metal vs shingles

MJW

Do some research. The shingle warranties are prorated and that is what they pay IF there is a defect.

In different parts of the country a year of shingle life is much different. One bad winter in Colorado or MN is like 5 years in an area with little to no snow. Same can be said for extremely high prolonged temps.

I have dealt with warranty claims and I'm sure others have also. Yes, they can get out of the claim if shingles are installed correctly, but that is not the primary reason why a shingle won't last.

Usually any warranty claim is a manufacturer defect and they do not necessarily pay a full replacement.

If you have noticed, they are doing away with shingle year warranties. Most are now LIMITED lifetime warranty.

There are very few shingles made that will last the number of years on the bag. The first thing they tell you is that your region makes a HUGE difference in the amount of "years" they will last.

Most shingles will start to break down within 20 years here in MN. The newer shingles may or may not last that long. Most brands I would say they will break down even sooner.

Same goes for windows, siding, etc...Windows have a lifetime warranty, right? Most will be replaced within 20 years. Siding has a 50 year or lifetime warranty. Will it last that long? Probably not.

There is no way any manufacturer of anything that is out in the weather can be expected to give a timed warranty all across the country. Every region is completely different as far as weather conditions.

Unless you have dealt directly with a shingle manufacturer on multiple warranty claims, please take the advise of the people here who have.

cibula11

I don't disagree. Well said.

Windows on Wash

It is probably worth making the distinction between screw down roofing with exposed fasteners vs. a concealed screw down roof/fastener system.

Fastener gaskets are going to be maintenance items in the future and their longevity will depend largely on the installer skill.

I agree with you 100% about stripping a roof before applying a metal roof as well.

Install issues are quite common but certainly not the primary reason for failures in my observation.

I would be willing to bet that we are going to see lessened lifespans out of these newer shingles. Call it a hunch but that is what I am feeling after seeing some of the newer products.

__________________

Ycreek

You're probably right. The heat is totally excessive here.

tomdor

Like others have already said--do your research. Nothing is ever as easy as they make it seem on youtube, but it's not rocket science either.

After tons of research I chose a snap-lock standing seam roof for my house. (I'm in the Pacific NW) I have no prior experience roofing, but I'm also not mechanically challenged either. Plus, a friend of mine had a few 3-tab roofs under his belt. From my experience, metal takes sooo much longer to do that regular asphalt shingles. I ordered roofing for my whole house but was only able to finish 2 sections out of 4 last summer and plan on doing the other 2 this summer. But, to be fair my whole project has kind of been a nightmare. I had to re-sheath the whole thing and rebuild soffits which slowed us down considerably--this is a 100 year-old house.

The 3-tab that I removed was 15 years old and was installed incorrectly so it leaked all over the place. I get a lot of wind-driven rain in my location and another problem we have here with asphalt shingles is moss build up. My house has a 2-12 pitch on the north side so it's covered in moss.

Anyways, if you chose a metal roof make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. If you don't know what you're doing, it's going to take you a very long time to get it done right. It's not impossible; it's just not what I would call easy. Sure, putting the panels down is fairly easy, but installing all the extra pieces takes a ton of time--gable trim, ridge cap, sidewall & endwall flashing, chimney flashing. This is where it gets technical and I can tell you from experience I had to make 3 different chimney flashing pieces before I was satisfied with my cuts.


Good luck & be safe.

Attached Thumbnails

       

tomdor

Oh, one more thing. Although a metal roof may last longer than asphalt, it's by no means maintenance free.

Windows on Wash

Nice pictures and install.

I commend you on the DIY spirit and attacking that job.

Nothing is ultimately maintenance free (i.e. you should always make sure that the roof is clear of debris, damage, etc).

That being said, there certainly are some metal roofs that have no recommended maintenance intervals and do not require re-sealing, coating, or any other maintenance.

__________________

TarheelTerp

Anyone else remember the old Midas Muffler commercial with the Model T?
Storms and poor installation included... most houses will be sold before an issue comes up.
The shingle makers know this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFOWd...eature=related

as for metal roof... "standing seam"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wr1DelYqTE

MJW

True. That is what they are counting on for sure, but the warranty is transferable.

Most steel roofing only has a warranty on the finish.

tomdor

Thanks Windows on Wash. Although at times that project was a giant pain in the the sense of satisfaction and feeling at the end of the day was priceless. Sure beats pushing papers at the office IMO...