Drawbacks
The positives of a steel roof are widely known: longevity, durability, fireproofness and energy efficiently. However, the drawbacks are not that widely known. It’s important for you and your clients to be aware of some of the negative features of a steel roof. Those features include: price, noise, expansion and contraction, color matching, performance and snow.
Price
According to experts, a steel roof can cost $150-$600 per square, which makes a steel roof two or three times more expensive than an asphalt roof. Despite this drawback, for those who can afford to pay the higher cost, a steel roof is worth it because of a steel roof’s long life of 50 years, ability to stand up to harsh weather and savings on heating bills.
Noise
A number of companies that manufacture materials for a steel roof have claimed that a steel roof is soundproof. However, that isn’t true. If you install a steel roof, your customers will be hearing a drumming sound when it rains or during a hail storm. To eliminate the noise, you need to install more insulation. However, the added insulation jacks up the price of an already expensive roof.
Expansion and Contraction
A steel roof with panels can expand or contract if they are improperly installed. During the installation process, the panels must be attached with specific fasteners to prevent expansion and contraction. To find out the proper fasteners to utilize, you need to follow the directions that the manufacturing company has provided. If you do not use the right fasteners, the steel roof will not function as it was intended to.
A steel roof with panels can expand or contract if they are improperly installed. During the installation process, the panels must be attached with specific fasteners to prevent expansion and contraction. To find out the proper fasteners to utilize, you need to follow the directions that the manufacturing company has provided. If you do not use the right fasteners, the steel roof will not function as it was intended to.
Color Match
A steel roof with panels can expand or contract if they are improperly installed. During the installation process, the panels must be attached with specific fasteners to prevent expansion and contraction. To find out the proper fasteners to utilize, you need to follow the directions that the manufacturing company has provided. If you do not use the right fasteners, the steel roof will not function as it was intended to.
Snow
Snow slides off a steel roof and does not accumulate on the roof. The positive of snow sliding off a roof is that it helps prevent your customer from having to deal with a collapsed roof. However, heavy snow falling off a roof is a hazard. It is a hazard that can injure your clients or damage their property.If that happens, you could be held liable after you’ve completed the job because of a contract with your customer that guarantees your work for a definite set of years.
Performance
If water pools on the steel roof that you have installed, serious damage can occur. The roof could rust. If you have used low quality steel, corrosion could be a problem. The roof could become dented if the roof is hit by hailstones.
