Introduction:

Are you in the market for a new metal roof for your house? If so, there is still time left to install a new metal roof, before the upcoming Winter season, with all the heavy snow and cold weather, which could seriously hinder the installation process. 🙁

We have written this guide in order to help you make a better-informed buying decision. — The guide covers the history of residential metal roofing in the US, along with benefits and pros & cons of modern metal roofing, important environmental considerations, and side-by-side comparisons to other common roof types. Up-to-date consumer pricing information is provided towards the end of this guide.

Historical Background:

Believe it or not, there was a time when residential metal roofing was pretty much unheard of in the United States. Then, came along the metal roof of Monticello, which was commissioned by our third president, Thomas Jefferson who was inspired during his stay in Paris where many roofs were covered with zinc, which is not only beautiful, but also happens to be a long lasting building material.

Thus, inspired by the idea of a long lasting and durable roof made of metal, Thomas Jefferson further developed Monticello roof design, and that was how metal roofing became the new statement of high-end, residential architecture in the US.

Although, several other people have followed the suit, residential metal roofing didn’t really take off in America (until recently – a decade or so in the “fast-track” lane) the way it did in Europe.

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Intro:

There are numerous high quality, cool metal roofing systems and profiles offering an energy efficient and Eco-friendly green roofing alternative to conventional asphalt shingle roofs. Today, homeowners can choose from a wide range of materials and systems including aluminum, galvanized and Galvalume steel, zinc and copper. Modern residential and light commercial metal roofing systems are available as standing seam, batten seam, simulated Spanish tiles, metal shakes and metal shingles roof systems.

For a homeowner who wants to take on the installation of metal roof, a metal shingles system can be one of the easiest metal roofing systems to install; It offers simplicity of interlocking metal shingles design and a wide selection of accompanying metal flashing trim.

What you will find in this guide:

This guide covers installation of an interlocking Metal Shingles Roofing system. Photographs and illustrations provided in this guide come directly from one of the jobs installed by New England Metal Roof on a residence located in the greater Boston area.

Installation Basics:

Step 1: Preparing the roof deck and installing roof underlayment.

For metal shingle roofing, our first step is to prepare a roof deck for the installation. Metal shingles roof can be installed over the existing asphalt shingle roof, as well as over solid sheathing such as boards or plywood in case of a new construction or after tearing off the old shingles.

A roof deck prep after a tear-off:

It is recommended to use a breathable synthetic roofing underlayment as opposed to a regular tar paper that is going to disintegrate, and it could actually stick to your metal roof from underneath. Make sure that your roofing deck is free of any exposed nail heads, then install your roof underlayment in an overlapping fashion. Use a minimum of six inches of an overlap.

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