jackcynredesign says:

I grew up with a metal roof. My dad had it installed in the early 60's and, as far as I know, it is still going strong today. The only drawback was, as someone mentioned - the snow sliding off and piling up in front of the porch.

Becky Harris says:

Someone told me they thought those little bat-shaped things at the edge of the roof in the last picture had something to do with holding back snow, but I'm not really sure how!

Kenny Craft, CNU LEED AP says:

Becky, enjoyed the article! Standing Seam is indeed the longest lasting and a very worthy investment... As far as the snow goes, the "snow guards" (bat shaped things) function to keep the snow contained, until they have a chance to melt off, or at worst break off into smaller sections before falling off... Another way we handle snow falling off roofs in Colorado at least (lots of snow...!), is something we call the "stoop gable". An intentionally placed gable (usually on a porch roof), that is located above the stairs to prevent snow and ice from building up on the stairs and becoming a hazard. Here's an example of a "stoop gable" on a recently completed project in Colorado.. (below).

cmjkn says:

We have a home on a barrier island in NC and chose a metal roof to eliminate loss of shingles during tropical storms. Luckily we haven't had a hurricane test yet, but we are delighted with the lower temperatures in the upstairs bedrooms during the summer. We see quite a few metal roofs on the island now.

goodbyekitty says:

You didn't show metal roofs in a tile look. We're replacing our clay tile roof on our 1976 house and we're looking at a metal roof with a tile shape.

Judy Nini says:

Two other disadvantages of metal roofs are how suffocatingly hot they can make houses in hot weather and the overwhelmingly loud sound of the rain on them.... My grandparents had one. But the rain sound was also quite comforting in the night...

Kenny Craft, CNU LEED AP says:

Couldn't get a photo to upload... Here's another attempt. A photo of a house with a "stoop gable" feature that helps to shed snow away from stairs... Also, here's a link to a blog article on the discovery of the stoop gable "pattern": http://rootedintradition.posterous.com/the-stoop-gable-a-cold-climate-architectural

Becky Harris says:

Judy, Today's metal roofs are no longer you grandparent's metal roof. They actually reflect the heat instead of absorbing it, like an asphalt roof does, keeping things cooler.

metalroofing.com actually claims the noise factor is no longer true, depending on how it is installed:

"When installed with solid sheathing, a metal roof on your home will actually silence noise from rain, hail and bad weather, many times much better than other roofing materials."

Personally, I love the sound of rain on an old tin roof, but it's not for everyone!

Kitty, I'll keep an eye out for that style on Houzz. In the meantime, there are some close ups of the style your describe over here:

http://www.metalroofing.com/v2/content/metal-roofing/

Casart Coverings says:

Noise of rain on a metal roof no longer a factor? How disappointing! I, too, love the sound of rain on a metal roof, Becky. There's nothing better than to curl up with a good book on a big down sofa and listen to rain drops on a metal roof...instant sleeping pill!

dancingfish says:

Down in NC we see the prettiest colored metal roofs! Those houses always look so nice. I agree.. gotta have that rain sound!!

bodybygym says:

Kitty,
We went with steel roofing in the clay tile look. It's granulated even and goes over an existing roof and adds R-value and sound deadening. They put a wooden grid down first, so the tiles sit a little above the old roof and can be installed in any weather. We went with over-size copper gutters because "all" the water comes off the roof. The roofers said we were the only ones in Wyoming to have this particular tile style. It also comes in a cedar shake style.

kathyforcum says:

We love our metal roof too, just need a cupola over the chimney..got any good cupola posts coming up?

acwink says:

LOVE metal roofs!! :-)

Metal Roof Network says:

Let's hear it for metal roofs! We're a West Coast-based supplier of premium metal roofing, and it warms our hearts to hear such positive feedback!

Part of the appeal of metal roofing - besides its longevity and performance - is the many options it offers in terms of color, material and style. You can get a beautiful metal roof in long panels, tiles, shakes, shingles, diamond shingles, even custom profiles, as well as a vast array of choices for the finish and material.

The benefits truly go on and on, and we invite any and all naysayers - or those who just haven't yet kicked the idea that metal roofing is equivalent to an old tin roof on a barn! - to browse our website (www.metalroofnet.com). We have a ton of beautiful photos and stacks of info about this fabulous, permanent and incredibly versatile roofing material.

Thanks for the great article, Becky!

bepsf says:

Yes, metal roofing is a sensible alternative to asphalt and wood shakes...
...but even moreso nowadays are Solar shingles and panels - Think of how much oil we could stop importing if we all had a modest solar array on our homes to run our AC, lights and refrigerators!

deville says:

I live in the Portland OR/Vancouver WA area where we get pretty constant rain from Oct-May and very little snow.

Does anyone in rain country have experience with how today's metal roofs perform when it comes to loudness of rain off the roof?

I am supposing it is better than the old tin roof my grandparents had on their farmhouse in TN. But does anyone have experience with these new ones?

ninarob says:

We are building a new home and are installing a metal standing seam roof. I know several people who have metal roofs on their homes and they would never install anything else. Up here on Lake Michigan we get some pretty severe winter storms, and often times the street is littered with shingles from asphalt roofs.

A couple things I have discovered... With the rising cost of asphalt shingles, I have found that metal is not that much more than a high quality architectural shingle. Also the rain noise issue is of no concern, a metal roof installed over solid decking is as quiet as any asphalt roof.

Kesa McConnell_Poore says:

Love, love, love the look of metal roofs but we live in Oklahoma and we get lots of hail! Not sure how well it would stand up in comparison to an asphalt shingle. Thoughts?

mjlb says:

I love the look of metal roofs, but how do they stand up to impacts - specifically large tree limbs? We have a heavily treed lot, and several times a year, big tree limbs fall on the roof. Would that leave a big dent?

Becky Harris says:

2t, the metalroofing.com site said that it stands up to hail, but mjlb, I'm not so sure about tree limbs. I have that problem too and have been imagining my house (and A/C bills) with a metal roof. Does anyone else know about tree limbs denting metal roofs? I'd love to know too!

wkparker says:

We used standing seam metal on a couple of low-slope areas of our home and love it. One part of the roof is right outside our MBR window and you can definitely hear the rain more than you could with the former asphalt rolled roofing. The worst part is that a pecan tree overhangs part of the roof - every fall it it sounds we're being attacked!

Becky Harris says:

WK, I remember staying at a friend's house and waking up to the sound of acorns on her neighbor's tin roof, which was at least 50 yards away from my window. Funny!

ay121212 says:

Australia has a long tradition of the corrugated iron roof - I love them - modern and minimal with v rustic feel

CAROLE MEYER says:

These were great examples of metal roofing.....if I ever see a bright blue one again I may need to avert my gaze......but these are beautiful!!! Carole WWW.CAROLEMEYERART.COM

kaye1 says:

In the caribbean, metal roofing is the norm. Purlins and angle irons are used as the beams and the roof is screwed onto them. Helps withstand the tropical weather - heat, storms etc.

goodbyekitty says:

Very nice Body! And Becky I like the breezeway in the first house. We have one too. They're a nice additional living space.

Becky Harris says:

Kitty, I'm hoping to learn more about that house and feature it soon; it's one I often look at on Houzz and wish I could spend the summer there!

Becky Harris says:

I heard from Adam Rolston, of Incorporated (the Texas Hill Country pictures) who let me know more about that roof:

The primary roofing and siding material for the project was selected for its recycled content, durability and affordability, not to mention its stunning medium grey color. Zalmag is a galvanized metal made of 95% recycled material consisting of 11% aluminum, 3% magnesium and 86% zinc. These panels are 100% recyclable, have a service expectancy of at least a lifetime, and when compared to traditional galvanized coatings, Zalmag has a 10X plus corrosion

resistant factor.



The distinctive pattern is dictated by a manageable panel length and width to prevent excessive “oil canning” or wrinkling in the panels. The staggered pattern is the idea one for creating a good seal between panels. Finally, we used the required “standing seam” on the roof. However, on the vertical surface were there will be no pooling of water, we choose to use a flat seam for a more tailored look.

loolootoo says:

This article, pictures and comments made me even more happy about choosing a metal roof for our 120 year old farm house.

Jessie Chapman says:

Yes Becky, those are sometimes called Snowbirds or Snowguards. On some houses, you'll only see them above porches and entrances, because those would be the most important areas to keep clear. They hold onto the snow so that it doesn't slide off and create a sudden avalanche. A heavy snow can also knock off gutters, so they protect those too.
Nice article. Looking for metal roof colors myself.

dancinmypants says:

I have wanted to replace my asphalt roof with a metal roof but I have heard that they cause a loss of cell phone reception. Anyone know about this?

Becky Harris says:

I've heard that too dance- I think you may need a little antennae or something.

General Roofing Systems Canada (GRS) says:

The Texas Hill roof line is exceptional. General Roofing Systems Canada (GRS) is installing a very similar metal roof in the Calgary, AB area next month and we will post photos then. www.grscanadainc.com