Metal tiles vs shingles

If you are trying to figure out which solution would work best for your roof – metal tiles or shingles – you are in the right place. In this article we give you an honest research so that you can weigh the advantages and drawbacks of both options.

To begin with, let’s look at the brief definitions of these two roofing materials. Both are intended for the installation on a pitched roof with a slope more than 3/12 or 14 degrees.

Our metal tiles are made up of profiled hot Zinc coated steel sheets with approximate measurements of 1.1-1.2 meters (~4’) in width and length 2.3 meters (7’), the thickness of the metal steel sheet is 0.50 mm (26ga). From the outside, the metal tile is covered with a layer of polymers (polyester, pural or plastisol) of different colors (primary colors: grey, red, brown, black, terracotta and a great number of their hues). It looks like a laid natural tile. Main advantages: low weight, durability and reasonable price. Disadvantages: the tendency of the metal to corrosion and there might be considerable waste when working with a complex roof. To avoid rust it is important to use right raw materials. Roof Experts use only world standard steel for outside construction with Zinc amount 275 g/sq.m. or G90.

Shingles are small (approximately 1×0.35 meters in size, 3-5 mm thick) flat bitumen sheets. The basis is fiberglass, which connects 2 layers of oxidized modified bitumen, sometimes with various additives. The customer can choose between a variety of soft tiles of different shapes (rectangle, hexagon, oval, diamond, two-layer shingles), various colors and shades are produced. Main advantages: a large selection of shapes and colors, and suitable for complex roofing. Disadvantages: irresistible to wind, or other heavy weather conditions, requires a solid base, which increases the cost of the roof.

It is not easy to say straightforwardly that one type of roofing is better, and another is worse. They have their pros and cons. To make a fair comparison we focused on several important factors when choosing roofing materials.

Now let’s turn to another roofing option

Another factors we need to discuss in more detail is Energy Efficiency and Ventilation of metal roofs.

Our roofing system offers tremendous energy savings on a yearly basis. We achieve savings by extracting the hot air coming from your house until it reaches the attic until it leaves the house through the ridge vents. Additional effect is accomplished thanks to the special paint coating that reflects heat. In the summer, if the outside temperature is 30°С, a typical attic temperature would be between 45-50°С. With our metal roof in the same conditions, your attic temperature would only be about 35°С max. This makes your house much easier to cool in the summer and heat in the winter.

Savings come from the fact that our roofing system allows the best possible ventilation. Ventilation is the biggest key factor for any roofing products. If your house is not properly ventilated, your roof will not last as long as it should. Your energy costs will increase, and you can expose your family to harmful mold and fungus.

In our system, we vent through the ridge and this allows the hot air and moisture to escape from your attic quickly before it can cause serious issues. Most houses built today use a box vent extraction system (300 square feet to each box vent). We find that this is the bare minimum of air extraction. Venting through the entire ridge eliminates this issue. Statistical data shows that our system will save you between 20-33% off your AC cost and 5-10% off your heating cost.

Depending on the size of your house, this could be substantial savings – anywhere between $500 to $1,000 per year.

Cost

Last but certainly not least, let’s look at the cost.

In order to do this properly, you must look at your life cycle cost. In other words, what will your roofing cost you on an annual basis. Probably, you will find the results surprising. Let’s look at the life cycle cost chart.

Average roof is 2,200 square feet or 22 squares. Current asphalt cost is $3 per square foot or $6,600 for average shingle roof. Average metal tile roof cost is $6 per square foot or $13,200 for average steel roof.

As you can see from this table, in long term metal tile roof is more beneficial. Moreover, steel roof also increases your house value.

To sum up, metal tile is ideal solution for homes with single or gable roofs. This system can be applied on any plane roofs, pyramidal areas, multi-level roof and roofs adjacent to the walls at any angle. However, if you need to cover rounded, uneven complicated curves or difficult shapes then soft asphalt shingles is your answer.