Metal Roof vs Shingle Roof: What's Best for My Home?

A home's roof is an essential protective feature, from enduring hot summers to intense storms. You'll choose between shingles or metal when looking for what kind of roof you need for your property. But which one is best for your house? Since every home and homeowner is different, our Seawright Roofing team has listed the pros and cons, giving you an easier time on your roofing journey.

Shingle Roofs: The Familiar Favorite

The most common roof type is the shingle roof. This kind of roof is covered with overlapping shingles made from asphalt, metal, clay tile, wood, slate, or composite that create a weatherproof barrier to protect the inside of your home.

Many benefits come with shingle roofs, like their affordability, style variety, installation and repair ease, and noise reduction. Many homeowners choose this option because it has a lower upfront cost, averaging around $10,500. One of the best features of shingle roofs is their wide range of styles and colors that will easily match your home’s aesthetics. As an option that’s been around for decades, most residential roofers have easy and fast repair times on shingle roofs. Enjoy the benefit of better sound insulation, especially during rain and thunderstorms.

When considering shingle roofs, consider their lifespan, durability, and maintenance requirements. Of the two, shingle roofs typically only last about 20 years. They are more susceptible to wind, hail, and UV damage, resulting in more frequent repairs and replacements.

Metal Roofs: The Durable Defender

As a new and coming top pick for homeowners, metal roofs are installed more frequently on residential houses. Metal roofs are made from aluminum, copper, corrugated, standing seam, or stone-coated steel. Durability and energy efficiency are some key benefits that many homeowners prefer when it comes to metal roofs. Expect your metal roof to last you 40 to 70 years easily. These roofs have excellent resistance to wind, hail, fire, and pests, making them have low maintenance upkeep. Metal roofs reflect sunlight, helping lower your cooling costs.

While metal roofs have significant benefits, you must also remember some pitfalls, like higher upfront costs, louder noises, style limitations, and installation complexity. Metal roofs average about $11,700 and require specialized knowledge and experience from residential roofers. While insulation can help reduce sound, you can still expect to hear rain and hail when it hits your metal roof. Style options are slightly more limited, though various colors are typically available.

Roofing Professionals in Columbia, South Carolina

Let Seawright Roofing help you choose the right roof for your Columbia, SC, home. When deciding what is best for you, you must consider your budget, long-term needs, and overall style preference. The most important item in your roofing journey is finding the right company to partner with.

Seawright Roofing is a residential roofing company near Columbia and Lexington, SC, specializing in roofing repair and replacement. As a top residential roofer, we have assisted homeowners for over a decade as one of the area’s only recognized Owens Corning Roofing Platinum Preferred Contractors. With years of experience, we know the ins and outs of shingle and metal roofs. We offer free inspections and even insurance claim assistance. Call us today to see how best we can help you with your roofing needs.