Rubber shingles sound awesome in theory, but my wallet started sweating just looking at the quotes. I actually priced them out last summer after a hailstorm did a number on my old asphalt roof. The installer said they’d last “forever,” but the upfront cost was wild compared to regular shingles. Anyone else get sticker shock? Also, my neighbor had a rubber roof and said squirrels chewed a corner off—never thought I’d have to budget for rodent repairs. Wondering if that’s just a fluke or a real thing...
- That “forever” claim always makes me raise an eyebrow—nothing on a roof lasts forever, especially with squirrels and weather in the mix.
-
Seen this more than once. Rodents love softer materials. Asphalt isn’t immune, but rubber’s definitely easier to chew through.“my neighbor had a rubber roof and said squirrels chewed a corner off—never thought I’d have to budget for rodent repairs.”
- Cost-wise, yeah, rubber’s steep upfront. But I’ve seen some hail-damaged asphalt roofs replaced twice while a decent rubber install held up fine.
- If you’re worried about critters, metal might be worth a look. Pricey too, but rodents can’t really chew it and it laughs off hail.
- Just double-check what your insurance covers before you make the jump… not all policies treat these newer materials the same.
Metal’s definitely the toughest when it comes to both critters and hail, but it’s not a magic bullet either—seen plenty dented up after a bad storm, especially thinner panels. Still, I’d take a few dents over holes chewed by squirrels any day. Worth weighing the trade-offs, especially if you’ve got a lot of trees nearby.
Had a job last summer where the homeowner went with a thinner gauge metal to save some cash. Looked sharp at first, but after one hailstorm, it was like someone took a ball-peen hammer to half the roof. Still, no leaks, just cosmetic. On the flip side, I’ve seen squirrels chew right through asphalt shingles and even gnaw at the plywood underneath. If you’re surrounded by trees, dents might be the lesser evil, but I wouldn’t call metal invincible. If you go that route, maybe don’t skimp on panel thickness.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing with thinner metal panels—looks great until the first big hailstorm rolls through. Cosmetic dents are kind of inevitable if you go that route, but at least you’re not dealing with leaks or rot, which is a huge plus in my book. I get what you mean about squirrels too... those little guys can do some serious damage to shingles, especially if you’ve got a lot of trees nearby.
I’m with you on not skimping on thickness. The upfront cost stings a bit, but once you factor in fewer repairs and less stress every time the weather acts up, it starts to make sense. I’ve seen folks go with standing seam metal in a heavier gauge and, yeah, you still get some dings, but nothing like the “golf ball roof” look. Plus, the durability over time is hard to beat.
Not saying metal’s perfect—noise during storms takes getting used to, and it’ll never be totally squirrel-proof—but in wild weather areas, it’s probably one of the better bets if you pick the right specs.
