If you’re curious about alternatives, I went with a green roof (sedum mats) on my garage as a bit of an experiment. Here’s how it’s held up: 1) No hail dents—plants just bounce back. 2) Squirrels seem less interested, maybe because there’s no crunchy stuff to chew. 3) It’s quieter during storms, which is a bonus. Downside? Needs a beefier structure underneath and a bit more maintenance, but honestly, it’s been fun watching it change with the seasons. Not for everyone, but worth considering if you like the idea of a living roof.
Downside? Needs a beefier structure underneath and a bit more maintenance, but honestly, it’s been fun watching it change with the seasons.
I get the appeal of a green roof—looks cool, definitely quieter. But I’ve seen a few cases where folks underestimated the weight, especially after a heavy rain or snow. That extra load can sneak up on you if the structure wasn’t really designed for it. Plus, if you ever get a leak, tracking it down under all that soil and plant matter is a pain. I’m still partial to standing seam metal for wild weather—less maintenance, and hail just bounces off. Not as pretty, but it’s saved me a ton of hassle over the years.
You nailed it with the weight issue—seen more than a few “green” dreams turn into soggy nightmares after a big snow. Folks forget that wet soil isn’t exactly light, and suddenly you’ve got sagging rafters or worse. I once inspected a place where the owner tried to DIY a green roof on an old garage... let’s just say the tomatoes survived longer than the ceiling did. Metal’s not glamorous, but it sure is predictable when the weather gets rowdy. I’ll take a little noise over surprise leaks any day.
I get the appeal of metal—my neighbor swears by his, especially after last winter’s ice storm. But I’m still not totally convinced it’s always the best call. When I bought my place, I looked into green roofs too (mostly because I like the idea of extra insulation and a little garden up top). The weight thing did freak me out though… I had to really dig into the numbers and check if my rafters could handle it. Ended up passing, but I’ve seen some folks do it right with proper support and drainage.
Here’s where I get stuck with metal: the noise. People say you get used to it, but during heavy rain or hail, doesn’t it just get crazy loud? And what about rust? My area gets humid in summer, so I worry about long-term maintenance. Plus, isn’t metal roofing a lot pricier up front? Maybe I’m overthinking it, but sometimes asphalt shingles seem like a decent middle ground—less flashy, but familiar and pretty easy to patch if something goes wrong.
Just trying to figure out what actually works for a regular house without turning into a construction project every few years...
Noise is one of those things people always bring up with metal, but honestly, if it’s installed right with proper decking and insulation, it’s not nearly as bad as folks think. I’ve been in plenty of houses during storms where you barely notice it. As for rust, modern metal roofs are usually coated to handle humidity—galvalume or aluminum won’t rust like the old tin stuff. Upfront cost is higher, yeah, but you’re looking at 40-50 years easy with minimal upkeep. Shingles are cheaper at first, but I see a lot more patch jobs and replacements after big storms... just my two cents from being on a lot of roofs over the years.
