If you are a homeowner and you are planning to replace your roof soon – whether because it leaks, or it is getting old and you want to replace it before its starts leaking – a metal roof is one of your best options. Of course, costs might be a factor in your re-roofing decision. While a metal roof initially costs more than an asphalt shingles roof, there are a number of ways it will actually save money in the long run.
Longevity
Metal roofs provide a much longer lifespan, compared to regular asphalt roofs. An asphalt shingles roof costs about 2-3 times less than a metal roof, depending on various factors. At the same time, a metal roof lasts a lifetime, whereas most asphalt shingles roofs will need to be replaced within 15 years. Galvanized steel or aluminum metal roofs will last on average 50 or more years, giving you peace of mind in knowing that your roof will not leak, and that you won’t need to do regular maintenance or occasional repairs.
Tax Credits for Cool Metal Roofs
The cool roof coating on metal roofs makes them much more energy-efficient, which will substantially reduce your cooling costs, even in the mild climate of New England. Moreover, the government offers a 30% cool roof tax credit, with a $1500 cap, for any qualifying metal roof installation.
All of our metal roofs do qualify for this tax credit, as they come with a cool roof coating and are Energy Star certified. There is a catch however – the tax credit will expire on Dec. 31, 2010. So if you are considering installing a metal roof, doing so before the new year is the way to go.
Consider this – most residential metal roofs will cost about $15000, so the tax credit is about a 10% discount off the total roof cost, and most metal roof installations will qualify for the full amount of this tax credit. Basically, now is the best time to have a new metal roof installed, because we don’t know when or if the cool roof tax credit will ever be reinstated.
Protection Against Ice Dams
Metal roofs offer supreme weather protection for your home, which will save you a lot of money on repairs. Most houses in the north east region, get ice dams along the roof eaves, and the way an asphalt shingles roof is designed, allows the ice dams to cause roof leaks, which in turn can cause substantial structural damages, and will require other repairs to the roof and the interior of your home.
Metal roofs offer inherent protection against ice dams. The interlocking design of metal roofs will prevent ice dams from penetrating your roof. Also, most of the snow will just slide off your roof, even before ice dams can form.
Increased Home Value
Metal roofs also increase the value of your home, as they provide exceptional curb appeal, and make your home an envy of your neighbors. If you plan to sell your house in the future, a metal roof will be a great selling point for you, when you tell the potential home buyer they will not need to worry about the roof for decades to come.
Metal Roofing Systems We Install
Here are examples of our metal roofing installations:
Steel metal shingles roof in Johnston, RI, installed in the fall of 2007:
Chimney flashing on a Metal Shingles Roof in Attleboro, MA:
Aluminum Metal Shingles installation in Revere, MA:
Standing Seam Roof in Plymouth, MA.
Check out these other metal roof installations that we’ve recently done in Massachusetts:
Standing Seam Metal Roof in Wayland, MA
Metal Roof on IHOP restaurants in Brighton and Hyannis, MA. These blue metal roofs were installed in the winters of 2007 and 2008.
What makes us different from other metal roofing contractors – see how we install metal roofing systems – this job was done in Revere, MA.
Research metal roofing prices in Massachusetts, to find out how much a new standing seam metal roof or a metal shingles roof will cost you.
Although rare, ice dams can occur on a metal roof; however, they will be less destructive than on homes with other roof types. The interlocking nature of the panels, the strength of the metal and the underlayment used beneath metal roofs reduce the chance of melted snow and ice leaking into the home.