Residential Metal Roof

[bgilbert]

Looks like I'm finally gonna spend some coin on a badly needed roof. I like the looks of metal roofs and turns out it will be cheaper to put the metal on top of my old roofing than to do a complete tear off and re-deck. Which is what my old house needs, it has two layers of shingles on it. For those of you with metal roofs, is there anything I need to worry about or the like? Comments? Oh and I'm thinking RED.. to be different than everyone's green!

[RumbleFish]

I don't know much about them, but I have the same plan

[fatty]

They are pretty loud in a heavy rain. Two layers of old roofing underneath it might dampen the noise quite a bit though.

[dazedandconfused]

They are pretty loud in a heavy rain. Two layers of old roofing underneath it might dampen the noise quite a bit though.

Thats the best part though.

[1STGENFARMBOY]

I don't really see a down side Bill, except you can't walk on the roof as easy.

i know i will never lay another shingle, metal all the way for me.

Dar

[bgilbert]

RIchie I don't get much higher than the deck of my class 8 truck. I won't be climbing on the roof! I'll be leaving it to the experts. Although I don't like paying them! lol

[ellis93]

I have no decking under my tin and don't hear a thing till a very heavy rain. My roof is on a 6/12 pitch,no I can't walk on it.
If I can I'd like to offer some advice, DO NOT put 29 gauge tin on your house. If you think about it wrong it'll bend/kink. 26gauge or thicker is the only way to go

[PToombs]

Bill, just make sure they know it has 2 layers already so they use long enough nails or screws to hold the perloins down. If they are experienced and reputable they'll know anyways.

[JD91]

well sir i happen to own a metal roofing company. i dont suggest you leave your old roof on

1 metal is a "cool roof" and leaving your old shingles on will create an oven effect cause when the shingles get hot they stay hot for a long time and will raise you electric bill

2 thats a lot of weight

http://jdmetalroofing.com/

[ellis93]

metal is a "cool roof"

Can you explain this more please. Kinda confusing to me because I've been on tin roofs and there's nothing "cool" about them when in the sun.

and leaving your old shingles on will create an oven effect cause when the shingles get hot they stay hot for a long time and will raise you electric bill

Not my families experience. Power bills actually stayed the same or lowered.
Whenever my moms house was shingles you couldn't stand it in the attach in the summer,now days its still hot but at least you can breath up there. Before it felt as if you had to gasp for air on the 100plus degree days.

I've been told that the gap between the tin and the old roofing would act as an insulator because the eves of the tin was left open and allowed air to flow from ridge cap down toward the eves. I've seen the foam strips used to seal the ends and ridge,not allowing air to circulate, could that be causing the "oven" effect?

[JD91]

@ellis93 the metal is a cool roof because when the sun goes down or random patch of clouds go over your roof the metal will cool down super quick compared to shingles. shingles are a protroleum/asphault product and retain heat and will stay hot when the suns down keeping your AC running longer to cool the house



and the oven effect comes from when the shingles get hot it keeps the heat in under the metal and doesnt allow the metal to cool

and i dont put foam strips on my roofs i cut the ridge line 2.5 inches and use a vented z bar that allows the house to breathe and let out hot

[meby]

Bill, I would have to agree with JD91 about removing the shingles before putting on the metal. Shingles have a lot of thermal mass keeping them hot for a long time after the sun goes away. If you do have them remove the old shingles, make sure they put down a vapor barrier before putting the metal on. When I worked for my dad, we would most often use a reflective foil. As an added benefit, it will help keep your roof (and house) cooler. If you leave the shingles on, make sure they put something between the metal and the shingles to keep the grit from wearing off the paint on the underside (like putting down some flat 2x4's first.

As far as color is concerned, roofs are like cars, the darker the color the hotter it is. Your far enough south you'll probably want to stay with a lighter color. Also, reds in general tend to fade faster than other colors.

29 gauge is pretty standard for thickness, at least it was when my dad used to sell and install when I was a teen. Some of the cheapo places like Menards have paper thin 30 gauge stuff. I'd say my favorite stuff was 28 gauge: thick enough to not crinkle if you step on a rib. The 26 gauge I used on one roof recently was just a pain in the butt to cut.

Oh, I kinda like the noise the rain makes on the roof. Its not very loud unless its absolutely dumping buckets.

[JD91]

about 98% of my standing seam roofs are 24 gauge

[KTA]

I like the way jd91 talks. I agree the old roof has to go! I also wouldn't want anything less than a 26ga roof ever and preferably thicker. It would take nothing to pull fasteners through a sheet of 28ga or thinner like tearing toilet paper. Around here at least all our roofs are wiped out by wind damage. I prefer eve vents to ridge vents though. Especialy since I can get ones I can open and close with the seasons. In the summertime I want to let the heat out, but in the winter I will keep all of it in I can!! That and the ridge vents on my garage always seem to get wind damaged.

[PToombs]

I think Bill is going to move on his roof soon.
For those that don't have Facebook, he had a bird fly in the house the other day and it scared the siht outta him.