Metal roofing questions, answered plainly

Steel panels are commonly given a service life of 40 to 70 years, depending on the coating, the site and the care it gets. Paint fades and chalks long before steel gives out. What you are buying is the steel, the paint and the details, so we write all three on the estimate.

It depends on whose paper it is. Terms, limits and exclusions are in each written warranty, and you should read them before you sign. A maker's lifetime coverage usually means the original owner's lifetime, covers a specific failure such as rusting through or paint failing, and carries conditions and exclusions. Hail, cosmetic dents and scratches are often left out. Ask for the warranty in writing and read what it excludes before you sign.

It depends on the size, the pitch, the panel, the gauge, the paint, what comes off the old roof and how far we drive. We don't post a price because a roof isn't a product. The estimate page lists what moves the number, and you get the figure in writing after the visit.

Most houses take a few days once the panels arrive. Large roofs and barns take longer. Panels are cut to length for your roof, so the lead time from the order is a separate wait, and we tell you the date on the estimate.

Often, for a full replacement. It depends on your town or county. We tell you what yours asks for and handle the paperwork when it is ours to handle, and the permit is a line on the estimate.

Look in the attic for daylight, stains or wet insulation, and from the ground for loose panels, rust at the edges or flashing that has pulled away. On a metal roof, backed-out screws and worn washers are the usual leak and they are a repair. We say which it is, and we would rather re-seal than sell a roof you don't need.

Sometimes. Code and the condition of the deck decide. Two or more layers, a wet deck or a worn-out one means the old roof comes off. We tell you which it is at the visit and put it in writing.

Class 4 is the top result in the UL 2218 impact test, which checks whether a panel cracks when steel balls are dropped on it. It is a product rating, not a contractor credential. Some insurers lower premiums for Class 4 roofs and each company decides, so ask your agent. Some policies also exclude cosmetic damage to metal roofs.

It can. A thicker steel panel on a solid deck dents less, and a panel can pass a Class 4 test and still show dents. We tell you what a dent does to the roof's job, which is often nothing, and what it does to its looks, which is a separate question your policy may treat differently.

Steel is slick, and snow on it lets go in one piece. Guards hold the snow on the roof so it melts off a little at a time instead of landing on a door, a walkway, a lower roof or a stock gate. We mark where they go on the estimate.

On a solid deck with underlayment and an insulated ceiling below, less than most people expect. An open barn or a shop with no ceiling is louder. Ask us about your building and we will say plainly what to expect.

No. Metal does not make a strike more likely, and steel does not burn. If lightning is a worry on your property, an electrician can look at grounding for the building.

Yes. Ice dams come from heat escaping into the attic, not from the roofing. Air sealing, insulation and ventilation do the work, and we look at them at the visit.

Custom-cut panels are ordered for your roof, so the payment schedule is written on your estimate before you sign, with what is due and when. Ask us any question about it first.