WHY PUT A METAL ROOF ON YOUR HOME
High quality metal roofs are durable and have a useful life that lasts from 40 to 70 years. These roofs require little to no maintenance and give your home the protection it needs against Miami’s worst storms.
There are several metal roof products that are available and approved for use in hurricane prone areas rated zone 5 (the worst hit areas). The metal roofs used in these areas are made from 24-gauge steel or 26-gauge aluminum metal roofing materials and are not to be confused with flimsy corrugated metal roofs. The panels on metal roofs in Miami and Broward are attached to the deck with clips and/or thick screws to withstand the powerful winds that occur when category 4 or 5 hurricanes hit.
STANDING SEAM METAL ROOFS
Traditional metal roof tiles are mounted to the deck of a roof by drilling holes through the underlayment and decking of the roof’s surface. One issue with this type of roofing system is that leaks can occur at these screw holes over time as the screws are stripped by water flowing over them.
These exposed fastener metal roofing products have been improved dramatically by a new design know as standing seam. A standing seam metal roof uses clips attached to the roof’s surface which are then covered over by seaming adjacent metal tile panels together. This process covers the screws, protecting them from damage.
For this reason, standing seam metal roofs are stronger than conventional choices and also last longer. However, the installation requires more skill and can take longer.
Installed metal roofing and solar offer many homeowners durability that they can’t get anywhere else. This is something that will pay them dividends for many years to come in the form of lower energy bills, a federal solar tax credit and decreased insurance premiums.
Roofs made from asphalt shingles typically last 10-15 years so a homeowner will have to take-off and put-back their solar power system at some point, adding to the overall expense.
Even though they sometimes double the cost of an asphalt roof replacement, metal tile roofs will outlast solar panels in most cases dramatically lowering your solar installation costs in the long run.
CAN THE ROOF GET A TAX CREDIT ALONG WITH MY SOLAR PANELS?
The short answer is “yes”. Because the roof is actually considered part of the complete solar energy system, part of a homeowner’s roof replacement can be covered by the Federal Tax Credit. It is best to consult an accountant with regard to the specifics. Generally, if it’s necessary to replace the roof in order to properly support the solar panel installation, the sections of the roof where the solar installer is going to mount solar panels are eligible for the credit.
Solar panels can easily be installed on these types of roofs. They are designed to hold more weight and the metal can withstand the additional pressure from the solar panels. The easy installation of both makes solar panels an ideal option for a metal roof. This is why so many Floridians are choosing them.
THE PERFECT COMBO – SOLAR PANELS ON METAL ROOF
Like a match made in heaven, solar panel systems mount perfectly on standing seam roof panels for a variety of reasons.
STANDING SEAM METAL ROOF MOUNTS
Installing solar panels on a standing seam metal roof is a simpler process and has lower costs than the installation process on a tile or flat roof. For example, tile replacement mount products require the removal of a tile in order to “penetrate” the roof system with the mount.
The standing seams make mounting PV panels on a metal roof easier. The solar array is attached to a racking system with clamps that attach to the vertical ribs so there is no need to drill holes and penetrate the deck like tile roofs require. For this reason, homeowners are often able to keep their roof warranties intact.
There are also new products on the market that make it even easier to install a solar system on the roof of a home. Similar to thin film solar panels, crystalline solar panels with silicon solar cells fit perfectly between the metal roof seams and don’t require a solar mounting system at all. These PV solar panels look like thin film panels and are mounted using an adhesive. Because there is almost no space between the panel and the metal roof, they are extremely resistant to being uplifted by strong winds.
A new metal roof with a high-quality finish is “cool” metal roofing because these types of metal roofs reflect the sunlight away from your home. This improves energy efficiency; in fact, Englert metal roof systems are actually energy star rated products.
This also means that your solar panels will be exposed to more sunlight and work efficiently. You will generate greater amounts of power with solar arrays mounted to a metal roof and can sell it back to the public utilities at prevailing market rates.
Solar panels can be easily placed onto metal roofs. These solutions require very little maintenance, and they work well with your metal roof. Typically, the average solar panel system will last 30 years. But technology is improving the useful life of solar panels well beyond this time. Many of the solar panels that were installed in the 1980s are continuing to work and produce electricity efficiently.
Our metal roofing contractors in Fort Lauderdale are skilled in helping you to use your metal roof with solar panels. We have worked on these jobs before and will give you the right solutions for your home.
GET THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR HOME TODAY!
These are a few reasons why metal roofs and solar panels work well together. They give you everything you need to create something that will last for many decades to come. You never have to worry about the continuing costs or the need to do constant maintenance. And they add to the value of your home.
Contact us today and let us explain how metal roofing contractors in Fort Lauderdale can help you to get these solutions for your home.
