You want more than a basic shelter when you plan where you will live, and the roof can be what makes the difference between a house and safe, secure home. A roof fits the structural design, protects you from the elements, and insulates you from summer’s heat and winter’s cold. Below, we will discuss two choices for roofing, metal roofs and asphalt shingles, so that you can decide which is better for you.

Appearance

The layered look of asphalt shingles is by far the more popular of the two types. The vast majority of homes in the United States have asphalt ² shingles, largely because asphalt is the material most builders trust and what homeowners are accustomed to seeing on houses. Asphalt shingles can vary in colors to match the paint or brick of a home, and the variety of their colors is more than with metal roofing. The three-tab shingles give a flat appearance while the more expensive architectural shingles appear more three dimensional.

Metal roofs are rarely seen in urban and suburban areas. The sleek, metallic appearance seems more suited for an agricultural setting. Metal roofing does come in a variety of colors and styles to match the rest of the home. The metal can be in panels, tiles, or shingles ³, but the look of a metal roof still can be jarring in a neighborhood full of asphalt shingles.

Costs

Metal roofing will cost approximately $265 to $600 per roofing square or $2 to $6 per square foot for steel or aluminum shingles, $120 to $150 for corrugated steel panels, and $700 to $900 for copper or zinc. After adding installation, a steel or aluminum roof will cost about $500 to $1,000 per square. For a home with a 1,500-square-foot roof, this comes to about $7,500 to $15,000. For a home with a 2,500-square-foot roof, this comes to $12,500 to $25,000. This is, on average, about three times the cost of asphalt shingles and is another reason many homeowners opt for asphalt shingles instead.

Asphalt roofing is much less expensive, about $60 to $90 per roofing square for three-tab asphalt shingles or $100 to $120 per square for architectural shingles. Below the shingles will be felt at $40 per roll or synthetic underlayment ⁶ at $85 per 400 square feet. Installation costs about $80 to $200 per square, and removal of a previous roof adds about $80 to $150 per square. If architectural shingles are used, the labor rises to $200 to $400 per square. A highly pitched or steep roof will add even more to the installation cost. For a home with a 1,500-square-foot roof, the cost of a three-tab shingle roof comes to about $2,100 to $4,800 without the removal of the previous shingles, an additional $1,200 to $2,250. For a home with a 2,500-square-foot roof, the cost comes to between $3,500 and $8,000 without the removal of the previous shingles, an additional $2,000 to $3,750. These prices make asphalt shingles almost a certain choice for first-time homebuyers and contract builders. Newer fiberglass varieties can be even less expensive.

Durability

The higher cost of metal roofing is also offset by its long-life expectancy. A metal roof can last for 60 years or more with little maintenance. Most roofing manufacturers offer a 50-year warranty on metal roofs. However, an asphalt roof will need to be replaced two or three times during that same 60-year period. Warranties for asphalt shingles vary from 20 to 25 years.

Asphalt shingles are susceptible to hail and high wind damage, although fiberglass shingles are more durable than organic ones. Also, if asphalt shingles do not get adequate sunlight, they can accumulate mold, algae, or mildew. Metal roofs, on the other hand, are superior performers in high winds and bad weather, and they are impervious to molds, mildews, and bugs. Metal roofs perform so well under harsh conditions that homeowners in over 25 states are eligible for insurance discounts when they install impact- and fire-resistant metal roofs.

If the metal roof is a low-quality steel without an adequate rust-resistant coating, then use near salt water is not advised. More expensive, rust-resistant metal alloys and coatings should be used instead.

Recyclability

Metal roofs win the day regarding recycling issues. Some are made with recycled materials, and all are completely recyclable. About 1 million tons of asphalt shingles are disposed of each year, and they can be recycled into a variety of products. The cost to recycle them is generally less than to place them in landfills. However, available recyclers for asphalt shingles are few, but the development of more recycling availability is underway.

Resale Value

Because a metal roof is strong, durable, and energy efficient, it should increase a home’s resale value. By some estimations, the resale value will increase by 1 to 6 percent over a house with asphalt shingles. The buyer must want the look of a metal roof, however. Any new roof will help sell a home since buyers want to feel secure about the condition of the roof over their heads.

Remodeling Terms Cheat Sheet

¹ Fiberglass: Plastic that is reinforced with glass fibers. The fibers may be mixed randomly throughout the plastic, or come in the form of a flat sheet, or be woven into a fabric

² Asphalt: A viscous, black mixture of hydrocarbons often used for roofing and waterproofing. It is also used in asphalt for paving roads

³ Shingles: A smooth, uniform, flat piece of construction material, available in a wide variety of materials and laid in a series of overlapping rows, used to cover the outside of roofs or walls to protect against weather damage and leaks.

⁴ Plywood: An engineered construction material manufactured from thin slices of wood glued together in alternating grain patterns for strength

⁵ Flashing: Pieces of sheet metal used on roofs to cover joints, such as where the roof meets the wall, or around a chimney or skylight, to protect them and prevent water leaking through