The real mess was inside—modems, TVs, even a garage door opener got zapped.
That’s been my experience too. The roof just sits there, looking smug, while your electronics throw in the towel. I’ve seen folks panic about “attracting” lightning with metal, but honestly, it’s not a lightning magnet—it just gives the bolt a quick exit. I’d take a metal roof over old shingles any day when it comes to storms. Water leaks are way more sneaky than lightning strikes in my book.
Metal roofs and lightning get lumped together a lot, but honestly, the science just doesn’t back up the fear. I’ve got a standing seam metal roof—installed about six years ago after a hailstorm trashed my old asphalt shingles—and I haven’t lost a wink of sleep over lightning. What actually surprised me was how much quieter it is during storms than I expected (I added a layer of insulation underneath, which probably helps).
The only time I had an issue was with a power surge that fried my router and TV. Turns out, the surge came in through the utility line, not the roof at all. The metal just did its job and sent any stray current safely to ground. Meanwhile, friends with older shingle roofs have dealt with leaks after every big rain, which is way more hassle in my opinion.
If anything, I’d say proper grounding and surge protection for your electronics matter more than what your roof’s made of. Metal’s not magic, but it’s definitely not a lightning magnet either... just better at handling what nature throws at it.
That’s interesting about the insulation making storms quieter—I always pictured metal roofs being super loud in the rain. I’ve got a new build with asphalt shingles, but honestly, leaks are already a worry after just two years.
Did you have to do anything special for grounding when you switched to metal? I’m curious if that’s something most installers handle or if you had to ask for it specifically.“Meanwhile, friends with older shingle roofs have dealt with leaks after every big rain, which is way more hassle in my opinion.”
I’ve managed a few properties with metal roofs and honestly, grounding wasn’t something we had to request—it was just part of the install. But I wouldn’t say it’s always handled by default. Some crews skip it unless you specifically ask, especially in areas where lightning isn’t a big concern. Personally, I’ve seen more issues with shingle leaks than anything related to lightning strikes on metal.
Some crews skip it unless you specifically ask, especially in areas where lightning isn’t a big concern.
That’s exactly what worries me—just because lightning isn’t common doesn’t mean it can’t happen. I’ve got a neighbor who had a metal roof put on last year, and the installer didn’t ground it. We’re in a low-risk area, but still, it feels like cheap insurance to ask for grounding. Curious if anyone’s actually had a lightning strike cause damage to their metal roof? I keep hearing stories, but never firsthand.