|
Do the Right Thing!
The bottom line is that everyone cares
about the environment. Given the choice about whether to choose
a product that’s good for the environment or not so
good for the environment most people have a few criteria that
must be met and then they will naturally choose the environmentally
sound alternative. Typically, those few criteria are cost,
aesthetics and practicality or product performance.
Metal roofing is the most cost effective
when considering the service life of a roof whether replacing
an existing roof or putting on a new one. The practicality
of metal roofing is self-explanatory when one considers the
years of maintenance free service a metal roof provides.
Technological advances in the machinery
used to form metal roofing and the extensive array of exterior
paints and finishes now available offer a wide variety of
textures and profiles even to the point of offering slate
look-alike materials—a roofing material that few can
afford these days but in the days of inexpensive labor and
bountiful resources was once common.
Metal and the Environment
Metal has a natural ability to sustain itself against Mother
Nature's elements whereas other building materials can be
affected by these elements to the point of destruction. Metal
is durable through hot/cold temperatures, wet/dry weather
cycles, high UV rays, windstorms, hail, ice and snow.
The composition of metal has recycled elements
on the raw material and post-consumer ends. Metal, however,
has a much larger effect on the environment, on many levels,
giving it a stronger position in sustainable building and
living cultures.
Reduced Waste
Metal roofing is lightweight, allowing it, in many cases,
to be installed over existing roofs. This minimizes the need
to tear off and dispose of existing materials, which can have
monetary and ecological savings. Installing metal roofing
over existing shingles provides an extra layer of insulation
and acts as an additional sound barrier.
The life span of metal roofing is 50 + years,
reducing the need to replace it. If it does need to be replaced,
the tear-off material can be recycled.
Recycled Content
Most metal roofs have recycled content ranging from 25% to
95%. Conventional roof shingles have a much shorter life-cycle
and use oil-based products as their primary raw material.
Recyclability
All of the metal roofing products distributed by Absolute
Steel are 100% recyclable.
Lightweight
Metal roofing weighs a fraction of other roofing products
such as asphalt shingle, slate and concrete tile. The less
weight on the roof plane, the less structural support is required
in the building; thus less lumber or other materials is required
to support it. The average weight for asphalt is a minimum
of 2 lbs per square foot, slate is 6 lbs per square foot,
and concrete tile is 9 lbs per square foot. Absolute Steel
products vary from 3/4 to 1.5 lbs per square foot.
Clean Water Runoff
Metal roofing does not support mildew or algae, and is not
produced with petroleum by-products. It does not contribute
to the contamination of rainwater; therefore it is one less
concern for well and cistern users.
Interior Fungus
Metal Roofing is a hydrokinetic material which allows water
and snow loads to shed from the roof plane. It is also a hydrostatic
material, a water barrier, which protects a roof system from
growing fungus created by moisture. This fungus has a tendency
to live on other roofing materials.
Algae Growth
Black algae streaks, commonly seen on roofs in the country,
absorb the sun's energy and increases the temperature in a
home's attic. This results in increased energy costs to cool
a home and premature deterioration of the roofing material.
Energy Efficiency
Metal reflects up to 70% of the sun's energy, thus minimizing
heat retention. This results in less heat being transferred
into the building's structure. Metal roofing can sustain up
to 34% less heat gain than asphalt shingles.
A reflective roof, such as metal, reduces the "Heat Island
Effect" which is a phenomenon in which cities can be
two to eight degrees warmer than the surrounding countryside.
This effect can cook the smog that it indirectly creates,
seriously damaging the atmosphere in and around urban areas.
|
