We had a metal roof installed about five years ago after a nasty hailstorm wrecked our shingles. Honestly, I was pretty hesitant at first because of the noise factor too—I remember the racket at my grandparents' old farmhouse when it rained hard... sounded like popcorn kernels exploding on the stove. But we decided to take the plunge anyway, mostly because hailstorms are frequent around here and metal seemed like a sturdier option.
I made sure to grill the installers about insulation and underlayments, and they assured me they'd use some kind of specialized sound-dampening layer underneath. Can't recall exactly what it was called now, but it wasn't cheap. Still, figured it was worth the peace of mind.
Fast forward to our first big thunderstorm after installation—I'll admit I was bracing myself for an all-night drum solo. Surprisingly though, it wasn't bad at all. Definitely louder than shingles, but more of a steady white-noise hum rather than anything jarring or disruptive. Actually slept pretty well through it.
But here's the catch: My neighbor down the street got a metal roof installed shortly after we did, but he went with a cheaper quote and didn't bother asking about extra insulation or underlayment. He regrets it big time now. I've been over there during rainstorms, and yeah... it's exactly like you described—ball bearings tumbling down nonstop.
So from my experience, metal roofs can be great if you're thorough upfront and willing to spend a bit extra on soundproofing measures. But if that's not in the budget or you're unsure about your installer, sticking with quality shingles might be safer overall. Either way, you're totally right—it's better to ask those questions before the job gets started rather than dealing with sleepless regret later on.
Glad you ended up happy with your choice. We went through something similar a couple years ago—ended up sticking with shingles mostly because of cost and noise concerns. But honestly, hearing your experience makes me think we might've been overly cautious... Maybe next time around we'll reconsider metal if we can budget for the extra insulation. Sounds like you did your homework and it paid off!
We went metal about 5 years ago and honestly, the noise thing is way overblown. With decent insulation, it's barely noticeable even in heavy rain. Cost-wise, yeah, it's a chunk upfront, but we've had zero maintenance issues since. Sounds like you made a solid call sticking with shingles at the time though—can't fault practicality. Next time around, metal might be worth another look if you're planning long-term... Glad OP's research paid off; always nice when homework actually helps, haha.
"With decent insulation, it's barely noticeable even in heavy rain."
Gotta say, your experience sounds pretty good overall, but I've inspected plenty of homes where the metal roofing noise was definitely noticeable—even with decent insulation. Not saying it's unbearable or anything, but it can be more than just a minor background hum depending on the house design and attic space. A couple years back, I did an inspection for a family who'd recently switched from shingles to metal. They loved the look and durability, but they were surprised at how much louder it was during storms. Turns out their attic insulation was fine, but they had vaulted ceilings and open spaces that amplified the sound quite a bit. It wasn't a deal-breaker for them, but it definitely took some getting used to.
On the flip side though, you're spot-on about maintenance being minimal once you've got metal up there. Shingles are solid and practical (can't argue with that), especially if you're not planning to stay in one place forever. But if you do decide to go metal next time around, I'd suggest paying close attention to your home's layout—especially ceiling height and attic ventilation. Those factors can make a surprising difference in how noisy things get during heavy rain.
Just my two cents based on what I've seen out there... Glad it's worked out well for you though!
- Good points here. Seen plenty of metal roofs hold up great in storms, but noise definitely varies.
- Vaulted ceilings or open floor plans can amplify rain sounds big-time... learned that the hard way at my brother's cabin.
- Shingles quieter for sure, but metal wins hands-down on durability and low maintenance.
- Bottom line depends on your home's layout and personal tolerance for a little extra "ambiance" during storms, haha.
