Further Reading

It's official. Once the province of boring-looking industrial complexes, metal roofing materials have become the staple of the modern architectural era. Simple and elegant in their looks, they've also proven to be the most environmentally friendly and safe residential roofing solution.

Furthermore, metal roofing is much more recyclable than other type of roofing materials - unlike fiberglass it can be easily melted down and reshaped. Quite aside from such social and environmental issues, metal roofs are also known for being the most durable and safe option around. Many insurance companies will actually give discounts topping 25% off your payments if you have a metal roof, given their resilience when faced with the hazards of hail, strong wind, and fire.

You'll be pleased to find that, since metal roofs moved from factories to top the most desirable suburban homes, residential metal roofing materials have come a long way in terms of their design aesthetics, as well as their functionality. You'll even find metal shingles treated and colored to resemble all manner of traditional products, including clay tiles and wooden slats.

But if you're keen to go for what has become to be the modern era definition of architectural definition of beauty, then you'll be well pleased at the range of metal roofing panels, which can be found in shiny aluminum, the ever-robust stainless steel, and even copper, well known for the way it weathers to a beautiful and quaint-looking green patina.

If you're looking for the most solid, durable design, that of the standing-seam metal roof is a good way to go - these panels clip together to be virtually water tight, while still having enough flexibility to endure the stress place on them by swelling ice and, by some accounts, hurricane-force winds. The best material to look for is Galvalume, which consists of a Zinc-Aluminum alloy that's laid over galvanized sheets steel. It's corrosion resistant and reflects light even better than standard metal roofing materials.

How long will it last? Well, manufacturers are notoriously conservative in how they issue warranties, and the average metal roofing material manufacturer issues a forty year warranty on properly installed roofs. Scientific estimates of how long modern built metal roofs will last range more to the sixty or seventy year mark. So invest now, and look forward to a roof that will protect your home as long as you choose to live in it.

For more interesting articles on Metal Roofing Materials check out www.DurableMetalRoofs.com.