We had a similar experience when we first moved into our place, except ours was with clay tiles. Everyone kept telling us how durable and quiet tile roofs were supposed to be, but that first storm... man, it sounded like someone was throwing handfuls of gravel onto the roof. I was seriously skeptical at first, thinking maybe the previous owner had cheaped out or something. But after checking it out myself (and having a roofer buddy confirm), turns out it was just the acoustics of our attic space amplifying the sound. Weird how that works.
Anyway, after a couple of storms, we barely even noticed it anymore. And honestly, after seeing how well the tiles held up through some pretty intense hailstorms, I'm convinced they're worth it. Still, I get why some people prefer asphalt shingles—cheaper, quieter, and easier to repair if something does go wrong.
Speaking of metal roofs though, I've always wondered if adding extra insulation or soundproofing underneath would help cut down on that drum-solo effect. Has anyone tried something like that? Curious if it's worth the extra effort or if it's just one of those things you learn to live with...
We actually dealt with something similar a few years back when we put a metal roof on one of our properties. The tenants called me after the first big rainstorm convinced we'd installed some kind of industrial drum kit up there. I laughed it off at first, but when I stopped by to check it out, they weren't kidding—it was loud.
We ended up adding a layer of insulation underneath, mostly foam board and some extra batting, and it definitely toned things down. Didn't make it completely silent, but it went from "concert level" to more of a gentle background noise. Honestly, after a while, the tenants said they barely noticed it anymore—and now they swear by metal roofs for durability.
So yeah, insulation helps, but don't expect miracles. Personally, I'd say it's worth doing if you're sensitive to noise or have bedrooms right under the roofline. Otherwise, you might just get used to it after a few storms. Either way, metal roofs are pretty tough to beat when it comes to handling wild weather... noise or no noise.
Glad you mentioned the insulation helping a bit. We're thinking about metal roofing too, but the noise factor had me worried. Good to know it's manageable with some tweaks—might just give it a shot after all.
