the surface of a coating.
Both of these issues result directly from the chemical breakdown of a coating’s base resins and pigments caused by UV rays and exposure to the elements. They are unavoidable when dealing with painted metal. However, the type of paint system you choose may help delay how long it takes for fading and chalking to occur.
The two main types of paint systems are SMP and PVDF. PVDF, the more expensive of the two, can last longer and keep its original appearance before showing signs of color fading.
For more on the differences between SMP and PVDF, we suggest reading:
Best Paint For My Metal Roof Panels: SMP Paint v PVDF
Another unfortunate byproduct of metal roofing is oil canning. Oil canning is a cosmetic deformation, observed as waves or wrinkles, in the flat areas of metal roofing and metal siding panels.
Similar to fading and chalking, oil canning is solely a cosmetic issue and therefore doesn’t affect the functionality of the roof. It’s more prevalent with standing seam, if you have a corrugated metal roof it will not be an issue. Oil canning isn’t grounds for panel rejection. But, it’s still unwanted and unavoidable with metal.
There are a lot of reasons that oil canning can occur. One of the major ones is that metal naturally expands and contracts. When a metal roof is installed, the panels are restricted from being able to move when they are double pinned at the edges. This stress on the metal’s inability to expand and contract results in oil canning.
Uneven structures and the underlayment not being flat will also contribute to oil canning.
For more information on oil canning and why it occurs, we suggest reading:
What is Oil Canning? Causes + Solutions For A Common Metal Roof Problem
Let’s start this section off with a gentle reminder that, no matter what roofing material you choose, all roofing requires inspections and maintenance.
With metal roofing, having regular inspections is vital to the roof’s longevity. A simple inspection could detect a small problem that, if resolved, can prevent a larger problem from forming.
Problems- like what?
Well, there are metal roofs that have exposed fasteners, or screws. Since metal expands and contracts as we mentioned earlier, sometimes this natural movement causes the fasteners to break or become loose. If they break, they need to be replaced. If they become loose, they need to be tightened.
Loose fasteners are a simple fix but when not tended to, they can cause big problems. They can create extra space for water to get in that can cause leaks, resulting in damage to your roof or even inside your home.
All of that can be avoided by keeping up with inspections. There is also metal roofing where the fasteners are not exposed, which eliminates the issues with fasteners. These roofs (standing seam) still need to be inspected for other issues though.
Inspections are one very important part of metal roof maintenance, but they are not the only component. There are other actions you’ll need to take to upkeep your roof.
To learn more about how to properly maintain a metal roof, we suggest reading:
Maintaining Your Metal Roof: 6 Steps You Need To Be Taking
It’s up to you to decide if the downfalls we’ve discussed are deal breakers on buying a metal roof.
Keep in mind that a metal roof can last over 50 years. While it is more expensive than other roofing, it will also bring more value by lasting longer. If you plan on being in your home for many years, this will be a major benefit. If you don’t, the lifetime of the roof may not be as important to you.
This article was only about the disadvantages that are true. You may have heard some negative things about metal roofing that aren’t mentioned in this article. It’s important to discuss those as well so you can make your buying decision based on true facts only.
Continue on to learn what common rumors about metal roofing are false by reading:
Debunking The 4 Biggest Myths About Metal Roofs