Metal Roof: Recommendations or Regrets

[wildtmpckjzg]

With perhaps 10 years or less before an early retirement, my wife and I have been chatting about what home projects we might want to do while we're still employed. 

If/when the roof needs repairs or portions replaced, I was wondering what members of this forum could share about metal roofs. If you got one, do you like it or regret it? Or did you do the math and figure the ROI simply wasn't there? 

FYI, we live in a northern location, USDA hardiness zone 5a on the map, though summers are warm/hot. My understanding is, as long as things are installed properly, a metal roof will last longer -- potentially outlive us -- and can offer some energy efficiency in the summer months. 

In addition, I understand these can be pricey. Still I see a number of metal roofs in the nearby neighborhoods, though don't personally know anyone who made the choice to install one. Any impressions are welcome.

[wildtmpckjzg]

With perhaps 10 years or less before an early retirement, my wife and I have been chatting about what home projects we might want to do while we're still employed.

If/when the roof needs repairs or portions replaced, I was wondering what members of this forum could share about metal roofs. If you got one, do you like it or regret it? Or did you do the math and figure the ROI simply wasn't there?

FYI, we live in a northern location, USDA hardiness zone 5a on the map, though summers are warm/hot. My understanding is, as long as things are installed properly, a metal roof will last longer -- potentially outlive us -- and can offer some energy efficiency in the summer months.

In addition, I understand these can be pricey. Still I see a number of metal roofs in the nearby neighborhoods, though don't personally know anyone who made the choice to install one. Any impressions are welcome.

should i go to this roof repair falls church

thanks in advance for any help

[Southside]

Go with a standing seam roof and you will never regret it. Pricy, but absolutely worth it.  

[peakbagger]

I live in NH, my next roof will be hidden fastener metal roof. I am far less of a fan of less expensive exposed fastener roofs as the neoprene gaskets used on the fasteners eventually need to be replaced. One thing to consider is your age and plans for the house. If you plan to have it in the family "forever" than go metal but if you are only going to be there for 20 years, shingle roofs with ice and water shield underneath will easily last 20 to 30 years with lower initial cost. 

That said, there are design considerations, every penetration is a potential leak spot. Ideally vent pipes and chimneys should leave the roof at or near the ridgepole. Most folks are stuck with location of the chimney, but vents can usually be relocated under the roof to come out near the ridge. Chimneys will need a "cricket" above the chimney to split and divert any snow sliding down the roof, in some cases if the chimney is relatively low on the roof a splitter may need to be installed high up on the roof. I have seen vents pipes sheared off and double walled chimney bent and ripped out by snow.  

All the regional roof contractors that have been around for a while strip the underlying roof and install ice and water shield rated for metal roofing. Its usually called high temperature ice and water shield (the regular stuff can melt and flow). If a metal roof leaks, usually near flashed in penetrations, its impossible to find a leak but with ice and water shield underneath its going to flow out to the edge of the roof. IMHO Slapping down strapping on top of an existing shingle roof and then attaching the metal roofing to the strapping is an invitation for a future impossible to find roof leak. 

The other big issue is snow and ice siding off the roof. It is dangerous, people have been seriously hurt and killed by snow sliding off roofs. Snow brakes can be installed to break up and hold the snow but it needs to be planned for. Landscaping can take a beating on the downslope of the roof. Most roofs are not designed to carry a lot of snow on the roof, so if snow brakes are needed on an existing older structure, an structural engineer may need to review the roof. 

[Larry]

I had a real standing seam put on a house I built more than 30 years ago.  At the time it was the most expensive roof that could be put on a house, even more than clay tile.  I had zero regrets and no problems.  Got lots of favorable comments about the roof.  I no longer own the house but the roof is still in place and looks good.

I've had good luck with conventional corrugated steel screwed down on outbuildings so decided to try it on the last house I built.  I was concerned about the screws holding in OSB but the manufacture assured me they would work well.  Well, they didn't, the screws backed out.  The manufacture said the installer over torqued them and of course the installer said they were torqued properly.  About 3 years ago I had all the screws replaced with what is called a "rescue screw".  Basically just a larger diameter screw.  So far no problems.

If I were to put corrugated on another house, I would consider a different installation method.  Probably furring strips on top of the OSB.

[scsmith42]

Standing seam is definately the way to go for a home.

For barns, screw on is ok but be aware if you use longer lengths (30'+) the repeated expansion/contraction from the sun heating up the sheets will eventually work the screws loose.

[Tom King]

I used to fix leaking metal roofs.  They were always exposed fastener roofs, and most not very old.  I didn't really want to do it, but somehow developed a reputation for doing it around here.  I charged $150 an hour for my time, plus whatever helpers I had at the time with a minimum of 4 hours because the day was done after I'd been on one of those roofs. People got mad at me, not for what I charged, but for not being able to come fix theirs because I was too busy doing other stuff.

I quit doing that several years ago for various reasons, and still have someone pull up in our driveway to ask me to.

Long story short, I won't put an exposed fastener roof on anything.  We have standing seam on any new roof here, including our chicken coop.  

I have a how-to somewhere on these forums with pictures.  You didn't say where you are, but we have a very reasonable metal roller here that I buy direct from.  They're in South Hill, Va.

[Old Greenhorn]

I don't know much about metal roofs, but I learned a bit more this summer. My buddy Bill is adding on (doubling) his large shop building. It's a 5 year project. This summer he got the roof decked and the roof wrap down. It was a while before anything else happened and I asked about it. He had a fellow contractor who did rooves and was buying a portable on-site rolling machine for making standing seam. Bill bought a roll of the material he wanted to use and when the guy finally got his machine, he used Bill's job as a test site to learn how to set it up and get it working. So there was a bit of 'messing around time' figuring it all out, getting the rollers to all run right and put the bends in the way they should be. It's not as easy as it looks and Bills roof was something like 20' from the peak to the eave, so those were long pieces to roll out and cut. I am guessing 16-20 squares. As it was a 'first time ever' job, tables had to be made for the roll out and stuff had to be made to get the sections up on the roof without damage. Once that was figured out, things moved along. They put about a full day in messing around and got a handful of sheets layed up on the roof and I thought it was going to be a long job at that rate. The second day they did the whole job in no time, leaving only one valley that needed some framing adjustments, which they came back and finished 2 weeks later when the carpenter did his thing. It is a beautiful roof with no joints or overlaps. Continuous material from the peak down and no visible fasteners. It should last a very very long time. When they can fabricate material on site things come out SO MUCH nicer and goes up a lot faster. That standing seam is the way to go in my book.

[Joe Hillmann]

If you do go with a metal roof, be sure to put down 1x4 or 2x4 strips for screwing into.  Make sure the strips are attached well to the rafters and not just to the roof deck.

Metal roofs screwed to osb or plywood wont last long.  Osb only gives a half inch length for the screws to grip on.  And osb holds screws worse than wood.

If you put down 1x strips you have 3/4" of grip in solid wood and 1/2" grip in the osb below.  If you go with 2x strips you have even more.

5 or 6 years ago I talked about putting pole barn steel on my house, everyone I mentioned it to said it was ugly and not to do it.  Now it is very common, even in new home construction to put barn steel on homes.

[firefighter ontheside]

I wouldn't recommend the exposed screw barn metal that I have on my house for a house.  I have problems with the screws backing out, but thanks to this thread I just ordered some larger screws to put back in.  Hopefully those will hold for a while.  It wouldn't be so bad if my roof wasn't so steep.  I cannot walk on my roof.  At the time that I put it on my roof 23 years ago it was really cheap.  I think I paid about $2000 for the whole roof and installed it myself.  I shudder to think what it will cost to replace.

[Ianab]

If you do go with a metal roof, be sure to put down 1x4 or 2x4 strips for screwing into.  Make sure the strips are attached well to the rafters and not just to the roof deck

While climate and construction seems a bit different here in NZ, steel roofing is the most common. Usual construction would be the rafters, with 2x3 purlins running horizontal along the roof to support the steel. Then light wire netting to support a vapour barrier (building paper), and the iron screwed to that.  Insulation is then fitted at the ceiling level. I can see why you wouldn't want to do that in a really cold climate, but you would still want to the purlins to attach the iron too, even if you had OSB and insulation under them, 

Another thing to be aware of is the different grades of roofing. Thickness of steel and the various coatings. High wind areas may call for heavier gauge, and different coatings (more zinc) to resist the salt in coastal areas. Then you get into the whole science of the fasteners.

[Don P]

Read the directions for whatever type of roof you decide to go with. Standing seam usually calls for a solid deck. I think with any metal they call for 5/8" or thicker, some specify no oak (tannins).

[Crusarius]

I recently did my roof with normal corrugated screw through steel. So far I am very happy with it. it fixed all of my leaks and ice dams. 

here is what I did. The shingles were still good enough to not strip. So, I left them. 

The next step was a multi step process. I purchased some foil bubble insulation and a bundle of 1x3 furring strips.

I started at the bottom of the roof by placing a single strip of furring strips. then I placed a second strip 24" up. Next step was to take the 48" wide roll of insulation and stretch it across the roof and staple it on top of the 2 furring strips.

The next furring strip was installed on top of the foil 24" above the other one to hold it down and also create a ramp for water to flow over the lower furring strips. So, the way the insulation went down was the same way you would lay shingles on the roof. The main reason I did this was because I am usually opposed to furring strips but in order to appease my assistant (father) I had to use furring strips. So the insulation was under one furring strip and over the other two. This continued for the entire 31' of roof.

So the reason I do not like furring strips is because they would create a spot for any water / condensation that ended up under the steel to collect and rot the roof materials. So, by doing the foil insulation the way I did it stops the excess heat buildup from the dark green and creates a continuous ramp so there is no place for water to collect.

one final note. I put the screw in the ribs so when they do start to back out which they will they do not create leaks.

The reason I went steel is because I had very bad ice dams and the only way to fix it was steel. Would I do it again? Maybe. My only real gripe is the pitch of the roof and the slick steel. I no longer go up there unless I really have to. And I always have a safety line. It is crazy slippery even when dry.

[Stephen1]

I put  corrugated steel on my Cabin. It's what I could afford. The salesman, an old crusty guy, told me to strap it 2 ways to allow it to breath. I strapped it up and down @ 24" and then across every 24" using 2x3. I also was told to use tyvek roof wrap, but since all I had was house wrap . Put that down first, thinking if any leaks or condensation it would run down the tyvek which is supposed to allow the moisture out of the roof and prevent the moisture from entering the roof, it would just run down and out. 
 My roof is sips which he was not a fan of. He had replaced too many steel roofs rusted from placing the steel directly on the osb. I checked the some of the screws this year and still seem to holding and have not backed out. We installed the roof about 20 years ago now. (I think) 

[Tom King]

You can get the standing seam panels formed in heavier gauge for purlins, and have reinforcing ribs in the fields if you like.  I like the more traditional look of the plain flat panels better though.  The heavier gauge steel is a _______ to form the lower edge with, but is doable.

When I install it, I roll down synthetic roofing paper from the top down, one run at the time, and don't put fasteners anywhere but right at the top to keep it from sliding down.  Even the little cap nails can telegraph through the metal to show on the top if you step on one, which you can't help but doing.

Two panels can fit over the rolled down paper.  You just have to be aware of where you step while installing, but the area is covered so fast that it's not hard at all to do.  After you get the first screw in a panel you can walk on it to run in the other screws.

All the installation time comes in forming the lower edge and installing the cap which is a lot more complicated than just screwing a cap over the exposed fastener panels.

We have several exposed fastener roofs here, from a few decades ago.  I have been over all of those and replaced all the fasteners with larger stainless steel ones.  You can get the stainless screws in a bunch of different sizes and lengths.

For holes in exposed fastener roofs where a screw missed something underneath or was stripped out (a common problem with inexperienced installers using an 18v impact driver), if a larger screw won't catch something, I use a stainless steel pop rivet through a stainless washer with EPDM gasket like the screws have to take car of the hole or leaking screw not holding onto anything.  It takes a heavy pop riveter to pop a stainless steel rivet.

It's worth looking at Prodex insulation rolls to put under any exposed metal.  It's really not that expensive.

The main reason it costs so much more than regular ribbed panels for exposed fasteners is in the packing and shipping required.  The ribbed panels can just be stacked one on top of the other.  The standing seam panels are stacked rib to rib every two panels with foam sheets stripped between them so they don't scratch each other, and then a simple 2x4 open "crate" built around every dozen or so.  It takes a Lot more room to ship them.  For instance one standing seam roof I put on a complicated house roof required three trips with my gooseneck trailer, whereas it would have taken only one for them to put a stack of ribbed panels on one load with much other room left over.

The metal itself doesn't really cost more.  It's the same stuff, just roll-formed differently.

[GAB]

I've heard it said that the standing seam roofing is best for adding solar panels.
I can't speak from experience.
GAB

[Ljohnsaw]

 :P I'll be by doing my roof next year.

[Joe Diederichs]

If you don't put up snow rail or snow guards to hold the snow on the roof, then snow on the roof will slide off. It happens at the oddest times, sounds like a freight train, and can bury anyone or anything within five feet of the edge if the roof holds a lot of snow. I love the metal roof on my house, but I respect it's personal space in winter.

[Walnut Beast]

Everything everybody says about the exposed screws along with the tin that's overlapped can have big issues if not properly installed from heavy rain and side rains. 

[wildtmpckjzg]

I live in NH, my next roof will be hidden fastener metal roof. I am far less of a fan of less expensive exposed fastener roofs as the neoprene gaskets used on the fasteners eventually need to be replaced. One thing to consider is your age and plans for the house. If you plan to have it in the family "forever" than go metal but if you are only going to be there for 20 years, shingle roofs with ice and water shield underneath will easily last 20 to 30 years with lower initial cost.

That said, there are design considerations, every penetration is a potential leak spot. Ideally vent pipes and chimneys should leave the roof at or near the ridgepole. Most folks are stuck with location of the chimney, but vents can usually be relocated under the roof to come out near the ridge. Chimneys will need a "cricket" above the chimney to split and divert any snow sliding down the roof, in some cases if the chimney is relatively low on the roof a splitter may need to be installed high up on the roof. I have seen vents pipes sheared off and double walled chimney bent and ripped out by snow.  

All the regional roof contractors that have been around for a while strip the underlying roof and install ice and water shield rated for metal roofing. Its usually called high temperature ice and water shield (the regular stuff can melt and flow). If a metal roof leaks, usually near flashed in penetrations, its impossible to find a leak but with ice and water shield underneath its going to flow out to the edge of the roof. IMHO Slapping down strapping on top of an existing shingle roof and then attaching the metal roofing to the strapping is an invitation for a future impossible to find roof leak.

The other big issue is snow and ice siding off the roof. It is dangerous, people have been seriously hurt and killed by snow sliding off roofs. Snow brakes can be installed to break up and hold the snow but it needs to be planned for roofing falls church va. Landscaping can take a beating on the downslope of the roof. Most roofs are not designed to carry a lot of snow on the roof, so if snow brakes are needed on an existing older structure, an structural engineer may need to review the roof.

thank you so much for such suggestion

[mike dee]

In colder climates you will get condensation under the steel roof, especially in spring time.

Put a continuous water barrier fabric/membrane under the steel roof and save yourself future grief