What Does Metal Roofing Do That Shingles Do Not?

There are many different roofing materials available these days, but two of the most common ones are metal and shingle roofing. Both of these materials have their place. Shingles are affordable and easy to install. However, metal is often seen as the superior roofing option. That's essentially because metal roofing does some things that shingle roofing does not.

Sheds Snow

Snow buildup on shingle roofs is a real concern for a few reasons. For one, if too much snow piles up, it starts to get heavy. Often, there is a warm day and some of that snow partially melts and compacts. Then, even more snow falls on it. A few rounds of this can be enough to cause a shingle roof to crack or collapse completely. Metal roofs, on the other hand, shed snow. Metal gets slippery when it gets even the slightest bit wet. So, once the roof is slick, the snow slides to the ground, and you never get more than a couple of inches of snow up there at once. As a result, metal roofs are at a much lower risk of collapsing than shingle roofs.

Reflect Sunlight

There are some specialty shingles that are made to reflect more sunlight. But for the most part, shingles absorb heat from the sun. As they do so, some of that heat travels into your attic. This makes the attic a warm place where mold and other life forms are likely to grow. It also makes your AC unit work harder to keep your home cooler. A metal roof, on the other hand, reflects a lot of the sun's rays in the summer. So, your attic and home stay cooler, and your air conditioner does not have to work as hard. Your energy bills should be lower with a metal roof in the summer.

Resist Moss Growth

Moss does not need a lot of substrate to grow in. The little bit of substrate offered by a shingle roof is enough! So, if your shingle roof is shaded, you will generally start to see moss growth, which leads to further shingle damage. Metal roofing, on the other hand, resists moss growth. It is so flat and smooth that the moss does not have anywhere to grab onto. As such, metal roofing lasts a lot longer under trees.

Metal roofing is a very useful, functional type of roofing. Talk to a company like Alliance Exteriors for more information.