High hopes for residential metal roofing

hISTRIBUTORS looking for a Lf niche product might consider metal roofing-known for its commercial applications, but now being marketed for high-end residential uses. Metal roofing manufacturers expect their products to nearly triple their share of the market within five years as a result of a $19 million ad campaign.

According to the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA), competition is currently low among resellers in the residential metal roofing arena. The product lets distributors differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Since metal roofing is a premium product, it can provide higher profit margins, while its size and weight provide better truckload margins and make it easy to stock and handle.

Most of all, the residential metal roofing market should grow rapidly. MRA will spend $3.5 million a year over the next five years to boost consumer awareness of their products.

"Long a staple in the commercial roofing market, metal roofing's biggest obstacle to date has been the limited awareness of residential products among homeowners," says MRA executive director Tom Black. "The Metal Roofing Alliance was formed to educate consumers on the benefits of metal roofing for residential applications."

MRA's pitch is that metal roofing offers a solution to residential reroofing needs by providing an attractive, quality product with a life expectancy equal to the structure it covers. In addition, metal products are environmentally friendly, and offer a lower life cycle cost than other roofing products.

Consumers consistently rate appearance or "curb appeal" as a top priority in choosing a roof. The new metal roofing products address this concern by providing scores of designs, styles and colors to complement any type of architecture. Today's metal roofing products are designed to resemble wood shake, slate, architectural shingles or clay tiles in addition to traditional standing seam or panel roofing.

Not only is metal roofing available in attractive styles, it features a high life expectancy due to its resistance to cracking, shrinking or erosion. Unlike some other products, metal severe storms with very little damage, are hail-resistant and in most cases are warranted against chipping due to hail.

As for environmental benefits, most metal roofs can be installed over the existing roof, eliminating both the need for tear-off and the environmental waste associated with asphalt reroofing.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, reroofing generates an estimated 6.8 tons of waste asphalt or 3Vo of the entire municipal solid waste stream per year. From production to installation to reuse, most metal roofing materials are recyclable. In fact, steel and aluminum roofing products have a very high content of recycled material.

Systems, L.L.C., Phoenix, Az.,

Owens Corning is entering the metal roofing business, focusing on the light commercial and high-end residential markets.

The agreement gives Owens Corning the technology rights to a series of Vail Metal Systems' patented metal shingles. These unique roofing products feature an "S" fold design that provides a unique "shingle-like" appearance. The product's panelized design allows for installation by qualified installers of both metal and traditional roofing systems.

roofing systems do not include oils which dry out and evaporate under the blistering sun, leading to premature product failure.

Metal roofing systems require little or no maintenance, which is attractive to homeowners and allows metal roofing manufacturers to offer very valuable product warranties that typically range up to 50 years. Metal roofing has a lower life cycle cost compared to other roofing materials because the need for tear-off, dumping and reroofing is eliminated.

Many consumers make reroofing decisions after a severe weather event, or to protect from existing hazardous weather conditions in their area. Metal roofing is durable and can withstand factors including UV radiation, snow loads, freezelthaw cycles and hail damage. Often, metal roofing has a higher heat reflectivity than other roofing products contributing to overall energy efficiency in the home.

Metal roofing is ideal in a wide range of climates. In heavy snow areas, its low weight allows the house to carry a larger snow load, and it also sheds snow well.

Metal is non-combustible and does not pose a risk of spreading a fire from roof to roof. In hail regions, metal roofs reportedly withstand

The comparative light weight of steel makes it a viable option for all roofing solutions because of its low structural load on a house. MRA claims that on average, steel is over 5OVo lighter than asphalt products and 7 57o lighter than concrete tile, fiber cement shakes and slate.

In addition, MRA has just launched a toll-free number that consumers can call to obtain a free metal roofing video or to locate a contractor in their area. The group also provides marketing training sessions, dealer marketing kits, and customized tv spots for contractors.

The growth of residential metal roofing use should parallel growth in the number of qualified installers. According to MRA, entry into the market is simple, since the products are easy to install, training is readily available from manufacturers, residential retraining is unnecessary for commercial installers, and the vast array of new products permit a broad range of installations.

Manufacturer Owens Corning anticipates a boom. Through a new licensing agreement with Vail Metal

"Our agreement with Vail Metal Systems places the Owens Corning name on yet another high-performance roofing system," said Rhonda Brooks, president, Owens Corning Roofing Systems Business. "These new metal roofing products will strengthen Owens Corning's roofing system offerings by expanding our specialty roofing products, and providing contractors with a great metal alternative to more traditional, highend residential roofing options."

Expected to be rolled out initially in the western states, the fire- and hail-resistant metal shingles will be produced in a traditional 16-oz. solid copper form, as well as in a26-gauge,

Kynar coated Galvalume metal in a wide range of colors. The shingles have a UL Class A system fire rating and UL Wind Resistance ratins of I l0 mph.

Since metal roofing

is a premium product, it can provide higher margins, while its size and weight provide better truckload margins and make it easy to stock and handle.

D OOF coatings aren't just for emerI\gencies. Regularly applied, they can improve the roofing systcm's thermal performance as well as extend its life.

"Most people misinterprct a coating as only a short-term fix for a leak," said Brian Anthony, PRI Asphalt Technologies Inc., Tampa, Fl.

As such, property owncrs don't pcriodically reapply coatings---rssential for keeping structures dry and operating. "By overlooking coatings, overall cost goes up because you're replacing the roofing system sooner," said Lewis Ripps, Palmer Asphalt Co., Bayonne, N.J.

Added Don Portfblio, Tremco, Inc., Cleveland, Oh.: "They may not have a good feel for what a high-quality roof caused by ultraviolet rays and water. said Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association president Richard Zegclbone, Tropical Asphalt Products, Hallandale, Fl. "Although customer demand for 'blackline' products such as resaturants. asphalt coatings, waterproofing coatings, asphalt quick-dry cements and aluminum coatings will continue into the next millennium, 'white' and highly reflective coatings may accounl for fastcr product growth."

Manufacturers of cold-applied roof coatings have responded by making their products perform cvcn better.

"Onc trend *ith significant ilnpact on the I'uture of the roof coatings industry is the energy clficiency mo\ement."

Whitc coatings tcnd to reflect more solar radiation resulting in lower heat gain. "Heat is the real enemy of roofing materials," noted Portfolio. "A good deal of efTort is being put toward developing white coatings."

The most obvious benefit of regular application of cold-applied roof coatings is the added protection that it provides for roofing system materials.

What a high-performance roof coating does best is provide an added membrane-like layer of protection to the roofing system. The additional layer deters non-reflective roof materials from absorbing heat and undcrgoing thermal expansion and contraction, which can compound the deterioration

Also fueling the change are policies and studies pushing fbr the use of more encrgy-cfficient products such as highly reflcctive aluminum coatings and elastomeric white coatings. Recently, government, utility and industry groups fonncd the Cool Roof Rating Council to develop appropriate roofing rating systcrns for improving building energy efficiency and reducing air pollution.

Also, due to environmental concerns and anticipated local, state and federal air pollution regulations, coatings manufacturers are using fewer and cleaner solvents in their products.

In addition, some new roof coatings will havc higher solids content. pcrmitting them to be applied in thicker coats that will dry quicker and offer better protection from water.