If you are looking for a roof that can give your home an exquisite, modern look coupled with superb durability and longevity, a standing seam metal roof is the perfect system to meet your needs. Standing seam roofs are quickly gaining in popularity among discerning homeowners who want to invest into an environmentally-friendly, premium quality roofing system that offers a true peace of mind for many decades to come.

What is it all about?

A standing seam roof is a metal roofing system, where continuous interlocking panels run from the ridge of the roof all the way down to the eaves. The upturned edge of one metal panel that connects it to adjacent panels creates distinctive vertical lines and a trendy, modern look. Most of residential standing seam metal metal roofs are designed as watershed systems, often (but not always) requiring a minimum roof slope of 3:12 (14 degrees) or greater.

Residential standing seam panels are generally 12 to 19 inches wide. They are typically made out of painted galvanized steel/G-90 Steel (zinc-coated steel), galvalume steel (zinc and aluminum alloy coated steel) offers better protection from corrosion than galvanized steel), or pre-painted aluminum.

It is also possible to order panels made out of copper, or zinc, but these premium metals are more expensive, and are not a typical material choice for most homeowners.

Manufacturing Process

Standing seam panels can either be pre-formed at a manufacturing facility or a sheet metal shop, or site-formed. Site-formed panels are formed from a roll of metal coil, which is fed through special equipment which crimps the metal into rigid panels. Forming standing seam panels right on the job site offers the advantage of speed, convenience, and makes it possible to form panels of considerable length that would otherwise be difficult to transport. In regards to panel length, it is important to be aware that longer standing seam metal panels require consideration during the design process to account for greater contraction and expansion.

Snap-Locked and Field-Locked Systems

There are a number of different types of standing seam metal roofing systems. The most common type in residential construction is a field-locked standing seam. This type of system requires a special seam locking tool to adjoin panels together. Another common type is a snap-lock standing seam, which locks the panels together when one side is adjoined with the one next to it. Lastly, there are standing seam shingle-based panels. These have the look of standing seam, but they are actually vertical shingle panels.

How Expensive is it?

It is important to realize that a number of factors will determine a final price of a standing seam metal roof. First, the cost of materials may vary quite a bit based on the type of material, and from supplier to supplier. This means that you should do your research and get quotes from different suppliers to ensure that you are getting the best deal. The price per square foot will also depend on the total square footage needed for your project. The larger your overall roof area, the less it will cost per sq. foot of material.

Cost of labor also varies greatly depending on your location; standing seam installation in NYC will cost considerably more than in a small town in Oklahoma. Regardless of the “average costs” in your area, you should still call at least three local roofers specializing in the installation of standing seam roofs to learn more about their products, experience, prices and warranty details. Interviewing contractors in-person and getting on-site estimates, as well as reviewing their previous jobs will help you get a good sense for the quality of their work and pricing details. After speaking face-to-face with a few qualified installerss, you will be in a much better position to select the best company.

Please note, that the cost of labor for a standing seam roof will be relatively high due to a requirement that standing seam should only be installed by specially trained installers who possess the right skills, a technical know-how, and the right tools to do the job.

A good place to start your research is RoofExplorer.com, a new platform that makes it easy to compare and evaluate local roofers based on their company’s track record, homeowner reviews, typical price range, and project types.

For an average size standing seam metal roof, you can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 per 100 sq. feet, which should include materials, labor, and warranty.

Benefits

Standing seam metal roofs boast a number of advantages that make them the fastest growing metal roofing choice among homeowners.

Great Curb Appeal: for people who want a modern look for their home, a standing seam metal roof is an ideal choice. Sleek lines of the roof, give the house a very cool contemporary feel and multiple combinations of panel widths, seam profiles, and rib heights offer design flexibility. The many sizes and styles of standing seam metal roofs allow for an array of beautiful visual effects.

Durability and Longevity: Standing seam metal roofs are famous for their exceptional durability and longevity. This roof will not crack, shrink, erode, or perforate. It offers superior protection against fire and strong wind. A standing seam metal roof is the most stable form of roofing during hurricanes. Most metal roofing manufacturers provide systems rated for up to 110 mph wind uplift. You will have real peace of mind with a standing seam metal roof, as it will last over 50 years, requiring virtually no maintenance.

Impervious to Moisture: seams are a the weakest point in any roof, often becoming the potential entry point for leaks. In a standing seam metal roof, seams are raised above the level of the roofing panel, making their impervious to moisture. Also, standing seam metal roofs have less seams in total than other types of roofs.

Sheds Snow and Ice: A standing seam metal roof is specifically designed to easily shed snow and ice. This keeps the roof light, improves ventilation and prevents ice-dams from forming. This makes a standing seam roof perfect in regions with prolonged winters and heavy snow snow storms.

Sustainable: increasing numbers of homeowners today are looking for a green roofing solution. Standing seam one of the few truly environmentally friendly roofing systems on the market. Since it is made of metal, the roof is completely recyclable, and standing seam also contains a significant proportion of recycled metal content. Moreover, a standing seam metal roof’s cool reflective properties will help you reduce energy waste and realize significant saving on your electric bill throughout the year.

Solar PV Power Ready:

Have you ever considered investing in a PV solar system for your home? You can easily integrate a PV solar power system with a standing seam metal roof. Thanks to a special bracketing system designed to attach to the standing seams, there will be no need to make any penetrations to your metal roof.

Points to Keep in Mind

While standing seam metal roofs are a top quality roofing system, they are not for everyone. Here are some considerations that may deter people from purchasing this roofing system:

Installation: Standing seam requires both specialized knowledge, and tools for a proper installation. This means that only select few contractors will actually be able to install a standing seam metal roof correctly. Thus, you will have to seek a company that specializes in the installation of standing seam roofs.

Looks: For homeowners who are looking for a more traditional look for their home, the architecturally-simple and modern (some may even consider it as too “commercial” or “industrial”) look of standing seam may not be the best fit, especially for homes located in some historic neighborhoods/districts. — For those homes, a metal shingles roof, designed to replicate the look of more traditional roofs such as shingles and wood, may be a more appropriate choice.

Availability of Colors

Speaking of more traditional-looking roof choices, some metal shingle profiles like the ones from Tamko Metal Works may only be available in a few, very specific color palettes such as earth colors, shades of green, brown, grey and red, which may not be up to some people’s liking. One important consideration point with standing seam, is a much broader selection of available standard colors, shades, coatings, and custom colors.

Minimum Slope Requirements: it is not advisable to install standing seam on a roof with a pitch of 2:12 or less (two feet of vertical rise for every twelve feet of horizontal span/run), unless otherwise specified by the system’s manufacturer.