Pros and Cons of a Metal Roof Versus Shingles

What are the real pros and cons?

Metal lasts far longer, weighs less and sheds snow and water better. Shingles cost much less to install, are repaired easily by almost any roofer, and carry no risk of denting. Nearly every other claim on either side is a version of those points.

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What does metal do better?

The advantages are real but they mostly arrive slowly.

• Service life, commonly 40 to 70 years against 15 to 30
• Weight, usually lighter than asphalt, which suits older structures
• Sheds snow and rain readily rather than holding it
• Non combustible, which matters in wildfire regions
• Reflective finishes reduce heat gain in hot climates
• No granule loss into the gutters

how installed prices are built up covers what those advantages cost up front.

What does metal do worse?

The disadvantages arrive early and are easy to underestimate.

• Installed cost, roughly double for standing seam
• Repairs are more specialised and matching old panels is difficult
• Dents from hail and foot traffic, particularly on thinner gauge
• Fewer crews install it well, so vetting matters more
• Oil canning is inherent and usually excluded from warranty
• Exposed fastener systems carry a recurring maintenance task

standing seam against exposed fastener sets out how the metal systems differ from each other.

Frequently asked questions