Painting a metal roof, whether you hire a professional or take on the metal roof DIY, can add years to its lifespan.
Metal roofs are becoming more popular with homeowners, and it’s easy to see why. They’re durable, easy to install, and can last as long as your home does. If you have a metal roof or you are thinking of installing one, you should also consider painting it. Below are the benefits of painting a metal roof and how you should go about it if you are planning on taking the metal roof DIY route.
What Are Benefits Of A Metal Roof?
If you’re considering buying a new roof, a metal roof could be the way to go. They’re especially popular in warmer climates and when you read the benefits, you’ll soon see why:
- Long lasting: A metal roof will last just as long as the house it’s on, if installed properly. They effectively seal out moisture and harsh weather, protecting your home from mold, rot, and other issues. Snow easily slides off it too, meaning your roof won’t get damaged from heavy snow sitting on it.
- Fire resistance: A metal roof is more or less impervious to fire, so most will have a class A fire rating. If you’re looking to make your home as safe as possible, it could be a good way to go.
- Heat reduction: Metal roofs are excellent at reflecting heat, so your home will be a lot cooler during the day. Because of this, you’ll find that you’ll spend a lot less on air conditioning, saving both energy and money.
Benefits Of Painting a Metal Roof
Once you’ve had the roof installed, you can leave it in its original condition. However, many homeowners choose to have the roof painted. There are a lot of reasons for painting a metal roof, including the following:
- Increasing cooling effect: As mentioned above, metal roofs are much better at reflecting heat. You can improve that effect by painting a metal roof a lighter color. Doing so can increase the cooling effect significantly.
- Air conditioning savings: Using a light color can also drastically reduce the air conditioning in your home even further. In fact, in some homes it can decrease by up to 50%. This will appeal to you depending on the weather conditions of where you live.
- Improved aesthetics: If you’re looking to improve the look of your home, then painting the roof is an easy and fairly inexpensive way to do it. You can paint it any color you choose so that your home can have a unique look.
- Improve lifespan of the roof: A metal roof is much easier to repair and touch up than a tiled roof. Even if it begins to rust, the issue can be fixed. This can be done by sanding down the rust back to the metal, priming the spot, and repainting it.
- Easy to touch up: While on the subject of touch ups, repainting spots on the roof is easy. If you’re using the right paint, it shouldn’t fade. That means you can keep can of the paint, and touch up spots if needed
Metal Roof DIY vs. Professional Painting
If you’re painting a metal roof, you’ll then need to decide just how you’ll get the job done. You can either hire a professional to paint your roof, or choose to metal roof DIY. Here are the benefits of both options:
Hiring a professional:
- Save time on doing the job yourself, freeing yourself up to get other jobs done around the home.
- If you’re not too confident about painting the roof, then you can trust a professional to do it the right way.
- A professional will have all the right equipment to get the job done properly, including ladders and painting equipment.
DIY painting:
- Will be much cheaper as you’re not paying for labor.
- Can pick any color you like for your roof.
- If you’re handy at DIY, the job can be much quicker than you think.
What To Avoid If You Metal Roof DIY
If you choose to go the DIY route when painting a metal roof, then there will be steps to take to ensure that you do the best job. Here’s what you can do to make sure your roof will look good for years to come:
- Don’t use leftover paint on your roof: Many homeowners find they have paint leftover from painting the house, and decide to just slap it on their roof. However, this will not give you the best results. The best paint to use is 100% latex acrylic paint. This is because metal roofs expand in the heat, and this kind of paint will expand with it.
- Don’t forget sealant: Before you paint your roof, it’s essential that you use a sealant. This will seal the roof and ensure that the paint sticks to the surface, using chemical bonds. Without it, paint will just flake off the metal. Make sure you research the sealant to make sure it’s compatible with the paint you’re planning to use.
- Don’t use a non energy efficient paint: As your roof will help you reflect heat from your home, it would be remiss of you not to use a paint that can boost those properties. There are energy efficient paints out there that will boost the reflective properties of your roof, so don’t miss the opportunity to use them.
- Don’t forget to check on your roof after painting it: Many homeowners paint their roof, and then forget all about it. This means the roof can start looking dirty, worn and unpleasant. Every six months, ensure that you get up and wash the roof using a mixture of water and liquid detergents. Sweep the roof every few weeks to remove debris, which can encourage pests. Finally, check for bald spots in the paint, and touch them up when needed.
It’s clear that choosing a metal roof can bring many benefits. They are easy to install, and can reduce the energy your home uses by a surprising amount. Painting a metal roof only amplifies these effects. Whether you hire a professional or choose to metal roof DIY, painting your roof can add years to its lifespan.
