At Whitney Roofing, our top priorities are quality and service. Every year we work towards more training and becoming certified in all the top of the line products we use. We frequently get asked which roof is better: Metal or Shingle? We wanted to put something together to help guide homeowners when making this decision.
1 – What are asphalt shingles?
Shingles typically have a granular top surface and asphalt layer over a fiberglass base. They are usually easily available in several colors and options (good, better and best). We use CertainTeed Shingles for our roofs because they stand behind their products and they are easy to install.
2 – What is a metal roof?
Metal roofs come in large sheets of metal, custom made for each roof. We prefer to install standing seam metal roofs: which interlock and won’t have exposed fasteners (as opposed to corrugated metal roofs). Depending on the current roof, we usually will tear off the existing roof, check that the substrate is in good condition, then proceed with metal installation.
3 – Shingles: Pros and Cons
Pros: Economical, Durable, readily available, lots of styles and colors, can last up to 40+ years with good maintenance, easier to repair, great options for lifetime warranties, higher end shingles can possibly result in insurance savings
Cons: more susceptible to damage in extreme weather, can have issues in areas with a lot of snow
4 – Metal: Pros and Cons
Pros: Possible higher resale value, tend to have less problems with snow related issues, slightly longer lifespan, newer options aside from standard looking panels, possible insurance savings
Cons: More expensive, over time color tends to fade
5. Summary
All in all, both shingle and metal roofing systems, with proper maintenance, can last a long time. We won’t install products that we wouldn’t put on our own home. This means every “Pete Approved” Whitney Roofing system we install will be high quality and come with a 5 Year workmanship warranty!
