Can confirm about those flatter roofs being trouble magnets. My last house had a pretty gentle slope—looked sleek but turned into a nightmare every time storm season hit. After one particularly rough night, woke up to find half the neighborhood's leaves and branches having a party up there. Took me hours climbing around, cleaning it all off.
After that experience, when we moved, I specifically looked for something steeper. Sure enough, storms come and go now, and the roof barely notices. Mesh guards helped too, especially for keeping gutters clear. But honestly, pitch seems like the real deal-breaker in my experience... learned that lesson the hard way!
Had a similar issue with a low-slope roof a few years back—looked great, but every heavy rain meant leaks and headaches. Switched to metal roofing with a steeper pitch, and honestly haven't worried since. Pitch matters, but material choice is huge too...
Went through something similar myself—had asphalt shingles on a fairly shallow roof, and every storm was a guessing game of "where's the leak this time?" Eventually bit the bullet and switched to standing seam metal roofing. Not cheap, but honestly worth every penny. The hidden fasteners make a huge difference in durability, especially with wind-driven rain. Pitch definitely helps, but I'd say the quality of installation matters just as much as the material itself... learned that one the hard way.
Totally get where you're coming from on this. I've been apprenticing in roofing for a couple years now, and honestly, metal roofing—especially standing seam—is a game changer for weather resistance. Seen plenty of roofs with asphalt shingles that just couldn't handle heavy storms or wind-driven rain, no matter how well-installed they were. It's frustrating because homeowners often think they're saving money upfront, but the constant repairs and headaches add up fast.
You're spot-on about installation quality too. I've worked on jobs where the materials were top-notch, but corners got cut during installation—usually because someone was rushing or trying to save a buck—and it always came back to bite us later. Hidden fasteners are definitely worth the extra cost; exposed screws can loosen over time, especially in areas with temperature swings or heavy winds. I've seen roofs that looked great at first glance but started leaking within a year because of poorly sealed fasteners.
One thing I'd add is that ventilation and insulation also play a big role in how well your roof holds up. Even the best metal roof can struggle if moisture gets trapped underneath or if there's poor airflow in the attic space. Had a customer last summer who upgraded to metal roofing but skipped improving ventilation—ended up with condensation issues inside the attic. Luckily it was an easy fix once we figured it out, but still something to keep in mind.
Anyway, sounds like you made a solid choice going with standing seam metal. It's pricier upfront, sure, but when you factor in durability and peace of mind during storms... it's hard to beat. Glad it's working out for you!
Couldn't agree more about ventilation—it's the unsung hero of roofing. I've seen folks drop big bucks on premium materials, only to skimp on airflow and insulation. Had a customer once whose attic looked like a rainforest after winter thaw... not fun to fix. Standing seam metal's solid, but pairing it with proper venting and insulation is definitely the way to go for long-term peace of mind.
