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New Roof Installation in Austin, Texas

Decisions about which type of roofing to choose for your home can be daunting and confusing. There are just so many different options, styles, materials and manufacturers to choose from these days. We feel strongly that a big part of our job is informing consumers and potential customers about the benefits and issues with all of their choices. This article will give you one of the strongest options for many people. Let’s learn the basics of metal roofs, so that you can better make an informed decision.

New Metal Roofs: Should You Keep or Tear Off Your Old Shingles?

There are many considerations to take into account when deciding whether to go through the labor intensive process of tearing off existing shingles, or to lay new metal roofing over top of what is already there. While it may seem cleaner to do a full tear-off, this sometimes isn’t necessary if the shingles are in good shape, and there is no underlying rot or issues with the boards or plywood under the shingles.

It is risky, however, to assume existing shingling is in good enough shape. It often does need to be replaced, but it takes a trained professional to see why. Issues sometimes are not readily apparent, and if not torn off, the shingles can push up through the new metal roofing and cause ridges, especially if there is significant snowfall in your region (which usually isn’t an issue in central Texas, but as we all know, never say never with Texas weather.)

Are Metal Roofs Water Tight?

Most people are aware of how shingles work -- overlaid on each other from the top down, to create a watertight seal. But metal roofs are less familiar, and can be confusing. While metal roofs have many advantages, they also act differently than other forms of roofing. Condensation can occur under a metal roof due to the temperature differences between the surface of the metal and the wood or shingles below. If you don’t adequately use a water seal this can cause rot over time, and significantly reduce the life of your roof. We make sure we use the appropriate seals for your weather conditions, and that we apply them over the entire affected surface of the underlying roof.

Standing Seam Metal Roofs v Other Forms of Metal Roof

There are many advantages of a standing seam roof, especially when expertly installed. Standing seam metals are incredibly durable, and won’t split, rot, crack, wrinkle, warp, burn or leak water over time. They are highly adaptable to weather, constricting slightly in the cold, expanding in the heat. This adaptability is the key to the standing seam roof’s durability, as they can withstand a wide variety of extreme temperature over time. Standing seam roofs are also highly efficient. They are designed to aid in the runoff of rain and snow, and are especially high functioning in heavy weather, due to their ability to withstand winds that would rip away normal shingling.

They are also more attractive than many forms of metal roof, especially due to the fact that none of their anchoring can be seen. They come in many different finishes and colors, and are flexible enough to allow a wide variety of shaping and alteration.

Standing seam roofs are also incredibly sustainable and eco-friendly. The materials are recyclable, and are often made from recycled metal themselves. This in no way lowers their longevity, which is another major advantage of standing seam roofing.

A standing seam roof also delivers excellent thermal performance, so much so that it can significantly lower energy bills for the duration of its lifetime, which can last 50 years or more. It also requires almost no maintenance effort, and it can be cleaned from the ground with a hose and water.

Contact Us to Learn More About New Metal Roof Installation



As we’ve noted, there are always options on roofing projects, and the choices can seem overwhelming. We hope we’ve given you a decent background on the advantages and variations in metal roofs, if you are considering this option for your new roof. You should ask every question that comes to mind when meeting with potential roofing companies, and, if they miss some of the options we’ve covered here, that might be a sign that you need to keep looking until you find a roofer who keeps up on all the new innovations, and who will work as hard at advising you, and communicating with you, as they do actually putting the roof on your home.