metal roof vs composite shingle roof?

 

  Earlier this week we were successful in our bid for a HUD foreclosure
home.  The place needs a new roof ASAP.  Typically, I would just go with a
composite shingle, since it is common and cheap.

  However, lately I've been hearing that metal roofs can last a LOT longer,
have lower maintenance, and even qualify for an energy tax credit.

  I was wondering, is there any sort of roof system that is easy to do
yourself?  The roof on our new place is not steep, with a pitch of maybe 20
degrees.  The roof is fairly low compared to our current place, so I
wouldn't feel all that uncomfortable trying to do at least a section on my
own.

  Anyone out there have experience doing this sort of thing yourself?  In
the past, I have helped tear off shingles before, and also put down roofing
felt, but that is about as far as my experience goes.

                                                          Thanks!

 


Congratulations!


One of my brothers has a metal roof and is pleased with the reduction in
AC costs. Not sure how well it'll do in your colder climate.


Here, there's this thing called a web search:

  
http://www.dogpile.com/dogpile/ws/results/Web/diy%20metal !FEroof/1/417/TopNavigation/Relevance/iq=true/zoom=off/_iceUrlFlag=7?_IceUrl=true


These sites indicate they have DIY information or sell to DIYers, so if
you're reasonably handy, you should be able to handle it:

  http://www.metalroofingsource.com/installation_diy_FAQ.htm

  http://www.metalroofingexpress.com/


Finding a local source and getting some hands-on training would be a good
idea.


Gary

--
Gary Heston  gheston@hiwaay.net   http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/
"Where large, expensive pieces of exotic woods are converted to valueless,
hard to dispose of sawdust, chips and scraps." Charlie B.s' definition of
woodworking.

 

I have a metal roof - and live in northern New York where the winters are
hard and long.  Have lived here 28 years.  Had it sealed and painted about
25 years ago and then again 2 years ago.  It was old when I purchased the
place in 1981.

Can't vouch for the savings in heat (no AC) since had the attic crawl space
(slanted ceilings on second floor) heavily insulated (blown in) after first
winter.

Only caution - if you have considerable snow, don't put up gutters.  The
snow slides off when the weather warms and will tear the gutters off.  But
you said the roof is a low slope so perhaps you wouldn't have that problem -
but around here, people shovel the snow off the roofs if it doesn't slide
off.

Jan

Learn something new every day
As long as you are learning, you are living
When you stop learning, you start dying

 

Al wrote:

Wrong. Its actually a lot easier than the alternatives.

 

OhioGuy wrote:


Roofing is not that difficult if the roof is walkable, as this one is.
 It is, however, a lot of hard work.  If the existing shingles are in
really bad shape, or if there is more than one layer of them, you
might want (or be required by code) to do a tearoff.  Lots of info
available online and in DIY books.  If you're organized enough to do
it quickly, might be worth renting a compressor and pneumatic nailer,
I've never used one but it should make the work go a lot quicker than
doing it with a hammer.  Do flashing around chimneys and in valleys if
it is not already present and in good condition, replace vents, fix
any rot.

If you can rip a roof off, you can put one on, so long as you
carefully follow the instructions.  But never forget that "roofer" is
one of the ten most hazardous occupations, more than twice as
dangerous as "cop" or "firefighter" (but safer than being a logger,
fisherman, or garbage collector).

I don't know anything about doing metal roofing.

Dave