I’ve got asphalt shingles—came with the house, and honestly, I didn’t even think about metal until after we moved in. The noise thing was my big worry too, but now I’m more annoyed by squirrels than rain. Hail’s a real concern here though, so dents would probably drive me nuts.
Hail’s a real concern here though, so dents would probably drive me nuts.
- Metal roofs: Yeah, they can dent from hail, but the real kicker is most damage is cosmetic. Structural integrity's usually fine unless you get baseball-sized ice.
- Asphalt shingles: They’ll “bruise” or lose granules with hail, which can actually shorten their lifespan and lead to leaks.
- Squirrels? Honestly, nothing keeps those little guys off except maybe a slingshot (kidding... mostly).
I’ve seen more insurance claims for shingle blow-offs than metal roof dents after storms. Just depends what bugs you more—ugly dents or actual leaks.
I went with architectural shingles when we bought our place last year, mostly because the price difference between that and metal was just too much for my budget. We get some gnarly hail here in central Texas, so I totally get the dent concern. But honestly, after our first big storm, I was more annoyed by the handful of shingles that blew off than I think I would’ve been by a few dents. Had to climb up there and do a patch job, which was a little nerve-wracking for a first-timer.
The thing that surprised me is how loud hail is on shingles—it’s still pretty noisy, but I’ve heard metal is even worse. I’m not sure if I’d trade the noise for the peace of mind about leaks, though. And yeah, squirrels... I swear they’re plotting something up there. I’ve seen them chew through the ridge vent once already.
If I had to do it again, I might try to budget for metal, just for the longevity. But I guess every option has its trade-offs.
Had to climb up there and do a patch job, which was a little nerve-wracking for a first-timer.
That hits home—I had to replace a few shingles after our last windstorm, and it’s definitely not something I’d call fun. I went with architectural shingles too, mostly because of cost and availability around here (Oklahoma). Metal was tempting for the lifespan, but the upfront price just didn’t make sense for me either. The noise during hail is real, but I’ve heard from neighbors with metal that it’s more of a “ping” than a “thud”—not sure which is worse. Squirrels are relentless no matter what you put up there... I ended up adding some mesh over my vents and that’s helped a bit. If I had to do it again, I’d probably still stick with shingles, but maybe invest in better underlayment or impact-resistant ones. Every roof’s got its headaches, I guess.
Every roof’s got its headaches, I guess.
Can’t argue with that—roofing is always a compromise. But have you ever looked into green or living roofs? I know they’re not super common in Oklahoma, but honestly, the insulation and stormwater benefits are hard to beat. Upfront cost is a thing, sure, but over time it pays off in energy savings. Plus, squirrels seem less interested in plants than vents... at least from what I've seen. Just something to consider if you ever get tired of patching shingles!