It is difficult to overlook the rising popularity of metal roofs in the home improvement and most importantly, among homeowners. With asphalt shingles slowly losing favor among homeowners due to their short-life span and overall demanding upkeep, many homeowners are turning to metal roofs as the alternative roofing solution for their homes. And why shouldn’t they make the change? When it comes to picking the right roof to fend off aggressive natural elements and weather conditions, metal roofs come out on top over asphalt shingles in several categories, including durability, energy efficiency, cosmetic appeal, and eco-friendliness.

Longevity and Durability

The roof over your head is arguably the most important exterior surface of your home. A beautiful and durable roof not only adds character to your architectural design, but also protects you and your precious personal assets from suffering assault from the sun and the rain. While the average composition roof generally lasts less than fifteen years, metal roofs are considered a roof for a lifetime. Unlike asphalt shingles that do not fare well in extreme weather and are known to suffer wear, rip, and other deteriorations that warrant regular repair and frequent replacement, metal roofs are made of strong and lightweight aluminum or steel strips. These metallic and malleable contents then create a durable metal roof that can withstand even the heaviest wind and hailstorm.

Energy Efficiency

Metal roofing is naturally a cool roof. Recognized by the Cool Roof Rating Council (CRRC) for its strong solar reflectance and thermal emissivity, metal roofs will prevent heat from escaping your home and give your energy bill a maximum reduction of 40%. However, most composition shingles are energy inefficient and known for trapping and transferring heat into the home. The very few cool asphalt roofs that have been approved by the CRRC do not offer a generous amount of color selections. Most homeowners find the approved colors for cool asphalt roofs light and unattractive. As a result, many have turned to metal roofing for its customization flexibility and freedom.

Cosmetic Appeal

An ugly or poorly maintained roof can be a hard sale. Composition shingles simply do not add the character a metal roof does to a home. While a versatile metal roof can add charm and character to many different styles of homes, composition shingles lack the flexibility to emulate or highlight every architectural style. However, with dozens of colors, styles, and shapes to choose from, a metal roof not only offers a cosmetically pleasing outlook to your overall home design, but can also mimic the look and texture of various tiles to fit your personal taste.

Eco-Friendliness

When re-roofing a home there is a massive amount of material that gets thrown away. Because composition roofing is made of asphalt shingles, they are often ripped and torn in the re-roofing process. As a result, there are very little ways to reuse or recycle composition shingles. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “an estimated 11 million tons of waste shingles are generated every year in the United States.” In contrast to the excessive amount of landfill waste, the long service of metal roofs in itself can already reduce unnecessary waste by an impressive amount. Even better, metal roofs are made of 100% recyclable content and can be easily recycled and reused in many other ways.

Metal roofs outlast and outshine composition roofing in every way. While the initial cost may be slightly more than installing asphalt roofing, purchasing a metal roof is an investment you will not regret. As it was once explained, “You’ll always pay more for metal, but you’ll save on replacement and maintenance costs.”