Roof hail damage is every homeowners nightmare. Learn about the benefits and the myths about metal roofing during storms.
One of the biggest threats to any roof is storm damage. With a bad enough storm, shingles are pulled off, water gets into the roof, and even holes can be punched in. If you’re replacing your roof, of course you want to take steps to ensure that you won’t have to deal with these issues in the future.
If you want to storm proof your roof, then a metal roof is just what you want. Here are some of the main reasons why a metal roof will protect your home against storm damage and roof hail damage.
Ignore The Myths About Metal Roofs and Roof Hail Damage
When you mention that you’re thinking about a metal roof, and you will hear the same things from people. ‘Don’t they get dented by hail in storms?’ It’s a common myth that if you get hailstones, they’re going to dent your brand new metal roof and cause roof hail damage.
In fact, most modern metal roofs are tough enough to withstand anything a storm can throw at them, hailstones included. When it comes to roof hail damage, shingles are often going to see more damage. This is because they are susceptible to ‘bruising’ when they’re hit hard enough. That makes them less capable of keeping out the elements. If you catch it quickly, you can change out the shingles that are damaged, but it’s time consuming, and dangerous as you’re getting onto the roof.
If you have the right metal roof, then you won’t have to worry about hail damage, or any other storm damage. Here’s just some of the benefits of having them installed.
1. Metal Roofs Are Tested For Impact Resistance
When it comes to roof hail damage, you don’t need to worry too much about what your roof will take. All modern metal roofs are subject to testing. Part of that testing is seeing how much impact they can take, before they are dented, damaged, or succumb to roof hail damage.
As many roofs are made out of metals like steel or aluminum, which are known to be malleable, then you’ll think it’s easy to dent the roof. However, several different design elements work together to make the metal stronger. This includes the thickness, slope, and the ribs or striations that are worked into the design. These help resist damage, and testing ensures this is the case before you have the roof installed.
2. Roof Designs Help Hide Imperfections
While 99% of the time your metal roof can withstand hail and storm damage, if the storm is hard enough it can lead to cosmetic dents in the roof panels. You won’t need to worry much about these, as the roof panel will still be in tact and protect against the weather. It’s another benefit compared to shingles, as a shingle will need to be replaced as soon as it shows damage.
If you pick the right roofing style, you won’t even be able to see any roof hail damage that occurs. For example, Embossed metal will hide minor dings, so you can’t even see them. Matte finish roofs are also great for this.
3. Fireproof Your Roof
Another risk to consider with storms is that of fire. If anything comes through due to roof hail damage, such as water, then it could get into the electrics. At that point, a fire is at risk of happening. That sounds frightening, but with a metal roof you’ll have peace of mind. Firstly, the roof will be much less likely to allow water in, so you won’t have to worry on that front.
As well as this, if a fire were to break out your roof will be protected. Metal roofs are typically classed as Class A fire resistant, which is the highest level you can get. Because of this, they will take much less damage should a fire happen. That means no more worries about fire, and potentially some cheaper home insurance policies, too.
4. Wind Proof Metal Roofs
Another issue to be aware of, when it comes to storms, is that of wind. If you have a shingle roof, it’s so easy for the wind to pull the shingles off. That allows water in, and more damage to happen. In most cases, this shouldn’t happen with a metal roof.
As metal roofs come in large sheets rather than shingles, there’s less for wind to get under and pull loose. Of course, you can get metal roofs that have the appearance of shingles, but they still come in those sheets. The best metal roofs can withstand winds of 140 mph, so there’s no worrying about anything being pulled off.
5. Metal Roofs Have A Longer Lifespan
When choosing which roof to get for your home, consider the average lifespan. When you get a shingle roof, you’re looking at around 20 years before it needs to be replaced again. That sounds like a long time, but it’s an expensive job and it’ll come around before you know it.
Compare that to the average metal roof. These last for around 70 years, giving you much longer before you need to replace them. Of course, you’ll need to maintain that roof to get the full lifespan. When it comes to metal roofs, there’s much less work to do overall. Just inspect it periodically, to ensure that it is in good condition.
If a storm does occur, your metal roof is going to stand up to it much better than a shingle roof, in regards to roof hail damage. That adds to the average lifespan, as you won’t need to replace it if a very bad storm rolls in. Again, this is something that gives you peace of mind.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are lots of advantages to installing a metal roof. If you live somewhere where you get a lot of storms, or if you’re just worried about roof hail damage, then you need to have one installed on your home. They can take so much more, and not show signs of damage.
Of course, you need to keep an eye on your roof and ensure that damage hasn’t happened where you can’t see. That metal roof will stand up much better though, so you’ll have less to worry about when it comes to your home, roof hail damage, and durability.
