I’ve been digging into this a lot lately since we’re about to replace our roof, and I keep running into the same thing—people swear metal roofs attract lightning, but the actual research says otherwise. It’s kind of reassuring, honestly. I get why folks worry, though. Lightning’s unpredictable, and metal just seems like it’d be a target.
Grounding’s the real deal-breaker—seen older houses where nobody bothered, and yeah, that’d make me nervous.
This part really hits home for me. Our house was built in the late 70s, and when we had an electrician out for something else, he mentioned the grounding wasn’t up to code. That made me pause about going with metal. I’m not sure if it’s overkill, but I’d rather spend a bit more to have peace of mind. Has anyone actually had their roof grounded after the fact? Wondering if it’s a big project or just a quick add-on.
On the noise side, I’m super sensitive to sound, so I’ve been looking at all those underlayments and thicker insulation options. The sales guy said it’d be “quieter than you think,” but I’m skeptical. Rain doesn’t bother me much, but hail is another story. We get some pretty nasty storms here (central Texas), and I’ve heard stories about metal roofs sounding like a drumline during hail. If anyone’s noticed a real difference with those sound-dampening layers—especially during hail—I’d love to hear about it.
Insurance is another rabbit hole. I called our agent and they said there’s no difference in coverage between metal and shingles for lightning claims, but I still wonder if that’s true everywhere or just our company. It feels like one of those things where you don’t know until you have to file a claim... which hopefully never happens.
Anyway, thanks for sharing your experience—it helps to know other people are thinking through the same stuff. Makes me feel less paranoid about overanalyzing every detail before making a decision.
Insurance is another rabbit hole. I called our agent and they said there’s no difference in coverage between metal and shingles for lightning claims, but I still wonder if that’s true everywhere or just our company.
Honestly, I’d double-check that with a couple other agents. I’ve seen policies where metal roofs actually got a small discount for hail resistance, but then the fine print was different on lightning or fire. Insurance companies love their loopholes. As for grounding, it’s not always a huge job, but it can get pricey if your electrical panel is ancient or you’ve got weird wiring runs. Sometimes it’s just a matter of adding rods and proper connections, sometimes it’s a whole ordeal.
On the noise—yeah, sales guys always say “quieter than you think,” but if you’re sensitive, you’ll probably still notice hail. Underlayment helps, but it’s not magic. My neighbor did all the upgrades and still says big hail sounds like someone dumping gravel on the roof. Not unbearable, but definitely not silent.
I’ve actually been through the insurance maze on this exact issue after a big storm a couple years back. My place has a standing seam metal roof, and when I called to file a claim for some unrelated wind damage, the adjuster started asking all these questions about lightning protection and grounding. Turns out, my policy didn’t care about the roof material for lightning, but they did want to know if I had surge protection on the main panel. That was buried in the fine print—never would’ve noticed if I hadn’t asked.
Funny thing is, my neighbor across the street has asphalt shingles and his insurer dinged him for not having a grounded mast, even though he’s never had any issues. Seems like it really does depend on the company and sometimes even the specific underwriter.
As for noise, yeah, hail on metal is no joke. I’ve got thick underlayment and it still sounds like someone’s throwing rocks up there during a bad storm. Not enough to keep me up at night, but definitely noticeable. If you’re sensitive to sound, it’s something to think about.
That’s interesting about the insurance angle—I've run into similar confusion during inspections.
I’ve seen a lot of folks assume metal roofs attract lightning, but in practice, it’s more about how the house is grounded and what’s connected to the electrical system. Metal actually helps dissipate a strike safely if it happens, as long as everything’s properly bonded. The noise is real, though. I’ve been in attics during hailstorms and it’s like being inside a drum. Some people get used to it, others never do.“Turns out, my policy didn’t care about the roof material for lightning, but they did want to know if I had surge protection on the main panel.”
