When you decide it is time for your home or commercial building’s roof to be done, you have many options available to choose from. Shingles, rubber, and metal are among the most popular choices of roofing materials, and each tailor to different needs. Shingles take the lead for most sought after roofing material on residential homes but metal is becoming a popular choice. Metal was reserved for warehouses, factories, and sheds in the 1850’s, and in recent years people have been enjoying the sleekness it adds to their homes.
Metal roofs offer a long list of benefits that include its longevity of 40-70 years, a wide range of colors, its durability, energy efficiency, and value it can add to your home. Of course with all the positive attributes a metal roof adds, there are some cons to think about. The cost of labor, insurance, and materials have gone up and continue to rise each year. What does this mean for you? Well a metal roof is expensive, but if you are looking for a roofing system to install once and not have to ever again, then a metal roof is for you.
The reality is that no matter what you choose for a roofing system it will be costly, so it’s best to figure out how to get the most bang for your buck, and the most years. Seeking out the best roofing company in your area that specializes in metal roofing is a must. Metal is more complex than laying down shingles so you don’t want to cheap out on a roofing crew that doesn’t know what they are doing.
Now that you have weighed all of your options and finally chose a metal roof for your home, you may have some questions or concerns. Lightning strikes on a metal roof may be a concern of yours, as it is of many others who are thinking about installing metal on their homes. After much research it has been established that a metal roof is not more likely to attract lightning than any other roofing material. In fact a metal roof is thought to be even safer than other choices because of its non-combustible highest class A fire resistance rating. Metal roofs are most popular in lightning prone regions because of their fire safety.
When lightning strikes a building, it channels through the material and works its way to the ground, through a home’s pipes and electrical systems. If a roof is covered in combustible material such as flammable asphalt shingles or wooden shakes, lightning can ignite them. Comparing these materials to metal, there is just no chance of that occurring because of its fire resistance rating.
What is grounding?
Grounding is to provide an alternative pathway for an electrical surge of electricity when lightning strikes a roof or another surface. When a metal roof is installed on a residential home, a grounding system can be formed with copper wires that are attached to each electrical box in the home, this is done to ensure that the current is dispersed. When choosing the best roofing company for the job, ask them if they have experience in grounding metal roofs or installing conducting rods. Most reputable roofing companies agree that metal roofs do not need to be grounded, and is not a necessary step.
There is no building code that requires a homeowner to ground their metals roof, assuming that all other building codes are in place. Including the use of PVC for piping to extend out of the home being strictly followed. We can all agree that metal is definitely an electrical conductor but what’s more important is the type of roofing materials that are being used. If lightning were to strike the metal roof of your home it would be grounded throughout the entire roofing structure, and no damage would be done to the roof or your family. There is no reason to be afraid to place a metal roof on your home, they are beautiful and will last almost as long as your life.
A lightening protection system (LPS), is a rod or lightning conductor made from metal and mounted on a housing structure or building to protect it from lightning strikes. Placing this rod on top of a structure will advantageously strike the rod and transfer the energy through to the ground instead of passing through the building itself.
If you think you live in an area with high amounts of storms you can take this risk assessment to ensure the protection of your metal roof and building. This assessment enables the consumer to make better informed decisions to meet the expected building requirements of safety. Lightning protection is not mandated by the national building codes, but it is required in some local codes and certain governments.
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