Despite the misconceptions that surround metal roofing, it is eco-friendly and one of the most durable choices on the market today. It also makes your initial investment well worth it with the advantages. For instance, metal roofs are energy efficient, impact resistant, and need little maintenance. Thus, you’re looking at a material that will protect your home from the harshest weather conditions. It also lasts for a dependably long time.

It is possible for you to install a standing seam metal yourself, sure. However, if not put together right, a metallic roof won’t perform as it is supposed to. Moreover, you can also expect various problems to crop up almost immediately after you’re done installing the roof. If our claim about metal roofs requiring little to no maintenance pops up in your head, stop and think. Is your craftsmanship as good as that of a professional roofer?

Because if it isn’t, you’re looking at and paying to correct the following problems:

Roof Leaks

A very common problem many homeowners experience due to inept metal roof installation. When you leave gaps and punctures during this process, you are making the occurrence of leaks more likely!

Additionally, when you don’t do anything about them, leaks tend to grow over time. You must spend more to address the problem and do it as soon as possible.

Oil Canning

When you stand back after installing your new seam metal roof, what’s the one thing that you shouldn’t see? That’s right, we’re talking about areas of the roofing that should be straight but look visibly wavy. In technical terms, we call this oil canning or stress wrinkling. Due to a number of reasons, oil canning can occur during the laying of all kinds of metal paneled roofs, such as steel, copper, zinc, and aluminum.

Stress wrinkling takes place when the metal on a standing seam is over-stressed and, therefore, cannot hold a flat form. Some other reasons why it occurs include:

• There isn’t enough space to allow the panel to thermally expand or contract
• Improper way of handling, usage, and storage by installers, such as when not fitted due to the prescribed dimensions

Blow-offs

Another result of poor roof installation, blow-offs happen when the flashing is not attached properly. It may cause parts of the roof to blow off. Moreover, blow-offs can also happen post-installation. Thus, regular check-ups are also necessary afterward.

Corrosion

When you choose the wrong metal for roofing, you invite in other problems. For instance, galvanized steel metal roofs are more vulnerable to rust and corrosion. If you live somewhere that sees regular and higher than adequate amounts of rainfall, this may be an issue. Additionally, exposure to water and water-borne pollutants can also have the same results.

The solution is to apply protective coatings to prevent this. However, if you accidentally damage the coating or it gets damaged due to poor maintenance, you increase the risk of rusting. That might happen if you cut the metal roofing material during installation and leave it exposed. Rusting will begin immediately. Or, you walk on the panels and damage them in some way. A lifting device scratches the coating during installation can also puncture the roofing.

Furthermore, when you put together certain dissimilar metals, a negative interaction might occur. The outcome is galvanic corrosion, which usually doesn’t occur in professional hands. Thus, the fastener and the proprietary substrate must be examined to see how they will react when they come together. If the corrosion is fast-paced or extensive, your roof’s structure durability may also be at risk.

Punctures & Tears

Whether they develop during roof replacement, installation, or maintenance, punctures and tears can be problematic. They are more likely to occur in the presence of high foot traffic on your metal roof. Even with caulking to repair the damage, you won’t be able to prevent future problems. The more the roofing material is exposed to mechanical sources of damage, the bigger the risk of punctures and tears!

You can avoid metal roofing problems. And you do it by reducing the likelihood that they will occur in the first place. Start by ensuring that you install your roof correctly. Don’t think you’ll save money because poor workmanship will always be more expensive in the long run. Then consider asking a professional contractor to perform maintenance on your roof. Contact us for a reasonable metal roofing estimate, and we’ll work out the details about maintenance in Frederick, MD, as we go!