"during heavy rainstorms, it sounded like a drum solo overhead."
Haha, that drum solo analogy is spot-on. When we moved into our first home, the previous owners had installed a metal roof but clearly skipped on proper insulation. First heavy rainstorm we had, I swear I thought someone was rehearsing for a rock concert up there. After some research (and a couple of sleepless nights), here's what we did to fix it:
1. Pulled down the attic ceiling panels to see what we were working with—turns out, almost no insulation.
2. Added a layer of acoustic insulation specifically designed for sound dampening—this stuff is denser and absorbs vibrations better.
3. Installed foam board insulation beneath that to boost thermal performance, which also helped with noise reduction.
4. Sealed everything back up tight, checking carefully for gaps or seams.
Afterwards, the difference was huge—still hear the rain faintly, but it's actually kinda relaxing now instead of headache-inducing. So yeah, metal roofs can be great if you get the insulation right... otherwise, EPDM or TPO might be tempting just for peace and quiet alone.
Interesting points about metal roofs, but I'm not sure I'd jump straight to EPDM or TPO just for noise reasons. Both have solid fire safety ratings, but they come with their own quirks—like EPDM can shrink over time, causing seam issues, while TPO sometimes struggles with long-term heat exposure. Maybe a thicker gauge metal roof or better underlayment could've addressed the noise without sacrificing durability? Just thinking out loud here...
Had a similar dilemma last year when we replaced our roof. I almost went with TPO, but the heat exposure thing you mentioned gave me pause—our summers get brutal. Ended up going with a thicker metal roof plus some extra insulation underneath. Honestly, noise hasn't been an issue at all...except maybe that one hailstorm where it sounded like a marching band decided to practice on my roof at 3 AM. Still, no regrets on durability or fire safety so far.
Interesting choice going with metal—definitely a solid option for durability and fire safety. Curious though, did you consider EPDM at all during your decision-making process? I've worked with both TPO and EPDM extensively, and while TPO does have some concerns with heat exposure (especially in hotter climates), EPDM tends to handle heat pretty well. It's rubber-based, so it has decent resistance to UV rays and thermal cycling.
One thing I've noticed is that EPDM can be a bit more forgiving when it comes to punctures or minor damage compared to TPO, which can sometimes become brittle over time. But on the flip side, EPDM isn't naturally reflective like TPO, so you'd probably need an additional reflective coating if energy efficiency is a big priority for you. Did energy savings factor heavily into your decision, or was it mostly about durability and fire safety?
Also, your hailstorm anecdote made me chuckle—I've heard similar stories from clients who've gone metal. Did you opt for any specific insulation type underneath to help mitigate noise, or was it just standard foam board? I've found that certain insulation materials can really make a difference in sound dampening during heavy rain or hail.
Anyway, glad you're happy with the metal roof overall. It's always interesting to hear how these choices pan out after installation.
We had EPDM on our old building, and I agree it's pretty forgiving with punctures. Maintenance-wise, it was honestly a breeze. But we did notice the heat absorption issue you mentioned—ended up coating ours to help with energy efficiency. As for insulation under metal roofs, we went with mineral wool instead of foam board... made a huge difference in noise reduction during storms. Worth checking out if hail noise is bugging you!
