In the deep South, Mid West and Northern New England, sheet metal and corrugated steel roofing systems were used solely for the industrial, commercial and institutional use in the past. Today, standing seam metal roofing has evolved to become a statement of the modern architecture. It has become a premium choice of many people wanting to have a reliable and long lasting roof protecting their homes. Once standing seam roof has been correctly installed, it becomes virtually unnecessary to maintain it. Standing seam, will more often than not last a full lifetime. These types of roofing panels are available in many materials such as aluminum, zinc and aluminum coated steel, zinc, and copper, and come coated with Cool roof rated colors, designs and styles.
Do it your self or Not
Installing sheet roofing system is not exactly a do it yourself type of project. It requires the experience and mastery of knowing how to install sheet metal panels on your roof, which takes special training and knowledge that cannot be learned from just reading the instruction manual. This type of experience can only be acquired by doing the actual roof installations and working with sheet metal for some time. Below, I am going to explain a few basic principles just to give you a better idea of some of the steps involved in the installation of this system, but first lets try to better understand the locking mechanism called the seam.
More about the seam system
Each time there is a joining, that particular area is raised creating the rib that is called the seam. It is this that connects the sheet roofing panels together and causes the water to run off in a safe fashion without dripping Roofing Jobs No Experience amongst the panels. Standard seam roofing panels, can be ordered if this is going to be a do-it-yourself job. It is custom ordered and arrives with full instructions. Hidden fasteners are used to join the metal panels together.
Installing roofing felt before sheet roofing panels get installed
In order to block out moisture you need to have a vapor barrier installed underneath standing seam metal roof. These are normally placed over the structure before the metal sheet panels get installed, and are usually made from plastic or foil sheets. This creates a protective lining. This will stop the vapor from rising to the top and causing the structure to rot. It is essential to place this on all kinds of roofs, before installing the actual roofing system. be it asphalt or metal. Aside from the preservation of the material, you can also keep out extreme weather conditions to some degree by installing ice and water on the eaves of the roof, before installing vertical sheet metal panels for your roof.
When tearing off the existing roof, all the water damaged boards and plywood need to be replaced. The walls must be dry and debris free. The water and vapor barrier must then be nailed or stapled about two feet apart in order to secure it safely.
Installation basics:
In order for the metal roofing panels to be installed, you need to secure and connect the panels that are vertical and have a locking mechanism on the side of the panels called the seam. Standing seam metal roofing panels get secured to the eave flashing with special locking mechanism. Then, vertical panels are secured by concealed fasteners along the side of each panel every 12 inches on center. Securing with the concealed fasteners will allow for the expansion and contraction of the standing seam metal roof.
Once the first panel is in place, the adjacent panel gets installed right next to the preceding panel forming a connecting point at the seam. The seam acts as a locking mechanism along side the panel. There are types of locking mechanisms for standing seam; snap on, which as the name suggests, gets put Types Of Roof Shingles over and snapped on top of the preceding panel. The second type is the field formed seam, which requires special bending tool to securely lock the seam. The snap system takes less time to install than the field locked version. This something to keep in mind when ordering your system from the supplier.
Is the standing seam metal roof right for you?
Vertical sheet metal panels roofing systems are becoming increasingly popular today as they are durable and look good on residential homes and commercial buildings alike. They are very practical in the sense that they are fire resistant, long lasting, energy efficient, and last but not least; standing seam metal roofs are environmentally friendly. It may also be possible to get a deduction on your insurance premium if you choose to install standing seam metal roof for your home.
The materials of choice would be steel, copper, aluminum and tin, amongst others. It has been done where various materials of this nature have been used on one house. In days gone by, this was seen on the tops of commercial buildings. Today increasingly residential homes are going this route. You are able to take your pick of standing seam metal roofing available in 12, 17, and 19 inches wide panels. If modern look of standing seam metal roofing is not exactly appropriate for your home, then you can opt for metal shingles roofing that works well for historical buildings, and gives the traditional look to your roof.
