I get where you’re coming from with the noise thing. I was worried about that too when we redid our roof a few years back. Ended up going with metal because the wind here just shreds shingles every couple winters, and I was tired of patching things up after every storm. Honestly, the rain isn’t as loud as I expected—guess it depends on your attic insulation and what kind of metal panels you use. Ours is standing seam over a solid deck with a good underlayment, and it’s not much different than before.
One thing I didn’t think about until after was how much cooler the attic stays in summer. That’s been a nice bonus—AC doesn’t have to work as hard. Price-wise, metal was more upfront, but I’m hoping it’ll pay off since I probably won’t have to mess with it again for decades.
If you’re sensitive to sound, maybe see if you can check out someone’s house during a rainstorm? Or ask your neighbor if you can listen in next time it pours. It’s definitely not for everyone, but for me, the trade-off has been worth it.
Honestly, the rain isn’t as loud as I expected—guess it depends on your attic insulation and what kind of metal panels you use.
I’ve noticed the same thing with metal roofs—proper insulation makes a huge difference. On a few properties, we switched from asphalt to standing seam metal, mainly because of wind issues. The upfront cost stings a bit, but the long-term savings on repairs and energy are real. Noise-wise, it’s been fine unless you’re right under a skylight or have minimal attic space. I do wish more people realized how much installation details matter for both noise and durability.
Couldn’t agree more about the insulation making or breaking the whole experience. We did a metal roof a few years back—honestly, I was bracing for thunderous rain, but with decent attic insulation, it’s barely noticeable. I get what you mean about the cost, though. It’s a hit upfront, but after dealing with shingle blow-offs every storm season, I’d do it again. The install details really do matter... I learned that the hard way after a botched flashing job led to a leak over the kitchen. Live and learn, right?
The install details really do matter... I learned that the hard way after a botched flashing job led to a leak over the kitchen. Live and learn, right?
That’s rough—flashing can be such a pain if it’s not done right. Did you end up fixing it yourself or call someone in? I’ve seen a few metal roofs go up where the flashing was almost an afterthought, and it always comes back to bite. Curious if you noticed any difference in your energy bills after switching from shingles to metal? I keep hearing mixed things about that.
I totally get what you mean about flashing—my neighbor had a similar mess after a quick “weekend project” turned into a full-on ceiling repair. I’ve always wondered why some installers seem to treat flashing like an afterthought, when it’s the one thing that keeps water out. When I switched to metal a few years back, I was super picky about the details, especially around the chimney and valleys. Still, I had to call the crew back once because they missed a spot near the vent pipe... lesson learned.
About energy bills, mine actually dropped a bit in summer, but not as much as I’d hoped. Maybe it’s because my attic insulation isn’t great? Winter bills didn’t change much at all. I do like how the metal roof reflects heat though—my upstairs used to get way hotter with asphalt shingles. If I had to do it again, I’d probably still go metal, but maybe look into those “cool roof” coatings or even solar tiles if the price ever comes down. Anyone else notice noise differences during rain? Mine’s not bad, but some folks say it’s loud.
