Installing Metal Roof
Installing metal roof is the first step to safeguarding your home from the force of elements including wind-driven rains, heavy snow, extreme heat, hail and hurricane force winds.
Choosing installing a metal roof will provide your home with the protection it needs from natural disasters and harsh weather conditions. The aerodynamic interlocking of the shingles in a four way type virtually eliminates wind damage common to asphalt shingles.
Explore the different materials you can use for installing metal roof, including flashing, counter-flashing, shingles, nails, safe extension ladder, coating layer, caulk, a drill with different bits and hand tools.
When considering installing metal roof, purchase an aluminum coating or a sealant of zinc to avoid rust and damage to the panels or shingles on metal roofs not made of steel.
Get the look of a tile or wood system using a shingle, you get a variety of color choices and designs using these materials.
When installing metal roof, use a panel rather than a shingle if you want to get a wider variety of designs and patterns, check for steel or copper tiles because they are made of recycled material and less expensive.
Before installing metal roof, check with your manufacturer if it is possible to install the metal shingles or panels over your old roof.
Attach the starter flashing to prevent leakage, also apply counter-flashing as is needed and adhere strips of securing flashing to the roof by nailing it to the fascia trimboard and to the section of the roof.
Panels should extend 2-3 inches to create a secure drip edge to allow any precipitation to run off. When installing metal roof, you should also use transition flashing on the upper part of the drip edge which should be shorter. You should also use expanding foam in joints of transition flashing to avoid the infiltration of the water under the panels. Apply side-wall and end-wall flashing in areas where the roof meets the wall and seal the seam with caulk. Install a ridge cap on the ridge of the roof for protection and to avoid infiltration of water, ice, or snow.
Another thing to be considered when installing metal roof: the shingles must be kept dry until completing the installing of the metal roof; if tiles become wet they must be immediately separated and dried, prolong moisture in tiles may cause staining and rust, causing permanent damage of the coating. The panels shoal be installed from the top down which should minimize traffic on the tiles. When walking is required, walk on the front edge of the lower section. Underlain is required when you install a new roof, underlain is not required when you are re-roofing over existing composition roofs, except in areas of extreme weather conditions. All met roofing products are produced from long lasting steel, copper and aluminum. In areas prone to severe ice, snow, water or wind additional measures may be required.
A minimum two man crew is recommended for installing metal roof from start to finish, to ensure a cost effective quality installation but may vary depending on the budget. A qualified two man crew is able to install one square foot per hour under normal circumstances. Consider this option when installing metal roof: for steel tiles you can use a stone coating, which is flexible and some minor stressing is expected on bending the product, this tends to be more severe in colder weather or when the area of the bends are too small. In areas of the bends such as valleys use an acrylic spray be applied on the bends after the installation.
A requirement of the contractor or the installer to check and meet the local and national building codes before starting the installation, some installations may require additional protection and measures to be met.