Metal Roofing Contractors
Metal Roofs are a growing trend in construction today. With a variety of new styles and designs, they have become more modern yet maintained a very traditional look.Metal roof origins
Metal roofs have been around for centuries. Take The Washington Monument…metal roof. In many cases, the original metal roof is the sole distinctive characteristic of a famous old building. In the late 1700s, zinc, copper and lead were the metals of choice for roofing and were available in all well-established cities. However, only the very rich could afford them due to the high cost of hand-worked materials. With today's technology, less man power is needed and metal roofs are much more affordable.
Advantages of metal roofs
The benefits of a metal roof are many. They are guaranteed for life that you will never have to replace them. A metal roof only helps with the resale value of a house. They are fire resistant, moss resistant, rot resistant and vermin resistant. They can also be very environmentally friendly since many are installed over existing roofs and therefore have no disposal costs.
One of the main reasons people invest in a metal roof is for severe weather. In heavy snow storms, metal roofs reflect heat and melt the ice and snow. Because of their standing seams, in high winds they are fine. They offer high strength to low weight ratio and will not lose impact with age. For people concerned about money (and we all are) metal roofs are energy efficient and homeowners have reported a savings of 20% in their utility bills. This is because metal reflects heat and blocks heat transfer.
Contractors and what they can do for you
What they can do for you is offer you choice after choice after choice for your roof.
Aesthetics:
Roof types include flat, gable, gambrel, hipped, mansard, shed and butterfly roof, all varying depending on pitch and plane.
Metal roofs can also be made to look like wood shakes, clay tiles or shingles. Contractors press the steal into individual realistic shapes. Though they look like individual tiles, these are actually large interlocking sheets that fit together quickly and easily.
Materials:
Galvanized steel is the most common metal choice for roofing. It is affordable and has great structural capabilities. In this process, plain steel is coated with pure zinc for corrosion protection.
Galvalume steel combines coatings of both aluminum and zinc which joins the anti-corrosion properties of zinc with the barrier protection of aluminum.
Aluminum is an affordable choice, very lightweight and because of its excellent corrosion resistance, it is idea for coastal environments.
Copper has a life expectancy of a century and is very resistant to corrosion. It is also very costly and installation can be more intricate.
Contractors will generally recommend factory painting as it produces a high quality finish and lasts longer.