I’ve always wondered if those dents eventually cause problems, or is it just cosmetic?
Honestly, I’ve seen a lot of metal roofs after hail and yeah, they can look pretty beat up. Most of the time, the dents are just cosmetic—doesn’t really mess with how the roof works. But I get what you mean about shingles being easier to patch up. Thing is, I’ve also seen shingles start leaking after a bad hailstorm, especially if the granules get knocked off. Then you’re dealing with water getting in and all that hassle. Metal’s not perfect, but I wouldn’t say shingles are always cheaper in the long run if you have to keep fixing leaks. Just my two cents.
That’s a fair point about the dents. I’ve had metal panels take a beating from hail and they still kept the water out, just looked rough. With shingles, once you start losing granules or see cracks, leaks aren’t far behind. It’s definitely not just about looks—function matters more in the long run. Don’t stress too much about dents if you go metal.
With shingles, once you start losing granules or see cracks, leaks aren’t far behind.
That’s exactly what happened with mine—noticed a bunch of granules in the gutter after a bad storm, and then a tiny leak showed up in the attic a few weeks later. The metal roof dents bug me aesthetically, but at least they don’t seem to lead to actual water problems. Honestly, I’d rather deal with ugly than wet drywall.
Yeah, I hear you on the granules—my first week on the job, I thought someone dumped sand in the gutters until my boss explained what was up. Once those little guys start coming off, it’s like a countdown to leaks. Metal roofs might look like they lost a fight with a hailstorm, but at least you’re not running around with buckets every time it rains. I’ll take a few dents over soggy insulation any day... though my neighbor swears the dents give his place “character.” Not sure about that, but hey, to each their own.
Metal roofs might look like they lost a fight with a hailstorm, but at least you’re not running around with buckets every time it rains. I’ll take a few dents over soggy insulation any day...
I get where you're coming from. I had asphalt shingles on my last place, and by year 12, I was patching up spots after every big storm. The granules in the gutters were just the start—once I noticed water stains in the attic, it was game over. Swapped to a metal roof when I moved, and yeah, it’s got a few dings from hail, but no leaks so far.
Honestly, I’d rather deal with some cosmetic dents than the mess and hassle of water damage. Plus, metal reflects more heat, which helped my cooling bill a bit in the summer. Not everyone loves the look, but I’d pick function over form here. Shingles are cheaper upfront, but if you’re planning to stay put for a while, metal or even something like recycled composite might be worth looking into. Less landfill waste, too—not a bad bonus.