Metal Roofing in Chippewa Falls, WI

On a house, much less than people expect. A metal roof installed over solid decking, underlayment and an insulated attic sounds about like any other roof from inside. The drumming people remember comes from open-framed buildings such as pole barns, where the panel is the only thing between you and the rain.

They are less prone to them, because snow slides off before much can melt and refreeze, and there are no shingle laps for backed-up water to creep under. They are not immune. A warm attic can still build ice at a cold eave, in a valley or behind a chimney. Attic air sealing, insulation and ventilation matter under metal just as they do under shingles.

Modern steel roofing is coated with zinc or a zinc-aluminum alloy and then painted, so the steel itself is protected. Rust starts where that protection is broken: cut edges left raw, scratches, panels in contact with treated lumber or standing debris, and around worn fasteners. Careful installation and keeping valleys and panel ends clear go a long way.

It can be walked on with care when it is dry, by someone who knows where to step for that panel profile. It is very slick when wet, frosty or dusted with snow, and a careless step can dent a rib. For anything beyond a look from a ladder, we would rather you called us.

Large hail can dent steel panels, more visibly on flat-pan standing seam than on ribbed or textured profiles. Dents are usually cosmetic and the roof stays watertight. Some insurance policies treat cosmetic damage to metal roofs differently from functional damage, so it is worth asking your agent how yours is written before you choose.

Longer, as a rule, which is the main argument for its higher price. How much longer depends on the system. Standing seam, with its fasteners hidden from the weather, has the fewest parts that age. Exposed-fastener steel lasts well too, but the screws and their washers need checking and periodic replacement. Manufacturers publish their own product warranties, and the terms vary by panel and paint finish.

Over doors, walkways, decks, driveways and lower roofs, we strongly recommend them. Snow releases from metal in sheets, and a slide off a two-story roof is heavy enough to injure someone or flatten what is below. Over a back lawn or on a barn roof that sheds into an open yard, they may not be needed. We lay them out for where people and property actually are.