Asphalt costs roughly a third of metal and every roofer installs it. Metal lasts two to three times as long, sheds snow and hail better, and can lower insurance in hail-prone states.

The payback on metal only works if you stay in the house. On a twenty-year horizon asphalt replaced once is usually cheaper than metal installed once. Standing seam is the version worth paying for; exposed-fastener panels have gaskets that fail and become a maintenance item.

Related

• Two or three layers of shingle already on the roof
• Plank decking with gaps between the boards
• Rust streaks below the chimney flashing
• Wood shingle under the asphalt
• No ridge vent and no soffit intake
• Valley metal rusted or missing
• Masonry chimney needs work
• Sagging visible along the ridge line

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Written by Jaylan Jones. I Like To Exterior Services earns a referral fee when a call connects to a contractor. See our business-model disclosure.