Real Estate, Finance and Home Articles of Interest


Metal Panel Roofing - Why This Might Be Best For You

by Ryan McCall

Roofs are one of the most crucial aspects of any type of building design. Roofs are very important structural features. Value aware home owners are looking for long-term roofing solutions which provide aesthetics and performance together. Everyday, more consumers are choosing metal panel roofing technology. Based on many studies, metal panel roofing has become very popular over the last ten years.

Roofs that have metal panels have been shown to withstand all the elements and have a low level of maintenance so their lifetime cost is relatively low. Due to their popularity many manufacturers are developing a wider array of finishes, profiles and colors for the metal panels which will add to the aesthetics of the building. The metal roofing can also save you money in energy costs since the designers have improved the finish which provides a cooling formulation.

There are many questions that come up when you are talking about metal residential roofing. There are numerous choices available, so it is very important that you know about the difference between roofing systems. You will get the maximum benefit from your metal roof only when you are sure that it has the right underlayment, substrate, and finish for your building.

Metal panel roofing has two primary categories which are designated according to how the roof withstands water and the slope of the roof. The first kind is used on roofs that have a low slope that would need water-resistant panels. The other variety, architectural or non-structural roofing, can be used on roofs with steeper slopes and is intended to get rid of the water as quickly as possible.

Normally, in a structural roof, panels are capable of spanning between structural supports, and are joined by clips to the building structure, The floating clip system that fastens the structural panels to the roof allows for thermal expansion and contraction. Since thermal expansion and contraction influences all materials to some extent, structural panels and flashing must be designed in such a way to accommodate that same expansion.

Structural metal panel roof systems are usually fitted over a roof assembly that includes structural metal framing and purlins. In areas having heavy snowfall, high wind-loads or when the owner requires a roof assembly, panels may be installed over solid substrates, like metal decking, plywood, oriented-strand board in combination with ISO board insulation to achieve the necessary structural load of the panel system.

Roofs are very important structural features. Value aware house owners are looking for long-term roofing solutions which contain aesthetics and performance together. Everyday, more consumers are choosing metal panel roofing technology. Metal roof paneling has been proven to withstand all sort of weather, lasts a long time, and requires little to maintain. There are many questions that come up when you are talking about metal residential roofing. Structural roofing is useful on roofs with a lower pitch as the panels themselves are water resistant. Non structural roofing, which is also called architectural roofing, can only be used on steeper slopes.

Published May 13th, 2008

Filed in Home, Real Estate