Getting a new metal roof installed on your home is a major investment that can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars. With so much money on the line, it’s tempting to try tackling at least some of the work by yourself.
But don’t let the upfront cost savings fool you – installing a metal roof requires skills, tools, and safety know-how that only professional roofing contractors possess.
Trying to cut corners by doing it yourself can lead to a roof that underperforms, requires expensive repairs down the road, and even damages your home’s structure if major issues go unnoticed.
While metal roofing installation may seem straightforward at first glance, specialized techniques and safety considerations make professional installation strongly advised.
1. Licensed and Insured for Your Protection
Legitimate roofing contractors are licensed, bonded, and insured. This protects you financially in the event of an on-site accident or injury, damage to your home during the project, or issues with the work later on.
2. Extensive Training and Expertise
Installing metal roofing requires detailed product knowledge and specific techniques. Reputable metal roofing companies like Exclusive Metal Roofing Contractors invest substantially in ongoing training to ensure their crews have mastered the latest best practices and installation methods.
Roofers must fully understand proper seaming techniques, how to create durable weather-tight seals, gauge and flashing installation, and much more.
Due to their extensive training and experience, professional roofers can ensure that your roofing project goes smoothly and lasts for years to come.
As a DIYer, you simply won’t have this level of expertise right off the bat. The learning curve is steep. Mistakes made due to inexperience can quickly add up and cost you dearly in repairs down the road.
3. Correct Tools and Equipment
From scaffolding and boom lifts to pneumatic shears and custom metal brake machines for forming, professional metal roofing crews arrive on-site with tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment.
This allows them to work more efficiently and properly install components that are simply not possible without the correct tools for the job.
4. Crew Size and Manpower
Installing metal roofing demands substantial physical labor, especially for larger homes.
Professional roofers work efficiently as a trained crew to get the roof finished far faster than you can solo. Don’t underestimate how valuable their manpower and teamwork truly is!
5. Safety Gear and Equipment
Working on a roof involves a substantial risk of injury from falls. Professional metal roofing crews utilize extensive safety equipment, from harnesses and guardrails to toe boards and warning lines.
They also rig up scaffolding and roof jacks for full access to all roof planes while remaining firmly secured.
6. Manufacturer Relationships and Product Access
Quality metal roofing systems and materials must be purchased through authorized distributors. As large-scale buyers, professional roofers have existing supply chain relationships that provide access to premium products.
As a homeowner, you’ll have a hard time acquiring the top-tier materials that come standard on professionally installed roofs.
7. Standing Seam Accessories and Components
There is a dizzyingly long list of clips, fasteners, flashing, trim, snow guards, sealants, and hardware that completes a standing seam metal roof.
Professional roofers are intimately familiar with all components required and how they integrate for a water-tight fit. Missing something critical is a real possibility for DIYers, but just another day’s work for the professionals.
8. Proper Detailing Around Roof Penetrations
One of the most complex parts of any roofing project is properly sealing around penetrations like vents, chimneys, and skylights. This requires meticulous flashing techniques and sealant application.
The tiniest gaps or overlays installed incorrectly can lead to moisture intrusion and major leaks down the road. Professionals account for all roof penetrations as a matter of routine.
9. Experience Installing Roofs In All Conditions
Every roofing project is unique based on home design, layout, and prevailing weather. Professional roofers have tackled thousands of installations under all manner of scenarios and challenges. Their experience leads to solutions and workarounds that DIYers would never think of.
10. Advanced Diagnostics and Maintenance
If installed correctly, a metal roof should last 40-70 years with minimal maintenance required. But problems do crop up eventually. Professional roofers have the advantage of decades worth of repair experience to properly diagnose and fix any issue, from corrosion to storm damage.
Why Homeowners Choose Metal Roofs?
Let’s look at a few of the key benefits driving the popularity of metal roofing:
Durability is a prime factor, as professionally installed metal roofs tend to last for over 50 years. This dwarfs the 15-20-year lifespan of asphalt shingles before replacement is needed.
Metal withstands rain, snow, wind, and other weather extremes like wind and hail. Metal roofs secured by professionals can withstand hurricane-force winds exceeding 140 mph and suffer less hail damage than shingles.
Metal roofs achieve Class A fire-resistance ratings naturally. This is crucial in wildfire zones. The fire resistance often results in lower insurance rates, too.
Properly installed metal roofs reflect solar radiation and heat from attic spaces. This cuts cooling costs significantly, especially in hot climates. They are also eco-friendly, with some panels containing up to 95% recycled steel.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, installing a quality metal roof that fully protects and enhances your home’s value requires skill, time, tools, access to premium materials, and safety know-how that only professional roofers possess.
Hiring reputable metal roofing professionals is an investment that truly pays long-term dividends through peace of mind, full warranty protection, and decades of performance from a correctly installed roof. Your home is likely your biggest asset – protect it properly by partnering with the experts.
