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PRE-FABRICATED STEEL ROOFING 101
There is a reason why the pre-fabrication of steel roofs is showing an uprising in sales. There are many benefits to having a steel roof installed on not just prefabricated steel buildings but also residential and community buildings that are made of different materials.
It’s interesting to see that in a little over 11 years the steel roofing business shows a 6% overall increase in the amount of residential buildings switching from standard shingle roofing to steel roofing or metallic roofing. Starting in 1998, the percent of steel roofing in these areas were only at 5%. This changed in 2009, when it drastically changed to an 11% increase.
Steel roofing lasts 3X’s longer than shingle roofing. It also requires less maintenance and can withstand heavy weather patterns. They are preferred for areas where tornadoes, wind storms and rain are frequent. These roofs are solid and can last for 20 years or more. Making sure you have a thicker gauge for roofing steel is better than a low grade, thin sheet. 26-gauge is preferred to 29-gauge steel.
Using recyclable steel on your homes roof is referred to as “green” roofing. These steel roofs can be recycled when they no longer have any value on a home. For added protection, there are a couple of things that you can apply to the surface of the metal. Performance coatings are good for the life of the steel and protection from rain and other forms of moisture that could harm the steel if left to sit. One of the other reasons this type of pre-fabricated steel for the roof is preferred over standard roofing is that it can be coated with an infrared reflective pigment to assist with solar power. These solar roofs are going to best suited for systems that are renewable. Solar reflection is utilized on almost all new steel roofs being installed on residential homes and buildings. For homeowners, this change from shingles to steel roofing is helping give them a substantial tax break. In 2009, a bill was passed that allows a $1,500 tax credit for those who have had steel roofing to accommodate solar power installed in their homes.
These changes from shingled roofing to “green” steel roofing has allowed many people to make an investment on a quality product that will assist them financially in the current and future recession. Sometimes the pricing on the steel roofing can be a higher scale than most forms of roofing but the incentive to buy it would be the savings over a long-term timeframe. Homeowners should also check into their home insurance if they recently installed a “green” roof. They may qualify for a discount that can take off up to 35% of their annual premium.
Although many people only see steel roofing systems on top of pre-fabricated steel buildings, the amount of residential and commercial buildings that don’t have steel bodies but steel roofs are increasing. The benefits of switching are far superior than the maintenance homeowners usually spend on shingled roofing. Steel roofing is definitely something to watch over the years.
