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Hello, I am on the board of directors of a deed restricted community in Florida. Several of our residents have expressed an interest in having metal roofs. Currently, our deed restrictions do not allow metal roofs so we are considering changing that to allow it. However, I need to get information regarding "grades" of metal roofs. I know there are different year ratings for asphalt shingle roofs. When our deed restrictions were written, the ratings for asphalt shingles was by weight. Now it is in years. Obviously, the higher the year, the higher the grade of roof. We allow "cedar shake shingles, glazed tile, cement, slate Bermuda style cement, or thirty (30) year minimum architectural/dimensional asphalt shingles". Is there a comparable standard for metal? We would not want just any old tin roof on one of the homes in the neighborhood so we have to write it correctly to make sure that wouldn't happen. Thank you for your help and input. I appreciate any information you could give me. Also, do you have any type of printed brochure that would contain much of the information on your web site? It would be great to have that for our board meeting. Thanks again! Sincerely, Colleen L. Hall [email protected]
Guest User

4/8/2004
Colleen, This is such a great question! Thank you! It sounds like your group is really doing its homework and is very serious about maintaining the aesthetics and value of your property. First of all, I do want to point out that the warranty lengths on asphalt shingles should not be confused with life expectancy. There is no sort of industry-wide rating system which results in the number of years those products are warranted. It is simply at the discretion of individual manufacturers and how long they care to warrant their various product lines for. It should not be misconstrued with life expectancy and, if you contact the manufacturers of those products, I am certain they will tell you that as well. In regards to the metals industry. Many homeowners associations have based their inclusion of metal roofing products in their covenants, etc. on the profile of metal roofing they'd like to see in their neighborhoods. I have seen covenants specifying "shake look metal roofing," "tile profile metal roofing," "slate facsimile metal roofing," "standing seam metal roofing," "5V Crimp metal roofing," etc. They have, therefore, sought a harmonious look for their property. That is one thing to consider. Above that, though, the Metal Construction Association is currently beginning to promote a Metal Roofing Certification Program. This Certification program includes ratings for "Standard" and "Premium" quality finishes on metal roofing. While this program is quite new, manufacturers of metal roofing designed for residential use will be familar with it and can explain it in detail if you contact them. Both "Standard" and "Premium" products are deemed by the industry to be very suitable for residential applications. There is also a category established for "Unpainted" products meeting certain quality criteria and for "Stone-Coated" products. These criteria also ensure quality and durability which will enhance your overall property looks and value. You may want to consider specifying the use of products which meet the various criteria of the Metal Construction Association Certification Program. Thanks for considering metal. Please contact the Metal Roofing Alliance or any of its member manufacturers again for further information. The individual manufacturers can provide literature on their products. Todd Miller
Todd Miller
Isaiah Industries, Inc.

4/9/2004