or if, perhaps, you’re in need of a new top for the old shanty? It’s hard to say - flat out - either yes or no. Is a metal roof - any metal roof - worth considering if you’re shopping for a home. Unfortunately, this material is not only quite expensive, but also difficult to obtain. You won’t see copper being used for roofing much these days, even though it’s by far the longest-lasting of all roofing materials (many penny-metal lids have lasted hundreds of years and appear to have hundreds more left in them). Aluminum roofs will last about 35 years.Ĭopper. Aluminum also tends to reflect heat better than steel, thus keeping a house cooler during the summer. The use of aluminum as a roofing metal is becoming increasingly popular, since it resists corrosion and requires little maintenance. Galvanized steel is also highly rust-resistant.Īluminum. It’s made of alloyed steel, with a protective coating of zinc. This is a wonderfully inexpensive roofing material that will last 60 years or more.
A tin roof that’s properly installed can last a good 40 to 50 years. but no matter what moniker you hang on the stuff, it’s one of several soft metals treated with a coating of lead and tin. The more accurate term here is terne, or even terneplate. Below, I’ve listed those you’re most likely to encounter, along with some of the strong and weak points of each. You see, there are several metals used for roofing. Metal Roof Materialsįirst of all, most “tin” roofs aren’t made of tin. and I’d like to share some of that knowledge with you here. It’s taken some time, but what I’ve learned has really opened my eyes to the hidden benefits of tin-tops. I wanted, above all, to discover why they suffer such a poor reputation. and such a move could make it possible for a would-be ruralite to settle in the country that much sooner.” In short, my curiosity was whetted, and - since we had some city friends looking for a bargain-priced house near us - I decided to learn all I could about metal roofing pros and cons. “Well,” I said to myself, “if my friend is right, and if my area is typical, it seems that buying a home topped with tin might be one way to save a good bit of money. And most of the people to whom I do manage to sell metal-topped homes tell me they plan to replace the roof as soon as they get the money together.” “Even your typical back-to-the-lander doesn’t want to take one of those buildings on. if you can find a buyer for it at all,” he told me. “Anything with a tin roof is going to sell for less.
At the question, his face cracked with a knowing smile. So the next time I spoke with a local realtor friend, I asked him if he found it difficult to market metal-roofed houses. and at the number of those tin-topped abodes that displayed “For Sale” signs out front. When my husband and I first moved to the country, I was amazed at the number of homes in our neck of the Georgia woods that had metal roofs. Metal roofing pros and cons, includes tips for for evaluating and repairing metal roofs.