Despite the rapidly increasing prices of asphalt and fiberglass shingles (up as much as 20% already this year in some cases!), residential metal roofing is still usually a higher investment than temporary roof options. Some of the pay-off to that investment comes immediately with increased home value and beauty but some of the pay-off comes over time with energy savings and freedom from maintenance.

So, if the homeowner intends to stay in their house only a few years, I will often help them talk about whether they really would see the pay-off of a metal roof during that time. Sometimes, in the end, they will still decide metal is right for them but, other times, they will decide not. If they intend to stay there an extended period of time, then the dollars and cents of a metal roofing investment add up significantly and, if they can afford the initial investment, metal roofing becomes a “no-brainer.”

One response I am hearing increasingly is something like “Well, I intend to stay here until I die and then I am leaving the house to me children.” Now, there can be variations on that theme. Sometimes the house might be going to grandchildren or a niece or nephew but the point is that, either as a gift or an arranged sale out of the estate, the house is being passed on to a future generation of their family. In older European and Asian cultures, this concept of passing a house on to the next generation has been common for centuries. It’s a little unusual in the United States and Canada but, given current economic conditions, it can make a lot of sense.

Many younger folks are not able to buy homes as young as generations once did. Additionally, selling homes can be a tough venture in many markets. It may take many months or even years to sell a house and then, often, the sale occurs at a below-market rate. In the case of a house that is part of an estate, this can drag out probate a very long time and also diminish the total value of the estate.

In the case of a homeowner who intends to leave their home to a future generation, metal roofing makes huge sense. It’s a great way to add value and beauty to the home, increasing the legacy that is being passed forward. It can also reduce utility costs for the original homeowner as they finish out their years in the home. And, finally, it leaves the next generation with a maintenance-free situation rather than a roof which is going to require funds in order to be replaced soon.

If you’re wondering whether a metal roof is right for you or your home, drop me a note and let me know your basic situation. I will probably respond back with a few more questions but I will be happy to help you work through to the right decision. You can email me at todd@asktoddmiller.com

Is copper roofing more costly than other metal roofs? Yes, it is. But it’s also very long lasting and it adds more value to homes than other roofing materials do. It has a distinctive look which creates great curb appeal and can turn any home from a house into an estate.

While it is bright and shiny when it’s new, it immediately starts a process of color change as it develops its characteristic verdigris patina. The length of time required for this process depends a lot upon the environment. Areas prone to more salt or other chemicals in the air will cause the copper to change color more quickly. The copper will go through several shades of red and brown before ever reaching the verdigris green color. The entire process may require from 3 to 20 years depending upon the exact conditions.

Many folks will ask me if there is a way to keep the metal bright and shiny. Yes, there are treatments that can be done but they are failure prone and I really do not suggest chasing them. You will be disappointed.

Are there ways, though, to bring the patina up more quickly than letting nature take its course? Yes, there are chemicals you can spray or roll on the roof and, with these, I suggest several light coats rather than one or two heavy coats. This will help to bring the patina up more evenly. Also, you can buy copper roofing made from copper that has been pre-patinated.

One special consideration with copper is the run-off water from the roof. Over time, it will carry the colorization of the patina with it as the copper ions go into solution. This will streak anything it runs down. Additionally, if the run-off water is being caught in gutters, those should be copper gutters.

There are many choices available in copper roofing from standing seam roofs that have been factory-formed or field-formed to copper shingles. Interlocking copper shingles with hidden fasteners can result in a very traditional looking roof but yet one that has the extra punch of being copper.

If you’d like more information on copper roofing or the products available, please contact me at 1-800-543-8938 ext 201 or todd@asktoddmiller.com

Many people refer to these products as “standing seam” roofing. I have even heard contractors call them that. In fact, though, they are not standing seam metal roofing systems. Standing seam products do not have exposed fastener heads and they also have some sort of interlock joining the panels one to the next. Exposed fastener metal roofs have a simple overlap from one panel to the next. Also, whereas standing seam comes in continuous length panels with no seam from the bottom of the panel to the top, exposed fastener metal panels are often in standard lengths meaning there are horizontal overlaps from one panel up the roof to the next.

Exposed fastener panels have had extensive use in the agricultural markets, from barn roofs to metal buildings. Many of these products, depending upon their gauge and design, can be installed over battens or strapping rather than a solid roof deck. With the rapid growth in popularity and awareness of metal roofing in recent years, these products have ended up frequently installed on homes. They install easily and quickly in most cases.

However, when homeowners ask me about these products, I must tell them that may not be getting what they think they’re getting when they buy exposed fastener metal roofs. Most metal roofing customers make their purchase thinking they’re getting the full gamut of metal roofing benefits – long life expectancy, energy efficiency, increased home value, and no maintenance to name a few. In most cases, with exposed fastener metal roofing, though, they are not really getting these benefits.

Exposed fastened products, having been made largely for the very price conscious agricultural market, are often made from lower grade raw materials. They may be G60 (or even less) galvanized rather than G90. They may be AZ 45 galvalume. They may have polyester paint finishes rather than Kynar 500 or Hylar 5000 paint finishes. All of these things affect their life expectancy, often making these products 20 – 25 year products rather than the 50+ year products that homeowners want when they choose metal.

And then there are all of the fastener holes. The average through-fastened metal roof will have hundreds and even thousands of screws penetrating the panels. These screws have washers or grommets on them but those dry out and crack over time. Additionally, because exposed fastened products have no allowance for the metal’s natural expansion and contraction with thermal, cycling, the fastener holes “wallow out” over time. Fasteners can even break from the pressure and fatigue. Once all of this happens, water can penetrate the holes, jeopardizing the protection offered by the roof system and also setting off a process of corrosion of the metal.

As far as maintenance, again, the exposed screws are a problem. The forces from the metal expanding and contraction can cause the screws to loosen. They can be re-tightened but eventually to maintain the roof’s service life, the screws need to be replaced with new screws of slightly larger diameter.

Now, whenever folks ask me about these products, I tell them that they have a decision to make. While these products are indeed metal roofs and they do offer some of the benefits of metal roofing, they also have serious shortcomings. These shortcomings can even detract from, rather than increase, home value over time. Most folks who invest in a metal roof want it to last the life of their home. Exposed fastened metal roofs can leave them sadly short of that goal.

As always, I am happy to answer any specific questions you have about roofing or ventilation. You can email me at todd@asktoddmiller.com

I frequently answer metal roofing questions free of charge. Many times each week I answer phone calls and emails with specific questions. I am happy to do that. Some homeowners, though, ask whether I can provide more in-depth advice regarding their roofs and contracts they may be considering to sign. I am pleased to do that for a small fee.

Here’s how it works:

If you can send me photos of your home, along with your address (so I can try to access satellite imagery), and a copy of the contract or contracts you’re considering signing for a metal roof, I will be happy to review those things and provide you with an easy-to-understand report and evaluation.

My report will include my thoughts on the scope of work, the products being used, the contractor, any special circumstances concerning your roof, and details on anything I see missing. I will also give you advice on questions to ask your contractor and additional information you need to request pertaining to warranties and other matters. My goal is to help you avoid a roofing nightmare but instead join the ranks of metal roofing success stories.

In most cases, I will have about two hours of time involved in reviewing what you sent me, perhaps asking some follow-up questions, and writing a report. My fee for this entire service is just $175. This is much lower than my normal fee of $200 per hour when I do professional metal roof consulting. All of our correspondence about your roof will be via email for this fee.

If I do not feel I can complete report within 48 hours, I will let you know immediately and you can decide whether to go forward or not. This special fee of $175 is available only on single family homes. If you have a larger project where you’d like to use my services, please let me know details.

Avoid a roofing nightmare … make sure that your investment in a metal roof is successful. Get started today by emailing me photos of your home, your address, and copies of contracts you are considering. Please email these items to me at todd@asktoddmiller.com

Let’s get started! I hope to hear from you soon.

If you attend a Home Show this year, I have one big bit of advice – Do not trust your memory! Home shows can be overwhelming and, while it may be easy to think that you will remember exactly which contractor had that “special product” you liked or seemed to offer “knock your socks off” caring service, it can often be very difficult. So, when you’re at the home show, take notes. Ask the contractors you like if they have Facebook pages where you can follow them, and don’t be afraid to ask if they have an e-newsletter service you can sign up for. Many contractors use these as ways to stay in front of their customers and prospects. As soon as you think you can trust your memory, you will find that everything blurs together, making it difficult to remember the products and businesses that you liked.

If you are at the point of trying to choose a contractor to work on your home, I also have several things for you to keep in mind:

1) Services like Service Magic, QuinStreet, and many others are attempting to do nothing more than connect you with a local contractor who is paying them a lead fee. While this can be a good way to get introduced to contractors, do not mistake these services as consumer advocacy groups who have done extensive research into the contractors they recommend.

2) Watch out, too, for companies that are pretending to be local contractors but are really just trying to hook you up with a local contractor who pays them a fee. Have you ever tried to order flowers and found yourself communicating with a florist or worse yet just a phone room that is states away? That happens in the contracting world as well.

3) While I like Angie’s List and other services which encourage consumer reviews, keep in mind there again, that even though there is a membership fee, these organizations also make money from the contractors listed on their sites.

4) There’s nothing like a referral to help you find a trustworthy contractor. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Talk to other homeowners who have purchased the products you like. If you’re “interviewing” a contractor to do possible work for you, ask them if they have any previous customer references from homeowners who are in similar situations to yours.

5) As another idea, there are many home improvement gurus out there who can provide great advice and will often have good contacts for you. May favorite is Gary Sullivan. Please listen for him on the radio or visit At Home With Gary Sullivan.

6) Finally, if you have found a product that you’d like used in your home, contact the manufacturer to make sure it’s appropriate for your home, and also to ask them if they have any contractors they can suggest.

I wish you the best as you plan your 2013 home improvement projects. By following my ideas and tips, I hope that you can have successful experiences that fulfill your home improvement dreams.

One exciting thing to note is that the tax credit was made retroactive for 2012. So, if you purchased an applicable metal roof in 2012, you can take the tax credit. Not all tax software though yet reflects this late breaking change.

If you have questions about energy efficient metal roofing or the tax credit, please email me at todd@asktoddmiller.com.

Mansard roofs present very unique challenges to property owners and to contractors. Oftentimes a true architectural focus of the building, mansard roofs are near-vertical roofs that cover the top portion of a building. In many cases, a low slope roof covers the building above the mansard. I have found that metal shingles are often a great choice for mansard roofs. Let’s look at some of the special challenges presented by mansard roofs, and how metal addresses them.

Visual Appeal. Mansard roofs, because they create sort of a “cap” or “crown” for the building, tend to draw the viewer’s eye. They are a big part of what you see when you look at the building. For that reason, it makes sense to choose a material that is visually appealing – a product that is attractive and complements the rest of the building. Today’s metal shingles, with the high profile beauty of shakes, slate, and tile, can complement mansard-roofed buildings very well.

Steep Pitch. The steep pitch of a mansard roof presents probably the greatest challenge. Standard shingles have a difficult time sealing together on steep pitches. In many cases, the manufacturers will not warrant their products on mansard roofs because of this. Additionally, any product which may slip out of place presents a real danger with mansard roofs. Something like a heavy tile falling from a mansard roof will seriously injure anyone or anything it strikes on the ground. Metal shingles which interlock on all sides cannot slip out of place and cause this sort of risk. The interlocks make these products very wind resistant. Metal shingles are also very low weight, an added bonus.

Energy Efficiency. Because it really is a wall of sorts, mansard roofs present an opportunity to keep heat outside of the building during the summer and inside during the winter. Metal shingle roofs, with reflective coatings, help with summer efficiency. Winter efficiency can be achieved by insulating behind the roofing, again something which is difficult to do with other products and may void their warranties.

Window Trim-Outs. Mansard roofs often have cut-outs for windows or balcony doors. Trimming out around these cut-outs is critical to an attractive and weathertight roof. Metal shingles offer trim pieces specifically for these applications.

More information on metal shingle roofs can be found at www.classicroof.com, www.kasselandirons.com, and www.greenamericanhome.com

If you have a mansard roof, please send me a photo. I will be happy to correspond with you about the challenges posed by your roof and the possible solutions. My email is todd@asktoddmiller.com

Metal roofing provides many benefits including durability, energy efficiency, wind resistance, and low weight. But another reason that many homeowners choose metal is for its fire safety. It does not ignite from burning brands which may land on it. This can provide great protection from rapidly spreading wildfires.

The ABC News video on homes protected from fire by their metal roofs can be seen here.

Recent years have seen an increase in violent weather in the United States. This is making more and more homeowners think about their roofs and look for roofing options that are not prone to damage from wind, hail, snow, and ice. As a result, the fastest growing segment of the residential roofing industry has been metal roofing. Metal has seen its market share more than quadruple over the past decade.

Conventional shingles rely largely on gravity and low-end adhesives to try to hold tight during high winds. Like many commodities, there has been a push by their manufacturers in recent years to cut the cost of asphalt and fiberglass shingles. This has led to products that are less flexible and less well adhered than they have been in the past. So, instead of lasting longer, they are performing more poorly than ever.

Even though their warranties are for longer periods of time, we’re seeing standard shingles having to be replaced at anywhere from five to 20 years of age. The variance depends more on the weather conditions and whether the products were installed well than it does on the original quality of the product.

Metal offers a solution because of the way that the panels interlock rather than just rely on gravity or sealants to hold them in place. The higher quality metal roofs feature fully interlocking panels as well as concealed fasteners. These systems create a weathertight “shell” to protect homes and be able to withstand the rigors of harsh weather.

If you find yourself faced with re-roofing your home due to storm damage, do yourself a favor and consider a lasting and beautiful metal roof. Additional benefits include energy efficiency, fire safety, and low weight. Check out the benefits of metal roofing or email me at todd@asktoddmiller.com for advice on whether a metal roof is right for your home. Metal roofing will require an investment beyond what your insurance will pay you for a damaged shingle roof but now may be a good time to make that investment once and for all and save yourself from future roof maintenance and worries.

I have recently produced a Youtube Video which explains how the right roofing system choice can make your home more energy efficient and even healthier. Click on the below link to view this short but informative video.