One of the most important responsibilities of a homeowner is to safeguard a home from storms and extreme weather. This responsibility starts with the roof over your head.
Most lenders require that homeowners carry some form of homeowners insurance. This is intended to protect their own investment in said property. Should you lose your home to fire, tornado, or experience excessive damage the lender will be sure to recoup the money lent you.
Homeowners insurance is protection for you, the homeowner, as well. Even those who own their homes outright should be sure to have coverage for all of life's unforeseens.
There's something else, though, that any remodeling homeowner or buyer should consider when it comes to safeguarding one's investment: Roofing. Roofs have the difficult job of standing up to everything Mother Nature has to offer. From hail and winds to snow and rain, it's hard work!
This is why approximately 10 percent of homeowners now choose a metal roof.
According to the Metal Roofing Alliance, choosing the right roofing project can mean the difference between a minor repair or a major problem. A leaky roof can impact more than just your shingles. Water can make its way onto ceiling and walls, impacting dry wall, paint, and even possessions. It can even affect the stability of your foundation!
Metal roofing systems are designed to stand up to extreme weather conditions. Consider the testimony of one Washington state homeowner, David Gordon. The metal roof he chose protected his home from being engulfed by the deadly Cle Elum wildfire.
With the high wind conditions common in a wildfire, burning pine needles and debris can easily ignite a traditional asphalt roof.
"The odd thing is, we choose our metal roof primarily to help with shedding the heavy snow loads we get in our area. As it turns out, our metal roof saved our home when the wildfire swept through our area," explained Gordon. Sadly, many of his neighbors saw their homes burn to the ground.
For homes in hurricane-prone areas, metal roofing's durability is a key factor to consider when re-roofing. Many metal roofing systems have a 120-mph wind rating and uplift resistance that exceeds new building code requirements. Metal roofing materials interlock, forming a protective barrier that other roofing materials do not provide. The interlocking system makes the roof stronger and more resistant to high winds.
In addition, naturally durable metal roofs are highly resistant to hail damage. Hail will not penetrate a metal roof. Metal roofing products have the highest impact resistance and hail rating granted by Underwriters' Laboratory (UL). Most metal roofing products earn a UL2218 Class 4 rating, meaning that a sample of the product did not crack when it was hit twice in the same spot by a 2-inch steel ball, which would translate into a huge hailstorm.
"Smart homeowners recognize the investment value in a metal roof," says Bill Hippard, president of the Metal Roofing Alliance. "In fact, 61% of consumers who choose a metal roof cite durability as the top reason for their choice. "
For more information on metal roofs, or to find a local installer, homeowners can visit the non-profit Metal Roofing Alliance at http://metalroofing.com.
