Had a neighbor put in solar tiles last year—looked slick, but the first big windstorm sent a couple flying. They had to get extra fasteners and some custom flashing after that. Still, their summer cooling bills dropped a ton. It’s not foolproof, but with the right installer and some tweaks, it can work even in gusty spots. Living roofs are trickier though... I’ve seen them thrive on low-slope city buildings, but out here in the open, the wind just tears at the edges unless you’ve got serious anchoring.
Seen this a lot, especially with solar tiles and living roofs out in windy areas. Last spring, I worked on a place where the owner went with solar shingles—looked great at first, but after one nasty storm, about half a dozen tiles ended up in the neighbor’s yard. We had to add extra clips and some custom metal flashing around the edges, which helped, but it was definitely more work than your standard shingle job.
Regular asphalt shingles aren’t perfect either, but they tend to hold up better in gusty conditions if you go with the higher-rated ones and make sure the install is solid. I’ve replaced plenty of basic 3-tab shingles that just couldn’t cut it after a couple seasons of heavy wind. The architectural or “dimensional” shingles seem to stick around longer and don’t curl up as fast.
Living roofs are a whole different beast. Tried one on a low-slope garage once—looked awesome for a year, then the first big windstorm just peeled a chunk off the edge. Unless you’re prepared for some serious anchoring and maintenance, I’d stick with something tried-and-true if you’re out in the open.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had better luck with metal in windy spots than with any shingle, even the “hurricane-rated” ones.
Maybe it’s just the way the wind hits out here, but standing seam metal roofs I’ve put on haven’t budged, while I’ve had to patch up architectural shingles after a couple rough seasons. Metal’s pricier up front, but less hassle long-term if wind’s your main concern.“Regular asphalt shingles aren’t perfect either, but they tend to hold up better in gusty conditions if you go with the higher-rated ones and make sure the install is solid.”
I’ve been crunching the numbers and honestly, metal is tempting, especially after seeing my neighbor’s shingles scattered across the yard last spring. I get that the upfront cost is higher—my quotes were almost double for metal vs. architectural shingles—but not having to worry every time the wind picks up sounds pretty nice. Only thing holding me back is noise during storms... does it really sound like a drumline in there, or is that just a myth?
Metal’s definitely quieter than it used to be, especially if you’ve got decent insulation and a solid attic. I manage a few properties with metal roofs and honestly, most tenants don’t even notice storms unless it’s hail. The peace of mind during windstorms is a big plus, though—shingles just don’t hold up the same way in rough weather.