Would you worry about lightning if your house had a metal roof?

Leaks with metal roofs are way more common than folks admit, especially if corners got cut on install or the flashing’s not right. I get why people like metal for longevity, but it’s not immune to water sneaking in. I’ve seen more headaches from condensation and poor ventilation too. Honestly, I’d rather invest in a green roof or at least something with natural insulation - less runoff, better temp control, and you’re not stuck patching rust spots every few years. Lightning? Never kept me up at night, but mold sure has.

Honestly, I’d rather invest in a green roof or at least something with natural insulation - less runoff, better temp control, and you’re not stuck patching rust spots every few years.

Couldn’t agree more. I swapped to a sedum roof after years of chasing leaks and condensation in my old metal setup. The difference in summer temps inside was wild - plus, way less noise during storms. Mold’s been a non-issue since, which is honestly the bigger relief for me. Lightning never crossed my mind either, but black spots on the ceiling sure did...

Funny, I always thought a metal roof would be an upgrade, but reading this is making me second guess. My parents’ house had an old metal roof, and every summer night during storms it was like living inside a drum - could never hear the TV. I’m curious if anyone’s had issues with plant roots on green roofs getting into the structure? I like the idea, just not sure how much upkeep it actually takes over time...

The noise factor with metal roofs is real, especially on older installs without proper insulation. These days, though, most systems include sound-deadening layers - makes a big difference. As for green roofs, root intrusion can be an issue if the waterproofing membrane isn’t top-notch. Maintenance is definitely higher than a standard roof, but with the right setup (root barriers, drainage layers), it’s manageable. Just takes a bit more attention over the years.

Lightning was my first worry when we switched to a metal roof, but after digging into it, turns out it’s not really more risky than shingles. Metal actually helps disperse the strike if it happens. Still, I did make sure our grounding was up to code - just in case. The real surprise was how much quieter it is now with the new insulation... way different from my uncle’s old barn roof that sounded like a drumline during storms.