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Just purchased a fixer upper in Tampa FL - It is a 1954 block home with built up gravel 2.12 pitch roof. The estimate I got for a metal roof seems reasonable.
The roofer claims a life time warranty on the screws and recommends an ISO panel (radiant barrier insulation), he claims it is moisture and mildew resistant and he can install this over the existing built up gravel roof. He claims that the metal roof will last a lifetime, better insulation, it will better sound proof the home and lower my heating and cooling costs. He also recommends a 26 gauge. My other option is to just resurface again with the built up gravel. (re-trussing the roof is beyond my budget with the bids I've gotten from other contractors).
My concerns - is this really a lifetime guarenteed roofing system? Is built up gravel better for high winds as opposed to a metal roof? If I go with the metal roof would a lighter color be better for Florida weather (more reflective for the heat). Some one told me that the hurricane that hit the Homestead area - that the metal roofs and shingled roofs were all blown away but the built up gravel roofs were still intact... If this is true - I can't help but wonder why new construction isn't using the built up gravel roofs any more. Don't know what to believe.
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Good questions and now is the time to consider them. As with most roofs the better it is fastened down the better the wind resistance. The majority of roof and structure failures from Andrew were documented to be from impacts of debris. Once a hole started the roof would sytart to fail and the debris would cause more damage to the next building down wind. Concrete tile was the worse culprit.
A properly adhered and constructed built up roof system has good wind properties however I do not believe they meet the new codes. A metal roof has does as it can be engineered, especially the conections and is resistant to impact.
Assuming that you have a vaulted ceiling assembly, now is a good time to take energy savings into consideration. Upgrading the insulation and having a relective metal roof put on is an excellant step.
The old South Florida building code called for at least a 26ga metal roof over a 3/4 inch plywood to meet the impact requirement. In order to be used, the products need a Miami/Dade County product approval and I am not sure that the tar an gravel roof will meet this requirement. I would ask to see the approval report on the product your contractor is recommending as it must have the proposed assembly construction tested and included in the report. This will protect your investement. If there is any doubt then ask the local building official.
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Allan:
I do not have cathedral ceilings. The insulation is R2 and there is just enough room to add R11. Very small crawl space in attic. It seems the metal roof will add value in insulation alone.
I will check further on building codes for my area. The contractor did not mention plywood but only the ISO barrier between the existing gravel roof and the metal roof. More info is certainly needed from the contractor.
Thank you so much for your input - Your info has been invaluable. Other friends at work are also considering metal roofing and I will be refering them to your web site. I will also check out your Find a Contractor link before I hire a someone.
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Most of the shingle, slate, shake and tile products can be used down to 3:12, some 4:12.
Most "snaplock" standing seams have a minimum required pitch of 3:12 though some can go down to 2:12 if there is sealant in the seams.
Most corrugated styles of roofing require 3:12 though some can go down to 2:12 with sealant tape on the overlaps.
To go less than 2:12, you need a field-seamed product. With this type of product, the vertical pans are put into place and then a mechanical seamer is run down the seam to crimp it.
Most vertical seam manufacturers offer a field seamed product for low pitches.
2/8/2004
Dura-Loc Roofing Systems, Inc.
2/9/2004
2/10/2004
2/20/2004
Isaiah Industries, Inc.
2/20/2004