FAQ
FAQ
A Metal Lab Roofing System is the safest roof you can buy. Our metal has a class A fire rating in multiple tests and will never catch fire.
If you are putting your Metal Lab roof over an existing shingled roof, it should be no problem. In general, your Metal Lab roof can be installed directly over the old material.
No way, Jose!
As reported by the National Institute of Building Sciences Whole Building Design Guide, installation of reflective metal roofing can reduce summer cooling energy substantially.
Using a highly reflective and highly emissive painted or granular-coated metal roof can re-emit up to 90% of absorbed solar radiation. Described as “Cool Metal Roofing,” these roofs provide substantial benefits to the consumer as the use of energy resources is considerably reduced.
For structures in warm and sunny climates, metal roofs will cool your structure by re-emitting most of the solar radiation absorbed by the roof. Homes in warmer climates, using either pre-painted or granular coated metal roofing systems will not only reflect solar energy but also cool your home by re-emitting most of what solar radiation is absorbed.
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Metal is the best choice for the environment when it comes to roofing materials. Firstly, all Metal Lab products are made in part from recycled metal, which is the most recycled material on earth! This is in stark contrast to asphalt shingles, which, according to the National Association of Homebuilders Research Center, 20 billion pounds of asphalt shingles are dumped into U.S. landfills every year. Considering how often an asphalt shingled roof has to be replaced, the only environmentally conscious choice is metal, as it is the only roofing material that can be easily recycled.
This depends somewhat on your choice of colours and paint coatings. Our PVDF painted metal will resist colour fading, as well as chipping, cracking, and premature ageing and has a recommended finish warranty of 40 years. SMP painted metal is also an excellent choice, and is usually warrantied for 40 years, but will not be as impervious to wear as the PVDF colours. Regardless of colour choice, your Metal Lab roof will look brand new for decades after installation!
Hmm, that’s a tough one. We’ll have to go with, no more cats than people. After that, you are rapidly approaching crazy cat person territory.
It’s a common myth that metal roofing increases the likelihood of your building being hit by lightning – that’s simply not true. In fact, if the roof were ever hit by lightning, the metal would safely disperse the energy throughout the structure. The biggest benefit to a metal roof in regards to lightning is that it’s non-combustible and will not catch fire if it ever were struck.
Metal Lab roofing can handle everything that comes its way, and it stays intact for years. High winds are not a problem since metal roofing has been proven to withstand winds of up to 150mph. The wind and uplift resistance of metal roofing is very high and generally far exceeds what’s required for building codes.
Snow is no problem for a Metal Lab roof. A metal roof sheds snow easily and generally eliminates ice damming, which means that your gutters will remain clear won’t back up when melting occurs.
As many code requirements are changing due to severe forest fires in recent years, metal roofing is becoming a requirement in some areas. Metal roofing will never catch fire, and can potentially stop a fire from spreading if burning material were to land on the roof. As fire protection becomes more crucial, the cost of your insurance premiums should reflect that when it comes to your material choices; check with your insurer to see if there are any discounts for metal roof owners.
All these environmental advantages give architects, designers, engineers, and building owners a sense of relief because they’ve chosen to use the best material possible for all potential weather risks.
Metal Lab roofing is just like any other roofing system in that all standard, and some custom, accessories can be added. Since we can make you custom flashings, you can pretty much put anything you want on your roof.
What comes as a surprise to many first-time metal roof owners is how much quieter their metal roof is compared to shingles. This is because metal roofing is installed over solid sheathing which acts a sound deadener.
Metal Lab Roofs are surprisingly light, weighing only about 1lb per square foot. Asphalt shingles weigh up to triple that, depending on their build quality.
Metal Lab and steel roofs, in general, are known for their extreme durability. A typical metal roof will easily last 50 years, and up to 70 years is not uncommon. By comparison, the average lifespan of an asphalt roof is 8-12 years, depending on where you live.
Surprisingly, metal roofs are extremely tough & weather-resistant. Metal roofs are tougher than shingles and are very resistant to hail damage. In the US, metal roofing has the highest resistance to hail damage compared to other roofing materials, and some insurance companies even offer discounts to buildings with metal roofing.
Metal Lab roofing products are secured with hidden fasteners or screwed directly to the substrate, which makes them highly wind-resistant. Similar roofing systems have proven resistant to winds of up to 150 mph.
The upfront cost of asphalt shingles may seem reasonable, but you have to consider that you will most likely have to re-shingle your roof 3-4 times during the lifetime of your house, which makes asphalt far more expensive in the end. Plus, asphalt shingles are boring and have nowhere near the performance of a metal roof. Wood or cedar shakes, though initially attractive, require a lot of maintenance and worse yet, they offer very little fire-resistance. Building codes are changing across North America, and many places in Canada are now recognized as fire zones – your metal roof will NEVER melt or catch fire. Metal Lab roofs are frankly just better, and will surely be a part of the future. Our products are made from recycled material, are 100% recyclable themselves, and are marvellous to boot!
