When we talk to Minnesota homeowners about roof replacement, it's not uncommon to get questions about how a particular roofing material will respond to our often harsh winters.  Those sub-zero temps, ice storms, and sometimes heavy, wet snows can spell problems for some roofs.  If this is a concern of yours, you may want to consider making the move to metal roofing, as so many in the Twin Cities are doing.

Metal roofing for homes is getting more attention these days.  But we find there are still misconceptions about it.  Many people believe that they can cause a home to become too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.  With our extreme temperatures, this could be true for any roof.  But it is important to note that with quality metal roofing, the temperature does not change the ability of our steel or other metal roofing to provide protection inside the home.

Metal Roofs & Winter

The Outside Temperatures and Affect on Roofing: The material that the roof is made up of is going to mimic the outside temperatures, but some roofing materials will hold or transfer that temperature more than others.  Just like asphalt roofing would get cold come the colder months and hot come the summer months, metal roofing is going to do the same. This does not mean that the metal roof is not going to perform well or that it is going to cause these things to happen on the inside of the home, it just means that is what the outside elements are affecting the surface temperature of the roofing.  What matters more is whether there is heat or cold that's transferred into a home from the roofing.  And our metal roofing (plus our installation process) substantially cuts down on temperature transfer to the home, far more efficiently than asphalt roofing. Having Metal Roofing in the Winter Months: You know that winter in Minnesota can be harsh;  because of this, it is important to think about your roof and how it is going to stand up to those severe conditions.The most important point is that steel and other metal roofing isn't really affected by the outside temperature.  The same cannot be said of asphalt roofing, which can become brittle as the temperatures drop below zero. A heavy snowstorm with strong winds that blow debris might cause damage to an asphalt roof, but it won't affect a metal roof.

Another advantage in winter is that a metal roof  will not hold onto water from snow melt, because it sheds right off the surface, cutting down on formation of ice dams and other ice that can formand potentially cause damage. Additionally, when snow falls on the top of a metal roof and the sun comes out, the snow that hasn't already slid off will melt easily.

And despite some thoughts to the contrary, metal roofs are not unsightly, either. You can find shingles that come in metal and provide the beautiful appeal that you would get from another type of roofing material. Speak with us here and we can recommend the best metal roofing option for your specific home and needs. Minnesota has harsh winters - with metal roofing you can make sure your home is prepared for them.

Metal Roofing & Siding of Minnesota is a division of Quarve Contracting, a licensed Minnesota home improvement contractor.