From our friends over at the Metal Roofing Alliance.
Good for the Environment and Your Wallet
Metal is one of the most energy efficient roofing materials available and can save your home up to 40% in air conditioning cost as well as provide excellent insulation during the winter. With a metal roofing system optimized for energy efficiency, you’ll enjoy long-term cost savings on your energy bills while reducing your environmental impact. The secret to metal roofing’s energy savings is in its variety of finishes. The basic, unpainted metal roof will reflect more solar radiation than an asphalt roof, which typically absorbs and holds heat. But, for homes in warmer climates, pre-painted or granular coated metal roofing systems not only reflect solar energy but also cool your home by re-emitting most of what solar radiation is absorbed. Where annual cooling loads dominate, a highly reflective and highly emissive painted or granular-coated metal roof is optimal for reducing energy consumption and can actually re-emit up to 90% of absorbed solar radiation.
How much longer will a metal roof last than common roofing like asphalt or wood shingle?
You can expect a metal roof to last at least 2 to 3 times longer than a regular roof. In general terms, count on a metal roof lasting 30 to 50+ years since metal roofs can often be repainted versus replaced.
To put it in context, the average lifespan of an asphalt roof is 12 to 20 years. That lifespan can be shorter depending on the pitch of your roof and the climate in your area. Made of oil impregnated paper or fiberglass, asphalt begins to deteriorate as soon as you expose it to normal weather. A metal roof, however, will never decompose.
Other roofing materials like wood shingle, shake and tile have varying degrees of weather-related problems that lead to breakdown. Wood shingle and shake roofs often need replacement before twenty years. Concrete tile roofs can crack and warp in the freeze/thaw cycle of more northern climates.
All of the above roofing materials are well-outlasted by metal roofing, which retains its good looks and durability decade after decade after decade.
