Metal Roof vs. Shingles in Michigan: An Honest Comparison

We install both, so this is not a sales pitch for one over the other. It is what we tell a Livingston County homeowner who asks us which roof makes sense on their house.

Where metal wins

• Lifespan. A standing seam steel roof will outlast two asphalt roofs, typically 40 to 60 years.
• Snow and ice. Snow slides off a metal roof, which means less snow load and fewer ice dams — though it also means snow guards over doors, walks and the furnace vent, and a gutter system built for sudden slides.
• Wind. A properly fastened standing seam panel has no tabs to lift and no sealant strip to fail.
• Fire and embers. Metal is a Class A assembly on its own.

Where shingles win

• Looks on a subdivision home. Most homes in Howell, Brighton and Hartland were designed for shingles, and an architectural shingle in the right color looks correct on them in a way a barn-style panel roof often does not. HOAs in several county subdivisions restrict metal.
• Hail. Metal does not leak from hail, but it dents, and a dented metal roof is usually a cosmetic loss that a growing number of Michigan policies exclude. A Class 4 shingle takes the same hail without a visible mark.
• Repairs and additions. A damaged shingle slope is repaired by matching shingles. A damaged metal panel is replaced from the ridge down, and matching a panel color ten years later is difficult.
• Noise and expansion. Metal moves with temperature — a lot, over a Michigan year. Panels that are fastened wrong oil-can, creak and wear their fastener holes.

The part people do not think about: the attic

Whichever roof you choose, the attic underneath it decides its life. Metal over a poorly ventilated attic condenses on the underside in winter and drips like a leak. Shingles over the same attic cook in summer and dam in winter. We fix the ventilation on every replacement, metal or asphalt, and we will tell you if the attic is the real problem before we talk about the roof.

What we usually recommend

For the typical Livingston County subdivision home, an Owens Corning Duration architectural roof installed as a full system, warranted for 50 years on materials under the Platinum Protection program, is the right answer for most families. For lake homes, pole barns, additions and homeowners who intend to stay in the house for decades and like the look, standing seam metal is a good roof and we are happy to install it. Either way it starts with a free inspection and a written quote. Call (810) 588-3933.