Dale Walton, Residential Roofing Product Manager, Certain Teed Corporation
Extreme heat, constant humidity, strong winds and seasonal hurricanes make the weather in Florida unlike any other place in the country. When considering the roofing needs of home and business owners, roofing contractors must keep in mind that whatever roofing material they install, it is going to take a beating - whether it's from sun, rain, wind or wind-blown debris. Florida property owners are highly motivated to invest in stronger roofing materials to protect their prized real estate.
Metal roofing, with its high strength-to-weight ratio and variety of styles, is one of the fastest growing segments in the roofing industry and a popular choice for residential and light commercial applications. Metal panel roofing can be molded to emulate many popular styles, including the Mediterranean tile look typical of many Florida homes and businesses, offering great protection without the extreme weight and fragility of clay tile. While it can require a greater initial investment than typical roofing, properly-installed metal roofing literally lasts a lifetime (SO years or more) with superior wind and impact resistance and little to no maintenance.
Metal roofing has unique qualities that appeal to the needs of Florida property owners. Here are some reasons to consider making metal roofing a part of your client offering.
While metal roofing comes in a variety of types (copper, aluminum), most metal roofing on the market today is made from steel or steel composites, making it lightweight and incredibly strong. While clay tile provides excellent rain protection, it is very easy to shatter, either by foot traffic or wind-blown debris. Metal roofing can stand up to foot traffic, heavy rain, hail and other impacts without warping or affecting the integrity of the metal. Metal roofing can also endure hurricane-force winds and other extreme weather. Given that, on average, 40 percent of the hurricanes to make landfall on the east coast hit the state of Florida, property owners may invest more in strong roofing products that give them an added sense of security.
While constant sun is great for making Florida oranges delicious, it tends to be harsh on many roof systems. Wood shake roofing exposed to extreme sun can become brittle and crack, which increases the risk of a fire hazard. Prolonged
sun exposure also puts stress on many synthetic (PVC) roof systems, causing individual roof system components to fail and shorten the overall lifespan of the system. Most new metal roof systems are outfitted with corrosion-resistant
paints that resist fading and some feature cool roof colors that reflect solar radiant heat and lower roof temperatures by as much as 50-70°F. For earth-conscious, price-aware consumers, the air conditioning cost savings that come with solar-reflective metal roofing is a compelling value proposition.
In the past, a metal roof typically meant a standing seam roof requiring special machines to bend and cut metal and a roofer specializing in metal to run the machine. Today's metal panel roofing systems function and install much like asphalt shingles, with a few adjustments in underlayments, application techniques and tools. This makes metal roofing a great value-added product that generates profit for contractors. Many contractors who don't specialize in metal are pleased to find that with a little instruction and a $200 investment in metal snips, a hand seamer and a good impact driver, they are able to include metal roofing as an added offering to their business.
Metal roofing is an investment - one that home and business owners will appreciate for years to come. With designs that mimic natural materials like slate, shake and tile while offering protection and significantly less maintenance, metal roofing is an ideal roof solution for Florida property owners. With a little research and training, roofing contractors can easily add metal roofing to their product offering and grow business in their service area.
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