Just the other day, we received a question from one of our readers about metal roofs: “I just bought an old house with an old metal roof that leaks during heavy rains. Since I have limited funds, can I just repair the roof instead of replacing it? What would you advise me to do?”
The good news is, many of the problems in metal roofs, including peeling paint, surface corrosion and small holes, can be addressed and repaired even by non-professionals. When more serious issues are found (e.g. flashing failure or soldered/standing seams coming apart), it’s essential to hire a professional to repair your roof.
In most cases, however, proper surface preparation followed by the application of the right type of coating is all it takes to bring a metal roof to a maintainable condition. Then, roof re-coating should be done every few years to keep the roof in good shape and further extend its service life.
Now, if you wonder why you should continue to repaint your roof on a regular basis, here are five valuable insights from our residential painting contractors.
- Your roof is the first line of defense against the elements – Failing to maintain your roof regularly means leaving your home vulnerable to rain, extreme heat, wind, hail and violent storms. By simply applying a specialty product every 2 to 4 years, in case of acrylic or oil-based coatings, or every 5 to 10 years for elastomeric systems, you’ll keep your metal roof in good condition and your home protected from the elements that may otherwise cause the deterioration of structures in a variety of ways.
- Re-coating is less expensive than replacing – If you consider the option of replacing your metal roof, re-coating it every few years is more economical. Sure, your roof will ultimately have too many layers of coatings and will need to be replaced. But, until then, re-coating it will give you many years of trouble-free service.
- Higher resale value – Well, it’s official: everyone wants to buy a well-maintained home. A metal roof re-coated regularly is a huge selling point, no matter who the buyer is. Also, Florida homes outfitted with metal roofs resell for higher prices than the properties with other types of roofing.
- Energy savings – A metal roof can help you save as much as 50 percent of your Florida home energy bill, according to a report issued by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Today, you can find a variety of metal roof coating systems that reflect the solar heat back into the atmosphere and keep the buildings cooler during the summer. In addition, metal is 100-percent recyclable. This means that, unlike other roofing materials, old metal roofs won’t end up in our landfills.
- The next level of energy-efficiency – If you have a standing seam metal roof, you’re in luck. That’s because your roof can be easily integrated with photovoltaic (PV) technologies, such as crystalline PV or PV laminate thin film systems. Installing solar panels on your roof will deliver clean, green, high-performance energy to your home, lowering your energy bills and reducing your carbon footprint.
A word of caution: though elastomeric coatings are some of the best solutions for metal roofs that are failing, they’re somewhat permanent. Therefore, we recommend that the application of these coatings be done only by knowledgeable and experienced painting contractors.
Getting your metal roof inspected and repainted by professional painting contractors is important not only to know its true condition but also to ensure it stays in its best shape for as long as possible. For your residential or commercial metal roofing needs in Jacksonville, Tampa, FL, and the surrounding areas, you can rely on Performance Painting Contractors. Feel free to contact our Jacksonville office at (904)-641-4800 or our Tampa office at (813)-308-0388 today to find out how our paint contractors can help you with your roof maintenance.
