Metal roofing material is gaining popularity in residential roofing, rather than only being found in commercial settings. Part of the reason for this change is that metal roofing material has more options available in texture and types, varying from standing seam, which was so common in commercial settings, to tile and even shingle roofing material. Metal roofing material is also flexible in the types of roofs that it can be used on, since it can be used on any pitch of roof, commonly used as pitched or flat roofing material, and is lightweight compared to other materials, making it much easier to work with, especially on steep pitched roofs.

Options

Metal roofing material’s cost is slightly more expensive but nearer to the sixty to one hundred dollars per square for asphalt roofing material than the six hundred to one thousand per square cost for slate roofing material, which is the most expensive on the market. Although it is more expensive than asphalt roofing material, metal roofing material lasts longer than asphalt materials, often being under warrantee for up to fifty years.

Standing seam metal roofing material is the most commonly used, which connects the pieces side by side through hidden fasteners so that the entire roof looks like one piece of metal with ridges in it. Tile metal roofing material can be of many different earthy colors and textures according to the design of the house, masking itself as the more pittle and heavier tile that is sometimes used on pitched roofs. Shingle metal roofing material can come in any color and texture as well, even masking itself as cedar shake but without the fire hazard and need for fire-retardant treatment.

Metal roofing material can also be made of ‘cool metal’ which helps to deflect the sunlight in very hot climates, thus reducing the air conditioning bill for the consumer. In addition, it is usually made of up to twenty-five percent recycled metals, so it is more environmentally friendly than some of the other roofing materials. Metal roofing materials are also recyclable, so that a panel can be taken from one project and used on another, thus reducing waste and cost.

Metal roofing material can also come insulated, so that the two metal sheets are filled with a liquid foam insulation that expands until it fills all possible space and then hardens so that it becomes a solid piece. This provides a uniform insulation across the top of the roof, which is better than other types of insulation that is used which sometimes leaves air gaps, letting out heat in the winter.