Art Barker: Standing-Seam Roofer

michael — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:50:14 +0000

Mill finish Galvalume standing-seam roof by C.O. Beck, Maine

This week I had the unpleasant task of telling Art Barker, a local roofer who specializes in standing-seam roofs, that I would not be using him to replace our roof. The reason that it was unpleasant was not only the disappointment that Art would feel for not getting the contract but also because I really wanted a standing-seam roof for our home [specifically, a mill finish Galvalume Plus standing-seam roof]. I had searched far and wide for the best roof available and I had found it.

Art certainly seemed like a talented, responsible roofer who had a real love of fine roofs. Art sold me on the benefits of standing seam roofing, but I was not too hard to convince. I was already convinced before I had even talked to Art. He had just confirmed my suspicions that standing-seam was perhaps the most attractive roofing technology available for pitched roofs.

Standings-seam roofs are common in commercial and institutional buildings but are rare for houses in this country. The reason I couldn’t get a standing-seam roof for myself is that I couldn’t afford one; they are more expensive than other roofs. Standing-seam roofs are the top of the line. The Cadillac solution. There are other metal roofs available that attempt to duplicate the quality of a standing-seam roof without having to mechanically bend metal during installation to form the standing seam. These, however, do not seem nearly as elegant as a well-installed standing-seam roof by someone like Art.

Metals such as lead, copper and galvanized steel have been used on roofs for a long time. St Paul’s Cathedral in London has a beautiful lead roof that withstood the Blitz. At Dundurn Castle, near our home in Hamilton, some of the roofs there have beautiful copper and lead detailing. Slate tiles are also a traditional choice for high quality historical roofs in the area. Slate though costs a fortune and requires a much stronger roof structure.

Galvalume, which is an aluminum-zinc alloy coating over a steel core, seems like it would last forever. Standing seam creates a mechanically-fixed layer of solid metal over your whole roof. Art would supply hidden fixings for the metal panels. Installing a standing-seam roof is like sewing a fine suit. Its quality depends not only on the quality of the material but on how well the material is bent and stitched together. I was convinced, and remained convinced, that a standing-seam roof would indeed last forever.

Why do I prefer standing-seam roofs? Two main reasons: Longevity and other green factors, and Appearance.

Longevity and other Green Factors

Your typical asphalt or fiberglass roof lasts possibly 20-25 years. Even though 40 or 50 year shingles are advertised I don’t buy it. A standing-seam metal would last at least twice that of an asphalt roof. I think a roof by Art would last 75 years, long after the house we live in has new owners. Standing-seam roofs have inherent mechanical advantages over shingle roofs. That means they should survive high winds, bright sun and freezing rain much better than a few layers of gunk-infused fiberglass with a light gravel coating. Things that last a long time have an inherent quality about them. The 18 year old Toyota Tercel that is parked on our street has such a quality. It’s almost like you become a more responsible citizen by purchasing such a product.

A standing-seam roof is built of recyclable material, none of which should end in a landfill after it is replaced. Metal appears to be much more chemically inert compared to asphalt and does not leach toxic chemicals. The higher reflectance of a metal roof reduces cooling loads in the summer.

When an asphalt roof fails and must be replaced all of its material goes straight into landfill. It is not-recyclable. They probably leak toxic waste once in the landfill. The rain that falls on them before that must also leach toxic chemicals, which mixes with groundwater.

Appearance

Metal roofs can come with a mill finish, for those who favour an industrial look, and also in many colours. The quality and longevity of coloured coatings can vary. The darker the colour, the lower the solar reflectance and the higher the cooling loads.

A mill finish Galvalume roof does not appeal to everyone. It looks shiny and its industrial look does not suit all styles of buildings. It might look a bit like a barn but that is fine by me. It looks like the kind of roof that architects would put on their own home. I expect a mill finish Galvalume roof would start shiny but would age over time to a medium grey patina.

Asphalt shingle roofs look fine when they are new. However, when they are at the end of their lifespan they curl and fade and do not look very good. A journey through some of the poorer neighbourhoods of Hamilton or Lackawanna, NY will show you how age treats older asphalt shingle roofs: they do not age gracefully. I have seen asphalt roofs that are only eight years old that have begun to take that slide into decrepitude. This seems like very poor value for your money.

Disadvantages of metal roofs

Admittedly, there are some real disadvantages to metal roofs:

Expense: they always are going to cost more than shingles
Availability: it takes some effort to find a roofer who can install one
Noise: if there is a gap between the roof deck and metal a resonating chamber could form that can make quite a racket during a hail or rain storm
Prominence: metal roofs, especially if they are shiny, will make your house stand out from others on your street
Snow shedding: snow on your roof can form a large mass which could slide from your roof all at once and damage vehicles or people beneath

Why are asphalt shingle roofs so common on houses in North America?

If you look over the residential roofscapes of Hamilton, or any other North American city, all you see are asphalt shingle roofs. Why is this? Hamilton is a steel city that even produces Galvalume sheeting in its steel mills. Where are all the metal roofs?

Some possible reasons why asphalt shingle roofs are so common:

Expense: asphalt roofs for normal residential buildings are the cheapest solution. Initial costs are a deciding factor for many
Shifting the expense to the next owner: people put on new roofs and anticipate that they will not own the house when it is time to replace the roof
Familiarity: everyone seems to get a asphalt shingle roof when they need to replace a roof
‘Big’ asphalt and availability: roofers who can re-roof your house quickly with asphalt shingles are everywhere. Standing-seam or other metal roofers are much less common and much harder to find
Home building industry: new home builders like to reduce their costs, in the absence of a perceived demand for a higher quality product
Absence of green policy: lack of government or policy incentives to encourage greener, longer-lasting residential roofs

More expensive but not that much more expensive

Art’s price for standing-seam was about 25% more than the highest quote for a conventional roof. This doesn’t seem like much more to pay for what seems like a much higher quality product, especially when the environmental benefits are factored in.

By way of example, you can buy an inexpensive new car for about $14,000. 25% over that price would be $17,500. Say you were deciding between a cheap car for $14,000 or $17,500 for the greenest car available, which would last two or three times as long and establish you as a person who votes for green initiatives with their wallet. I think most people would go for the more expensive product, if they could afford it.

What surprised me with my experience of pricing standing-seam roofs was not how expensive Art’s roof would be but rather how small the difference would be over a conventional shingle roof. If I had just a little bit more money – and it disturbs me that I don’t – I would spring for Art’s standing-seam roof. I have chosen instead to put on a much cheaper metal roof (almost half the price of Art’s). This roof will look similar in that it is made of Galvalume Plus but has exposed fixings. This means that across the roof there are holes in the surface of the metal, as opposed to concealed fixings where holes are hidden beneath a layer of metal. Metal roofs with exposed fixings are commonly found on barns in rural parts of Ontario. If I’m lucky this roof should look fine, keep out the rain and may last about 25 years.