It's easy to neglect your roof, but it is an extremely important structure in your home because it protects you, the interior of your home and your belongings from the elements. If your roof is getting old or showing signs of damage, you should consider getting a new roof. However, instead of the typical asphalt shingles, consider a metal roof instead for their many benefits.
1. They Are Affordable and Durable
Metal roofs aren't the cheapest option. That title still goes to asphalt shingles, which cost about $50 per roofing square. However, metal roofs are still affordable at $100 to $260 a roofing square, comparable to wood. More expensive roofing materials like slate and clay, may cost you closer to $500 or $600 per roofing square.
You may pay more for metal than asphalt shingles, but metal roofs last longer. An asphalt shingle roof may only last about 15 years, but a metal roof can last up to 40 years. Therefore, you may pay more upfront for the metal roof, but you may never need to replace it while you live in the home.
2. It's a Greener Option Than Other Materials
When you get a new roof, some of the material may be recycled or reused, but much of it is tossed in the garbage, filling up landfills. Metal roofs, however, are different. Much of the material used to make the roofs is recycled from other metal, including old metal roofs.
Therefore, when it's time to replace your metal roof, it can be recycled for reuse. This also helps reduce the amount of energy used to craft the metal roof. Raw materials require more energy to process, but recycled materials have already been processed, so they require less energy to process into new metal roofs.
3. You May Not Need to Remove Your Old Roof
If you have an asphalt shingle roof, you don't always have to get a new roof. Typically, a roofer can do an overlay. With an overlay, the roof isn't removed. Instead, new shingles are installed over the old ones. The process lengthens the life of the roof, but it can only be performed so many times to protect the roof from getting too heavy.
If you want a metal roof, depending on the number of layers of shingles, you may be able to have the metal roof installed directly over the old roof. Not only does this cut down on the amount of waste and time, but it saves you money.
There are many roofing materials from which to choose, and although asphalt seems to be the most popular, metal is a great option to consider because of the many benefits. For more information about roofs, or if you want to get a new roof, contact roofing companies in your area today.
