# Steel roof -- worth it?



## gardner (Feb 13, 2014)

I need a new roof and I am considering a steel one. There's some things that I like about steel:

-- it lasts a really long time -- at least 3X fibre shingles
-- they shed/reflect heat in the summer better than shingles
-- I can get a light colour for even better heat reflection

The cost is high though -- in my case the estimates are in the range of 3%-5% of the value of my house.

Has anyone worked out the economics of steel roofing?


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## RCB (Jan 11, 2014)

gardner said:


> I need a new roof and I am considering a steel one. There's some things that I like about steel:
> 
> -- it lasts a really long time -- at least 3X fibre shingles
> -- they shed/reflect heat in the summer better than shingles
> ...


We've been looking into it as we've purchased a 70s bungalow that we are adding on to. The current roof is basic steel, ribs running down from ridge to eaves. Upon pricing it my husband found the less "artistic" ribbed steel roofing is comparable to shingles. I believe it is the labour which is expensive. Some of the fancier panels require strapping to attach to, causing more installation labour.

I find the downward, ribbed panels excellent for Canada as it kicks snow and melt of the roof well. Our current home has shingles, and we have ice dam issues, even after adding a second roof for air space years ago.


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## Rusty O'Toole (Feb 1, 2012)

Steel roof costs twice as much as a shingle roof but lasts 5 times longer. If you paint it every 20 years it will last forever. I know houses that are over 100 years old, the steel roof is still good because it was regularly painted.

It is a no brainer IF you plan to keep the house 10 years or more. If not then don't waste your money because it won't add to the value of the house.


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## twa2w (Mar 5, 2016)

How long do you plan on being in the house. If you put on a nice metal shingle you may recover some of the additional money spent but not a lot. Metal shingles more closely resemble traditional roofs like slate, shakes etc which people like the appearance of. 
Depending on the type of house and location, if you put on a corrugated type of metal sheet roofing, it may actual detract from the appearance and saleability. It can look industrial depending on the design of the panels and style of the house.
If you are staying in the house a long time, then perhaps you save money in the long run by not having to reroof but you sink the money in upfront. So time value of money

Metal roofs can be noisy in hail or rain but there is an elastomer coating you can apply. They also contract expand more in heat and cold and can creak and moan.

There are other alternatives - recycled rubber roofs, concrete tile, ondura panels etc. The more expensive asphalt shingles are much better than they used to be and last much longer assuming you are not in a hail area.

A new roof is a great time to ensure you have adequate soffit ventilations and adequate roof vents as well as time to consider a ridge vent


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## RCB (Jan 11, 2014)

It doesn't need to cost twice as much as asphalt, it can be faster to install than asphalt, and it most certainly doesn't affect saleability or appearance. Here's an example of the style we have, and are adding.

http://www.idealroofing.ca/english_canada/html/prod_americana.php?type=lw&ct=DFGSDFHSFG14


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

There are huge differences in quality of residential metal roofing...don't buy cheap. Good advice to spend money on over ventilating your roof when you do decide. Membrane your valleys. Continuous 4" ridge vent minimum. Make sure your roof is at least a 3/12 slope. You should expect at least a 30 year warranty including color.
I think 20 year occupancy makes sense for metal maybe less if heavy snows are a problem. It is gonna cost.

Metal roofs can be very noisy...not just in rain but during temperature changes as well. Also they can get dented easy. Make sure you ground the roof properly. Remember steel rusts...better steel is galvanized.

I think the installer is much more important than with shingles...get references...lots.


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## gardner (Feb 13, 2014)

RCB said:


> Here's an example of the style we have, and are adding.


Yeah, that's one I've looked at. It's an exposed fastener system and one that doesn't quite go to the (low) pitch of our roof. We will need one of the hidden-fastener systems that is recommended for a low slope application. 

http://www.idealroofing.ca/english_canada/html/prod_hf.php?type=lw&ct=DFGSDFHSFG14

In our instance the roof has no valleys -- it is just two slopes to the left and right. The pitch is close to the limit for these systems, a shade under 3:12. The actual rooftop is not visible from anywhere on our property and is mostly obstructed from the street also.


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## My Own Advisor (Sep 24, 2012)

I think if you plan to be in the house for >20 more years, after the roof is installed, it's the right call. Excellent for resale. 
http://www.kasselandirons.com/roofing-products/kasselwood-steel-shingles/


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## Eder (Feb 16, 2011)

gardner said:


> The pitch is close to the limit for these systems, a shade under 3:12.


Don't think about it. There are other roofing systems for low slope applications...metal is not one of them.


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## Pkount (Apr 16, 2016)

I certainly agree with Eder...at that pitch I would not recommend metal.


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## Brian K (Jan 29, 2011)

I put a steel roof on my cabin and the garage at the cabin. I did it myself. A few things to be aware of/my observations:
1) The garage roof was strapped over the roof trusses with 2*4's every 2 feet horizontally and no plywood/OSB underneath. The issue to be aware of here is that when you walk on it, you have to step on the strapping, otherwise it could dent a bit. I really like the roof ridge venting. The roofing is about 2-3" from the ridge on both sides and the roof ridge cap goes over that. There was a foam rubber seal available to seal it up, but I installed screening under the vent then put that coarse blue furnace filter material (not fiberglass) along the top to keep stuff out. The screen was installed to hold up the blue filter material and to prevent bugs from getting in. The venting is great and no bugs get in either.
2) On the cabin, I installed it right over the shingles and I really like the way it worked out. I cleaned dirt from the shingle spaces very well before commencing. Now I can step anywhere I want and it is solid. I also cut away about 2" of the roof at the ridge on each side to allow venting and did the same screen/furnace filter under the ridge cap. I also put a bead of clear silicone horizontally below the filter material to stop water from getting blown up into the ridge area then possible into the roof below. No issues yet and it has been a few years. I'm getting significantly better roof venting now too with the ridge vent along the whole top rather than just a couple of roof vents.
3) As mentioned, denting could be an issue if you get hail in your area. 
4) I got the proper sheets of valley material and the rest of the trimming pieces to go around the edges. 
5) We have large spruce trees around the cabin and the needles are much easier to clean off the tin roof than the old asphalt shingles. 
6) I have a galvanized furnace/hot water tank chimney going through the roof and am getting some discoloration of the roof as a result of the chimney being galvanized. Sort of like a chaulky powdery residue. 
7) Pitch was 4/12 but would see no reason why a 3/12 wouldn't work properly but check with the supplier/installer. With no snow dam, the snow would slide right off after building up a bit. 
8) You do have to be aware of snow slides - it just lets go and I'd hate to be under it (closing a door) when it decided to slide off. 

Overall impression - I love the tin roof. It's not really any noisier than before either. In spite of it being tin, I have absolutely no rusting.


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## hboy43 (May 10, 2009)

Hi:

I have a steel roof (galvalume) out here in the country, as do very many people. Way more common than urban centres and it took me years to figure out why. The reason is if there is a forest fire with embers flying everywhere, your house won't go up as easily. Not clear to me if I'd want to be here if the forest was wiped out, so might not be a feature LOL.

hboy43


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## crazyjackcsa (Aug 8, 2010)

We installed a steel roof about 3 years ago. Due to a number of factors including dormers, heights and a couple others, it worked out to being 2.5 times as expensive. We went with a style that mimics the look of shingles are installed in a similar fashion. Strapping was not required.

I had it worked out from a cost perspective, and it was a wash. A long term 40+ amortization vs. inflation on material and labour vs. opportunity cost of the capital outlay difference meant it really didn't matter. I don't know how much of a resale premium there is for a steel roof. I do know that had we needed to finance it, a steel roof works out behind.

The good news. We have a walk up attic with a spare bedroom/storage area. That t room is 10f cooler in the summer than it used to be. We don't have AC so that's a huge difference. Even on the second floor (bedrooms) it's 5f cooler. It takes the edge off for us, and if you had AC it would make a difference on the bills . Main floor sees no cooling benefit.

We are young and plan on living here for the next at least 20 years, with the expectation that there's at least a 50% chance it will be the last home we buy and we'll live here 40+ years. Never having to worry about a leaking roof (which spurred the roof replacement) or blown off shingles is a great feeling.

Downsides. It isn't louder, but the sound is more pronounced. Think of drumming your fingers on a table. Use the pads of your fingers. That's an asphalt shingle roof. Now use your finger nails. That's a steel roof. The sound level is the same, but the fingernails make it more pronounced. My kids's bedrooms are over the covered porch. It is louder in their rooms with a summer rain.

Snow slides off the roof and makes a fair bit of noise. You can hear it slide as a large slab lets go. Also, when it hits the ground, it sounds like somebody is knocking on the door. Standing under it is no fun for adults when it lets go. It is for the kids.

I have a fairly steep pitch, and there's about 25' from the eaves to the ground, so that last one may have more of an effect on me than others.


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## Brian K (Jan 29, 2011)

Interesting that you noticed the attic/spare bedroom is cooler in the summer. Did they provide better venting to allow the roof to breathe better? 

I used to have a bit of mold in the attic because the previous owner put more insulation in the attic and blocked the few vents in the eaves and stopped the venting. When I installed the new metal roof, I also installed metal fascia and soffit with the perforated holes and with the new ridge vent, and spraying the attic with mold killer, the mold is gone so I know I'm now getting better attic breathing.


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## crazyjackcsa (Aug 8, 2010)

The venting is the same. In fact, there is no venting at all. Our house was built before such things were considered. 

We left good enough alone. The temperature difference is due to the reflective nature of roofing material. Asphalt shingles absorb the bulk of the radiant energy from the sun, and steel reflects most of it.


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