Do you want to know which is better – a shingle roof or a metal roof? The answer to the shingle roof vs metal roof question isn’t always simple, but we can do our best to help you with the answer today!
Taking care of your home’s exterior is often a delight of the curious mind, choosing colors and patterns to ensure your house has wonderful curbside appeal and stands out from the rest, who wouldn’t want to do that? While it is fun to accessorize here and there, there comes a point in the fork of the road to travel the road of practicality, rather than what looks good.
While that may work for you in some cases, take caution! Each house is set aside in an uncommon way, unique from the foundation and up, and therefore, it requires different types of care, and one of the most important things to be mindful of is the material of your roofing.Â
Sometimes we have a preconceived notion of what might work rather than what DOES! That being the case before you make a fatal error costing your time, money, and peace of mind, step back and consider the options to find out what’s best for you!Â
Today, we are going to discuss what material you should use for your roof and help you answer the old question – shingle roof or metal roof, which is better?
Shingle Roof Vs Metal Roofing
In a second we will give you a deep dive answer to which is better between shingle roofs and metal roofs, but in reality, it all boils down to a few preferences/factors such as:
- Price point & budget
- Style
- Warranty info
- Where you live
- Color options
- Installation costs
Just to name a few, the best way to find out what works best for your home is to consider ROI and also what you want for your home. That said, if you want to educate yourself further, here are some great roofing resources:
Metal RoofingÂ
While not as common as shingle roofing in residential areas, rather more so for barns and sheds, metal roofing is a solid option to fit your home’s needs with many designs, colors, and the whole nine yards to choose from! Many contemporary-style homes have adopted this type of roofing as commonplace since the turn of the century.Â
 Metal roofing is traditionally made out of, but not limited to tin, aluminum, copper, and zinc, giving its signature durability feature. In fact, durability might very well be an understatement given how sturdy metal roofing is with its capability to shrug off mother nature and last well beyond the average attachment of 30-60 years of warranty.  Â
Additionally, having metal roofing, believe it or not, does have some positive financial kickbacks in the form of tax credits, discounts from insurance companies, as well as its inclination for energy efficiency which plays a huge role in controlling the heating/cooling of your home. Speaking of efficiency, metal roofing is made up of recycled material, which is a plus for the environment.Â
However, Mental roofing does have some downsides to consider. Installing metal roofing is by no means a do-it-yourself job! Given the density of the material and the sophisticated skillset to cut and install it, a professional will need to be contracted out to get the job done, which will invariably cost more money.Â
Despite its durability, keep in mind the material can be dented by fallen branches, prolonged abrasive precipitation, or even walking on it carelessly. It is recommended that you get in contact with the manufacturer of the metal roofing material to get the full rundown of its points of vulnerability.
Shingle Roofing
Shingle roofing is as conventional as you can get as homes all across the United States have been using this style of roofing, Asphalt shingles to be exact, for decades! More versatile in terms of color and taste than mental roofing material. Shingle roofs come with great convenience in their ease of removal, installation, and repair, which helps eliminate miscellaneous costs.Â
Note: However, do-it-yourself projects are strongly discouraged just with the dangerous nature of the job! Â
Therefore, they are going to be cheaper in the upfront cost than their metal counterparts. Shingles, while variability depending on where you live, run roughly $100-$200 per 100 square feet as opposed to metal which costs roughly $100-$900 per 100 square feet. A short-term steal if you are on a low budget!Â
However, just like metal, all that glitters is not gold. Shingle roofing is not as durable due to its wide range of weaknesses, only having a roughly 15-30 year warranty.Â
They have a tendency to damage easily due to excessive moisture that may spawn algae/moss, abrasive precipitation or other weather conditions, or irregular temperature patterns. However, the extent of such damages is highly reliant on the geography and climate of your area!
Shingle roofing also poses a risk to sustainability as such material has little reusable value and eventually ends up in landfills across the country. Not the best green approach!
What’s the Verdict?
Choosing your roofing material is almost like the age-old, proverbial marshmallow test we heard about in grade school. Do you want it now and pay later or will you pay now to be in the position to have it later? That’s shingle roofing to metal roofing respectively. Metal roofing is a long-term approach to shingle roofing, but guess what? They may not make the most sense to you!Â
Why?
As I mentioned before, every home is different and requires different care. If you aren’t sure what’s right for you, take a moment to pause and think this through. Pay now or pay later? Save the heartache, call a professional to point you in the right direction for the best results, period.
Either way, now you hopefully can make an educated decision when it comes to shingle vs metal roofing options!
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