Metal Roofing Materials: Avoiding Pitfalls
In Ontario, roofing is a booming business. The roofing industry has been at the forefront of large infrastructure projects in the province, with hopes for further contracts in upcoming buildings of the forthcoming Expo 2025 bid, a colossal grassroots construction effort fuelled by a surge in metal roofing material! This raises the question: What sort of roofers and metal roofing materials are thriving in the market? If you are interested in all the details surrounding metal roofing, then this article is for you – it sheds light on the types, features and specifications of metal roofing materials popular in Ontario and the common traps that homeowners fall into with contractors.
Aluminium Roofing
An aluminium roof is one of the lightest roofing products on the market, it is corrosion resistant, and will last for a long time, is a perfect fit for a coastal environment, and ice and snow will not deteriorate it. It is a home and business roofing product that offers space age lightness to your residential house or commercial building by creating a clean sleek modern look that offers robust protection against Ontario’s all four season elements.
Copper Roofing
Although other materials have been used, copper roofing is the flagship of longevity and aesthetic transformation: highly resistant to degradation, it also undergoes changes in appearance, evolving with of a verdant glass patina and changing colour, from shiny metallic to verdant green, over time. This is not only a lasting improvement in aesthetic terms, but also helps to protect the roof against corrosion, thanks to the use of a superior material. Copper roofing, however, comes with a higher price tag, reflecting its superior characteristics and longevity when compared to alternative materials.
Zinc Roofing
As with copper, patination allows the zinc roof’s colour to change as the material ages, and this is an important property for zinc beyond its longevity and ability to self-repair. The zinc roof is therefore appealing to residential and commercial architects and to sustainability-conscious homeowners who want the durable, low-maintenance roof without the environmental penalty of premature roof replacement. A zinc roof is likely to be one of the most expensive additions to a home, so it’s not one you buy frequently. The depth of colour and artistry in a well-aged zinc roof make it one of the most dramatic and beautiful ways to age gracefully.
Steel Roofing
The most widely installed form of metal roofing is steel roofing in Ontario. Steel roofing is suitable for various applications, it is durable, highly cost efficient and comes in a wide range of options. Available in galvanized, Galvalume and painted format, steel roofing is a solution for almost any application – architectural or function. The main driving forces for the material are its strength and the variety of options it provides for both a low rise residential as well as a commercial project.
American standard G90
The US standard G90 galvanising specification plays a major role in construction and roofing, especially for metal roofing materials. G90 refers to the thickness of the zinc coating that is applied while making the steel sheets to be used in the roofs of houses and other buildings. A G90 coating has 0.9 ounces of zinc per square foot of steel (about 275 grams per square metre). Zinc, an active metal of the periodic table and a natural element, has low affinity for oxygen. Since oxygen is the major element to cause rusting, when applied to steel it can give excellent protection against corrosion. This makes the steel last long in many environmental conditions. Particularly, wherever there is a high probability of extremely bad weather or a lot of moisture, the zinc coating provides an additional protection layer to prevent rusting and cause an extended useful life of the steel.
Coating thickness is also similar in the European standard, offering the same degree of protection. This global recognition of the importance of zinc in safeguarding metal roofing from the elements can help explain why the American G90 and the European standard are the same in thickness.
The longer the roof lasts, the greater the environmental and economic benefits since it will require less frequent renovations. From this perspective, it is important for both contractors and homeowners to grasp the meaning of these standards since it informs the selection of materials based on quality, and, thus, investment in roofing products that will provide not only the expected protection to the house but also will last longer and with more value for money.
How to avoid pitfalls, choosing metal roofing contractor
Another major issue regards the quality of the roof materials (metal sheets, foam & paint) let in by contractors to replace the old tiles on a client’s home. Some of them take the opportunity to cut on costs (paint and metal) which will add to their gross and net profit margins.
For example – instead of painting the metal roof sheet to a full 35 microns (which industry recommends for this specific roof material), a dishonest contractor paints the roof to just 25 microns – thus reducing the life of the metal sheet as well as resistance to the weathering conditions that result in premature corrosion of the roof. The second glaring issue has to do with the actual thickness of your new roof sheet (in mm or Gauge). According to European Standard, the minimum thickness allowable to make a metal roof sheet is 0.5 mm (or 26 Gauge).98% of contractors willing to cut ‘discount’ deals in an effort to get our ‘business’ would insist on using a lower metal thickness (a 0.47 mm or 28 Gauge), of which only 98% (Gauge 26) is allowed.
Furthermore, these contractors might tell clients that they’re using a higher grade of galvanised steel, one that’s ‘G 90’, a specification that was chosen because it has a superior resistance to corrosion. But instead, they’re choosing a lower-quality material that doesn’t meet those standards.
Read more: CHOOSING THE RIGHT METAL ROOFING MATERIALS FOR YOUR PROJECTS
In addition to creating a roof that will not last as long, and might not withstand bad weather as well as it would have, the contractor is misrepresenting what will go up on the homeowner’s roof. Specific details about the materials that will be used are therefore critical. Lying to the homeowner about what’s being used, regarding its specifications, endangers the home, and degrades the structural integrity of the roof. Firm, established industry standards warning against these materials and installation techniques make clear that homeowners should be wary during the contractor-selection process and remain vigilant during the roof-construction process. Homeowners must demand that their roofing contractors use materials and installation techniques that fall within industry standards.
Installation process
When installing metal roofing panels, it’s not about merely laying out the panels and calling it a day. Instead, other accessories and components that actually make a roof watertight and capable of withstanding severe weather must be properly incorporated. This includes flashing and sealants – a whole slew of accessories like step flashing, counterflashing, kick-out, caps, drip edges and pipe boots. But some of roofing contractors are looking to cut corners on labour and material costs, in an effort to deal in a price range that can be more affordable to the customer. To reduce overhead, a contractor can leave out specific installation materials. For example, it’s often tempting to leave out material for ventilation louvres or have fewer nails, screws, or too few around each hole. Left out altogether, however, is flashing – the material that makes a roof completely leakproof and, even more importantly, prevents damage from severe weather, like in a windstorm or under a blanket of snow. These cost-cutting measures are ultimately more expensive, in the long run. The homeowner gets aware of all this when his ‘Dutch Elm Disease’ infested roof starts leaking, and he needs to call on another contractor to repair the damage.
Also very important, but seldom done, is that a lumber base – a wooden deck – is installed over the roof first, formed into whatever shape the roof is, then the metal tiles or panels are screwed down onto it. This lumber base or deck is a very important aspect to this system, and elaborately figured into its design, because it’s how those very thin and light metal tiles or panels are anchored firmly. Isn’t this why you’re getting metal roofing?
Without underlayment, dishonest installers just putting a thin veneer that’s pretending it’s a very stout roof. This step is how some roofers can come in with a bid $2000 less, and make a bid that sounds so much more compelling to homeowners. It’s a false savings. A roof without it is incredibly vulnerable to wind uplift. And if there’s wind uplift, the rest of the roof is gone, or the whole roof is pulled off your house and blown down the street. The upshot, of course, is that the cheaper way will end up costing you more in the end, because the probability of you needing the roof repaired or replaced prematurely is much higher.
How to choose reliable installer
It is also important to mention that next to investing in quality materials, it is crucial to choose a reliable metal roofing contractor who will install your metal roofing so that your roof maintenance period will be as short as possible. That is why it is recommended that you carefully check reviews and feedback about potential contractor, or, you know, those people who were working with him before. This way you may find out more about the quality of work, the level of professionalism and trustworthiness of contractor, and how the clients of a particular installer are satisfied with his work and how he cooperates with his clients. Sometimes reviews may contain important warnings and reveal some shortcomings or problems that past clients had or have. Knowing these kind of nuances may help you to choose the most reliable contractor for your metal roof installation. As a rule, the more good reviews there are about craftsmanship, ethics, the more chances you have to get a perfect metal roof.
Also, you might feel more secure about your choice if you choose a contractor from a list of pre-approved companies from a pre-vetted list of what are called ‘preferred contractors’. Manufacturers or industry providers bring pre-qualified contractors together to be on a ‘preferred contractors list’. This identifies companies checked for experience, ability to follow industry specifications, a reputation for using good materials and employing quality craftsmanship. If one has a warranty on materials and/or workmanship, but hasn’t checked the contractor, one might end up voiding the warranty by having the wrong contractor perform the job.
By choosing a pre-approved roofing contractor in Mississauga on a Metal Exterior Products’ list, you can feel more assured that the company will satisfy warranty requirements. This helps reduce risk when hiring someone without their being able to produce a prior good job reputation or having a warranty to back up the work, and it adds protection against having the warranty for the roofing invalidated by the quality of the contractor selected.
Conclusion
Metal roofing has many benefits for homes in Ontario homes – such as durability, energy efficiency and a variety of attractive design options – but only if you pay attention to the materials used and the quality of the installation. Make sure you understand what each type of metal roofing material brings to the table; how it stacks up to the standards of the industry; and how to spot malpractice by a bad contractor. With so many types of metal roofing available to choose from, selecting the right installer is about more than just getting a decent roof. It’s about the safety, comfort, quality, and value of your home.
