Before you scroll down to see our final “verdict” and recommendation on this interesting debate between two powerhouses in the roofing material space, do take a couple of minutes to go through our unbiased and exhaustive review of both. The recent rising popularity of metal roofing plates seems to have made it more difficult to decide on which option to go for. Our review however considers both options concerning our locale and the environmental factors at play here. This review focuses on the following attributes of both.
DURABILITY
It is important to start here because of the harsh weather conditions in Mckinney. The best choice for a resident will be the material that has the highest durability. Metal roofing beats asphalt shingles in this aspect because metal roofing, especially those made from certain materials like copper, can last from 50-60 years without showing signs of damages. Shingles on the other hand barely last up to 25 years before showing the same signs. Often needing roof repairs even earlier. Although this depends on the materials used (asphalt or fiberglass), it is almost impossible to see a shingle roof that lasts beyond 25 years. Based on this alone, you may consider selecting metal.
PRICING
Now comes the cost of metal roofing vs shingle roofing. The popular law of demand and supply comes into play here. The more common material is usually cheaper to install and fix. Most contractors are more conversant with shingle roofing and as such the material is cheaper than the more specialized metal sheets. This means inadvertently that the cost of installation for metal roofing is much more than the cost for shingles. If you plan on staying in the building in the long run, however, we recommend going for a metal roofing type which is more expensive in the short run but yields benefits in the long run. Other than that, you can go for shingles which are cheaper to install.
AESTHETICS
Although you can have asphalt shingle roofing in a variety of colors, they are usually dulled by the deep saturation from the asphalt base and this limits the availability of bright designs. Metal roofing on the other hand comes out tops in terms of aesthetics. If you are all about the beauty of the roofing, then this is the option for you.
RESOURCE AVAILABILITY
Metal sheet installation requires skilled contractors and more manpower in fitting them properly without installation errors. For this reason, you may opt to play safe and contract the services of a roofing company for the more popular shingle roofing.
RESISTANCE TO MOLD AND MOISTURE
This is a no brainer! Metal surfaces are more resistant to mold and moisture than asphalt shingles. You may be familiar with the sight of algae blooming on the roof of some houses you have visited with shingle roofing. Your best bet to avoid this will be to go for metal installation.
So now that you have gone through our unbiased opinion of the pros and cons for both, we can offer this as our recommendation. Go for what works best for your requirements. A good rule of thumb is to cover points such as:
- Budget
- Environmental conditions
- Type of residence (permanent or temporary)
- Availability of experts
- Compromise between quality and aesthetics
