All About Metal Roofing Industry Performance Standards and Testing

Like any other roofing material, metal roofing is subject to stringent performance standards and testing. Anyone who is considering roofing their home with metal roofing products will be glad to know that they are tested thoroughly before they are used in building projects.

As part of the metal roofing industry, here are the tests roofs are put through and why they are done.

Why Test Metal Roofing Products?

Any materials that are used in home or commercial buildings need to be thoroughly tested before they are used. That includes metal roofing, so you can be sure that your new roof will be safe as possible.

Metal roofs are one of the hardiest roofing materials on the market right now. When a homeowner has a metal roof installed, they expect it to be able to withstand the elements. That includes heavy rain, wind, and even fire. By testing these products before they are used, roofers can be confident that their work will last for years to come.

More importantly, these products all need to be safe before they can be used. Testing ensures that the products are all safe to be used on your home, so you know you have the protection that you paid for.

Metal Roof Testing

So, how are metal roof materials tested before they are made available to roofers? In the roofing industry, there are several different tests that they are subjected to before they can be made available for sale. These include:

Fire testing: Fire testing is incredibly important for all roofing materials, but especially metal roofing. Many people who live in wildfire affected areas will choose metal roofs for their homes, as they are typically the highest rated fire resistant materials out there. That means that they will not add fuel to a fire, so if any sparks or burning debris were to land on them, then you can be sure that the fire will not spread. 

There are three different fire resistance categories for roofing materials, ranging from A through C. Any roofing material that achieves an A class rating will not allow flames to spread, and typically you will see metal roofs falling into this category. 

To ensure that a metal roofing material can meet this rating, it will be tested in simulated fire conditions. It is the roofing substrate that is specifically being tested, to see whether it can resist fire and gain that rating.

Impact testing: Another key test that is done on all metal roofing materials is impact testing from hail and any wind driven missiles. These can cause more damage to roof materials than you would first think. Heavy hail can easily lead to denting on a metal roof, or bruising on other materials like asphalt shingles. While this damage is obvious, there could be hidden damage that you may not notice at first until the roof begins to leak and cause more damage.

That is why it is important to test how a metal roofing material can handle any impact damage and see how much it can take before it becomes damaged itself. There are actually several different tests for this, to fully sign off on metal roofing materials being impact resistant. These include:

UL 2218: This tests a roof’s protective capabilities and ranks them on how much they can resist hail damage in particular. Any good metal roof should get a class four rating, which denotes that you will get the maximum hail protection from your roof. It is worth keeping in mind that if your roof system has a paint finish, you will also want to know how much that can resist hail as well.

ASTM E1886: This test will measure how much your roof can resist impact from missiles, which can include things like fallen tree limbs and other debris that is swept onto your roof by the wind.

Resistance to high winds: Finally, any metal roof you consider should have been tested for its resistance against high winds in general. This is incredibly important for any home, but especially if you live in an area that can be prone to hurricanes and other high wind weather.

There are several different tests that can be done to qualify the wind resistance rating for your roof. Your roofer will be able to let you know which roofing materials are best for your needs and your location. Typically, the tests will show how much pressure the roofing material can we stand for no less than one minute. This will be shown as the maximum pressure withstood in pounds per square foot.

How To Choose The Best Metal Roofing For Your Home

So, if you are considering having a metal roof system installed, you want to be sure that it has passed all of the above tests before you have it installed. 

The exact metrics you will be looking for will depend on you and where you are located. For example, if you live in an area prone to wildfires, you want a metal roof which has a class A fire resistance rating. If you live in an area prone to hurricanes, you want a metal roofing system that can withstand higher amounts of pressure as noted by high wind testing.

The best thing to do if you are unsure is to talk to your local roofer. This is especially true if you are feeling confused by the different testing metrics available, and what they mean for you and your home. As your roofer is a professional, they can walk you through what they mean and which ones would be right for you and your location.

With this testing data available to you, you can be sure that you are picking the right metal roofing materials for your home. There are several different ways that metal roofing is tested before it is made available to the public, to check whether it can resist wind, hail, fire, and more besides.

Roofing Industry Conclusion

If you are looking for the best roofing system for your home to resist these elements, then you will want to look into metal roofing systems. 

If you live in Virginia areas such as Warren, Fairfax, Winchester, or Leesburg, Piedmont Roofing will be happy to help you with your roofing needs.