There is one home purchase that can do more for the environment and a household budget than any other single investment – install an energy-efficient, sustainable metal roof.   Here are five reasons why:

1. Cool metal roofs reduce energy costs from day one (up to 25% lower utility bills).

2. Metal roofing provides the Cadillac of warranties.  Most metal roofs offer a minimum warranty of 50 years while others offer a true lifetime warranty that will even transfer once.  They have the highest wind ratings available, color warranties against fading, and certain styles will withstand extreme snow loads (www.gerardusa.com).

3. Unlike asphalt shingles, which are petroleum-based, metal roofs are 100% recyclable, and provide lasting protection that increases the value of your home.

4. Metal roofs are made with recycled materials, and provide a market for recycled steel —your old car or dishwasher can be turned into a new roof. “A metal roof is a long term solution that increases the value of your home while reducing its environmental impact. Homeowners plagued with ‘green guilt’ can proudly point to their metal roof as a smart, eco-friendly investment.”

5. Metal is an investment grade roofing product. In fact, many homeowners who install a metal roof will never have to buy another roof – not so with other materials.  Traditional roofing products, such as asphalt, contribute 13 billion pounds of waste to U.S. landfills annually.

Today’s residential metal roofs are far different than those you may see on barns and Pizza Huts. In fact, they are high-tech wonders that feature highly reflective coatings that provide year-round relief from high energy costs. Metal also offers a variety of styles, including tiles, shakes, shingles or standing-seam panels to either make a statement or blend in with the neighborhood.

“Today, more homeowners than ever are choosing metal roofs, because they can select from a variety of materials and styles that immediately reduce their energy bills while protecting their family for years to come,” said Bill Hippard, president of the non-profit Metal Roofing Alliance, (www.metalroofing.com), a coalition dedicated to educating consumers about the benefits of modern metal roofing. “In fact, three times as many homeowners choose a metal roof today than when MRA began its education effort in 1998.”

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Tests conducted by the independent Oak Ridge National Laboratories (ORNL) indicate that a cool metal roof can save a homeowner up to 25% in cooling costs compared to a dark-gray asphalt shingle. In areas with cold winters, above-sheathing ventilation is the key to achieving year-round benefits. ORNL’s field tests have shown that the combination of venting and increased reflectance can reduce the heat penetrating the roof deck by about 45 percent for stone-coated metal roofs compared to an asphalt shingle roof in certain climates.

For more information or a free estimate, please contact True Green Roofing Solutions at 775-225-1590; info@truegreenroofing.com; www.truegreenroofing.com.  They are your local metal roofing experts.  Serving  Nevada, Truckee and the entire Lake Tahoe Basin.

San Diego, CA – As California begins to clean up from the recent wildfires, residents look ahead and think about preventative measures that can be taken to ensure this level of devastation doesn’t happen again.

Along with clearing brush and debris away from a home, installing a metal roof is one of the most proactive steps that can be taken to reduce the chance of a house being destroyed by fire as well as reduce the fires’ ability to spread.

The California fires have burned nearly 730,000 acres to date and have destroyed more than 2,600 homes. Seven major fires are still burning in four counties.

“I’ve seen too many homes burned to the ground that could’ve been prevented,” said Jim McMullen, former California State Fire Marshall. “A metal roof is one of – if not the – best preventative steps a homeowner can take to prevent the spread of residential fires and save their own homes.

“What’s happening in Southern California may not have been preventable, but if there were more metal roofs on residences it might have been more easily contained. As residents look ahead to rebuilding their homes, residential metal roofing should be considered as a strong preventative measure.”

Most forest fires decimate residential communities through burning pine needles and other debris blown from roof to roof. More conventional roofs, such as asphalt, catch fire relatively easily and the home subsequently burns to the ground. With a metal roof, however, those same homes could be saved.

“Metal roofing is not only a wise choice in the west because of its resiliency to fire,” said Tom Black, Executive Director of the Metal Roofing Alliance. “Metal roofing is more energy efficient than conventional asphalt and aesthetically it comes in many designs ranging from shake to shingle to Spanish tile.”

The Metal Roofing Alliance was formed to educate consumers on these and other benefits of metal roofing, now available for residential applications. Visit www.metalroofing.com to learn more about metal roofing and to find a metal roofing contractor in your area.

Courtesy of the Metal Roof Alliance

www.metalroofing.com

Picking the right roof for your home is serious business. Not only is a new roof a big investment, it will play an important role in how well your house functions. Far from a supporting cast member, your roof is a main player in the energy efficiency, comfort, and resale value of your home. Though there are sure to be some varying opinions as to Sylvester Stallone’s pertinence to the home improvement industry, there are some pretty blatant parallels you can draw between his body of work and various roofing materials on the market today.

Stop or My Mom Will Shoot: A Few Words on Asphalt Shingles
Much like Sly’s 1992 PG-13 crossover to comedy, asphalt shingles are appropriate for homes of nearly all ages. Unlike the film, however, most people have seen asphalt shingles. As the most popular roofing material in the country, asphalt is a fairly good insulator, does a decent job protecting the materials underneath it, and is by far the most affordable option on the market. Unfortunately, with asphalt and Stallone films, alike, there seems to be a rather large range of quality. Though some shingles can last for decades without skipping a beat, the performance of sub-par shingles can be Judge Dreddful. There are also reports of warranties for flimsier shingles being as easily infiltrated as the products they are attached to. If you choose asphalt for your roof (and once again, most homeowners do), make sure you talk to your roofer about what he or she has seen work well in your area, and take that advice seriously.

When the Weather Draws First Blood
No matter what kind of roofing material you choose, it’s very important to call a professional as soon as you notice something is awry. Leaks can do a lot of damage before they become noticeable, and by the time you can easily spot water marks or dripping water, there’s a good chance that there is already more harm done than you think. Getting an annual roof inspection is highly recommended; it is a good way to prevent unnecessary repairs, and save you some Cash (minus the Tango) in the long run.