Metal Roofs VS Asphalt Shingles: Which Roof is Best For Your Home?

Are you debating between roofing options? With the choice of a metal roof vs. shingles, which is the best choice for your home? This guide can tell you.

Living under a dry roof is one of our most fundamental needs and desires.

The sense of security, accomplishment, and comfort offered by a house has been a motivating force for the history of humanity. We all strive to have a place of our own.

Obviously, the roof metaphor is used to describe a sense of security, but if we take a look more literally, what should we think about our roof?

It’s easy to take roofing for granted. It’s out of sight and requires little maintenance for long periods of time. Typically it can be decades until it becomes an issue again.

What type of roofing material we choose goes a long way in how we maintain it.

So, should it be a metal roof or asphalt shingles?

Asphalt shingles have been the most common material for roofing, but lately metal roofs have become popular due to their durability and lifespan. Metal roofs are getting installed all over the country. There are roofers who exclusively install metal roofs. Texas is a big metal roofing market.

Below we’ll explore these materials as well as their pros and cons to help you decide which option would be best for you.

Metal Roof vs Shingles

Asphalt Shingle Roof

Compromised of fiberglass, plastic, metal, wood, slate and composite materials, asphalt shingles are individual pieces that are nailed into place in an overlapping manner, from the bottom of the roof up.

Metal Roof

A metal roof can use any number of different types of metal though aluminum is most common. Large sheets of metal are used, each covering a greater space than the typical 12-16″ asphalt shingles.

Cost

Asphalt roofs are considerably cheaper to install than metal ones. The materials are considerably lighter and easier to replace.

Metal roofs, on the other hand, are quite heavy. Because of this, however, metal roofs are much more expensive. Fewer shingles are required to their size, but their cost per-square-inch is higher.

You’ll want to consult a roofing company for a more exact quote if you’re looking to have this done, but a ballpark price of metal roof vs shingles has metal roofs costing about twice as much as the asphalt shingle roof.

Durability

Metal roofs are far more durable. An asphalt roof has a lifespan typically of 15-30 years whereas a metal roof could last as long as the house. It helps that they don’t rot, grow mildew or endure insects. Warranties typically run 30-50 years.

Asphalt shingles can also require more maintenance. Because there are more seams than on a metal roof, there are more opportunities to leak. Luckily, in considering metal roof vs shingles, repairing an asphalt roof is quite a bit easier and cheaper to do.

Installation

The installation for metal roofs is quite a bit simpler. An asphalt shingle roof requires the removal of the old shingles and the installation of new underlayment and flashing before the new shingles can be laid.

Metal roofs can be installed right on top of the old shingles. A frame is installed over the old roof with the metal shingles affixed to this.

Because metal shingles are quite a bit larger, they can be installed quicker, too. However, their greater work can make it more difficult to maneuver.

Temperature & Sound Insulation

Asphalt roofs are great at keeping in the heat. This is perfect in cold weather, but in a place like Texas, it’s not really ideal.

Metal roofs reflect the radiant heat from the sun far more effectively. This helps keep the house moderate during the midday heat. And though metal roofs don’t have a high insulation rating themselves, the fact that there’s a space between the metal shingles and the old roof helps create a space that greatly increases energy efficiency.

Metal shingles are louder, however. Think of the sound of rain on tin. The space between the new roof and the old roof helps control sound, asphalt shingles are much better at absorbing sounds. This keeps things much quieter.

Fire Resistance

Metal is a noncombustible material. That makes them an ideal material when considering safety fire. The fire resistance of asphalt shingles varies based on the type of materials they’re made from. You don’t need to worry that they’re highly flammable as they’re often additionally treated to keep them safer.

When selecting a roofing material, be sure to consider the fire rating when making your choice.

Metal Roof Vs Shingles: Verdict

There’s a reason both asphalt and metal shingle roofs are common. They are both effective at their given tasks. As long as the roof is regularly maintained as needed it should be effective at keeping your home safe and dry.

If you’ve found your ‘forever home’ and know that you won’t be moving for years, you may want to consider a metal roof. It’s higher up-front cost is offset by the greater durability and longer lifespan. It should require less regular maintenance and more peace of mind.

If you need a new roof but don’t think you’ll be in your home for longer than a few years than you’ll want an asphalt roof. You won’t be around long enough to benefit from the added durability. Instead, take advantage of the lower-cost and easy maintenance of a more traditional asphalt roof. Even if it isn’t as strong as a metal roof, you should be able to expect 15-20 years of trouble-free coverage.

If you do opt for the asphalt shingles, do keep in mind that after having rain or winds you may want to inspect the roof just to make sure that no shingles have been damaged.

Ultimately, when considering a metal roof vs shingles you’ll want to consider your budget and the length of time you’ll live under the roof.

What’s more important is that you find a knowledgeable and experienced roofing company that will do a proper job installing whichever roof you choose.

If you have any questions or want to book a consultation, give us a shout. We’re always here to help.