Those little gaps are no joke—totally agree there. Metal roofs look solid from the driveway, but once you’re up there with a flashlight and a hose, it’s a different story. I had a similar situation last winter after a hailstorm. Patched up a couple seams with butyl tape in August, thought I was good... then January freeze-thaw cycles hit and suddenly I had condensation issues and a mystery draft in the attic.
Spot repairs kept things manageable for a while, but I did notice my heating bill creeping up. I’m not convinced everyone needs to jump straight to full replacement, though. If the panels themselves aren’t too dented or corroded, keeping an eye on fasteners and flashing after big temperature swings can buy you a few more years. It’s tedious, but it beats dropping $20k all at once.
Honestly, sometimes I wonder if the “legend” is just how much maintenance these things actually take, even if they’re supposed to be low-maintenance. At least hail doesn’t shatter metal like it does with old clay tile—silver linings, I guess.
Legend has it you just slap a metal roof on and forget about it for 50 years, right? Meanwhile, I’m up there every spring with a caulk gun and a prayer. Those little gaps are sneaky—one minute you’re dry, next thing you know, your attic’s got its own microclimate. I started using that eco-friendly sealant last year (smells like pine trees, not chemicals), and it’s held up better than the butyl tape so far. Still, nothing like crawling around up there in February to make you question your life choices... At least the squirrels don’t chew through metal.
Legend has it you just slap a metal roof on and forget about it for 50 years, right?
Honestly, I think that’s the biggest myth out there. Metal’s tough, sure, but hail can dent panels and loosen fasteners over time—especially if you’ve got those exposed screws. I’ve seen “maintenance-free” roofs start leaking after one bad storm. Eco sealant’s great, but if you’re patching every spring, maybe it’s time to check the flashing or even the panel alignment. Sometimes it’s not the gaps you see, it’s the ones hiding under the ridge cap...
Sometimes it’s not the gaps you see, it’s the ones hiding under the ridge cap...
That’s a solid point. Even with “maintenance-free” claims, regular checks make a difference. I’ve seen fasteners back out after just a couple Midwest hailstorms—sometimes it’s just a quick tighten, sometimes more. You’re right, hidden leaks can be sneaky.
That’s exactly why I do a visual check after every big storm, not just the annual inspection. I’ve found that even minor hail can shift things you’d never expect. Has anyone had luck with those underlayment sensors for early leak detection, or are they more hassle than help?
