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shingle v/s metal roofing

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Guest User
8/19/2005
we curently have a white cement tile roof that is 45 yrs old. We live in south florida. The roof is severely discolored & the cost of resurfacing is almost as much as a new roof. We have no roof insulation & our house is CBS. We are not aware of any structural problems or leaks. Our utility bills are very reasonable considering the lack of insulation and have been told that the existing roof is providing substantail reflective qualities. But due to the age of the roof, we are obtaining bids for new roofs. Questions: 1.Hurricane wise, which type of roof is best? 2. One contractor said he would not put on a metal roof other than a 24 gauge. He said the screws would not hold a 26 gauge in a hurricane. 3 other contractors use only 26 guage. How impoprtant is the guage? 3. We plan on putting in attic insulation regardless of the type of roof. Will a metal roof give us similar reflective qualities as the existing cememt tile? We are concerned about putting in a fiberglass shingle roof and having a siginificant amount of increased heat absorbed before we can get the insulation put in .
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.
8/20/2005
I will try to answer your questions. 1) To determine hurricane resistance, you need to know what wind and uplift testing the product has passed. Look for products which have passed 90 psf testing and are accepted for use in Dade County and other areas of coastal Florida. 2) Gauge is not the only factor when considering a metal roof but, if the profiles of two panels are the same and one product is heavier gauge metal, that product likely will do better in uplift testing and ultimately be more durable as well. 3) Your tile is reflective only because of color. Fact is, tile does absorb heat and then radiate it into the home even after the sun is down. Metal roofing is also available in light colors and you can also get dark colors which have relfective pigments for increased reflectivity. You might wnat to visit www.coolmetalroofing.com I hope this helps. All best.
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