Metal Roofing

Long Life = Low Resource Requirements

Metal roofs are one of the most ecologically conscious choices of building materials available today. If you purchase the right materials and your roof is installed by a qualified professional, it’s bound to last long and require little in the way of maintenance. A longer-lasting roof and a small amount of upkeep means you won’t need to spend a lot of money on constantly replacing metal sheeting or tile; nor will you need to put a lot of effort and resources into keeping your metal roof as good as new.

This also makes it one of the best roofing materials available. Install and you’re set for quite a while – with no replacing, fixer upping, and hardly any upkeep. This means that you’re reducing the resources you use and minimizing your carbon footprint as well. Here’s how you can ensure optimal life for your metal roof:

Choosing the Right Materials

In this day and age, rust is hardly a factor in the maintenance or lifespan of metal roofing. Of course, the base material is only as good as what protects it. A strong galvanized overcoat on the metal tiles or sheeting you use should render the roof rust-free. G90, a galvanized coating, is essentially a layer of melted zinc applied onto the steel directly.

This popular coating option protects said material from corrosion and your roof from premature deterioration. Buildings or residences near the ocean should consider metal roofing made from a steel/aluminum/zinc alloy called galvalume. Industrial roofs in areas with possibility of acid rain need a coating of zinc, aluminum, or copper to stay in tip-top shape. With these coatings and the material’s natural impact resistance, your roof should last a long time.

Low Maintenance = Easy Upkeep

This kind of material also needs very little attention compared to other modern roofing options. Sloping roofs hardly accumulate precipitation as the angle sloughs rain or snow right off. The coatings also give the metal roof the ability to withstand the elements and prevent any seepage. The tight molecular bonding of the coating helps to accomplish this.

What this means is that metal roof maintenance, on the average, only needs to occur twice a year at most. Checking in the springtime for snow and ice damage and in the summer for the stability of the fastenings is recommended. Note that this is erring on the side of caution; steel withstands extreme heat and hurricane-level winds. In earthquake-prone locales, the superb ratio of strength to weight inherent in the material means any agitation of the structure places little stress onto the roof itself and the structure it protects.

Metal roofing is a prime choice for a building material. On top of the advantages that have been mentioned here, you can extend the environment-friendly factor of your roof, too. Less use of natural resources, lower utility bills, and reduced energy use are just a few other things that make this material an eco-conscious and practical option.

Look for Part 3 – coming soon, where we will talk more about the environmental advantages and others of metal roofing.