So, you have decided on the perfect combination of materials, paints and finishers. You are very excited about how your future roof will look. However, there is one more important decision to make; and this article will supply you with the knowledge to make the right choice. This article guides you on the way your customized metal roof will be anchored to your home. We will examine the difference between a standing seam roof and an exposed fastener roof.
Standing seam roofs are generally the favorite choice of expert roofers and you may notice that most roofing professionals use standing seam fasteners in their own homes. The standing seam roof system uses a series of concealed fasteners that are hidden by the roofs evenly spaced vertical seams (the standing seams). There are many benefits to using the standing seam roof system. We will discuss its characteristics from an economic, aesthetic and maintenance point of view. Standing seams offer a few unique benefits not seen with other fasteners.
The first thing you will notice about a standing seam roof is the sleek, ?clean lines? your roof exhibits. Because there are no exposed fasteners, many believe that standing seam is more aesthetically pleasing than exposed fasteners.
Additionally, this method fastens the roof panel to another roof panel without piercing the metal itself. This method confers a high degree of water resistance and you will often see much better weather/waterproof warranties included with your roof. Due to the hidden quality of the standing seam?s fasteners they will never be exposed to the elements. Thus, they will last longer than a system that has exposed fasteners. Due to the durability and strength of a standing seam roof, you will find that less maintenance is required.
Standing Seam Robust Durability
Additionally a standing seam roof is able accommodate thermal movement (the expansion of the roof panels in warm weather and contracting during the cold weather). This is especially important to the weather resistance of the roof as there are no fastener holes that will fail due to weather changes. Energy efficiency is seen with standing seam roofs as they are often installed with cooling coils, which reflect sunlight and make the roof cooler. This will save you money on cooling costs for the building and will enable you to attain energy star status to become a green building.
As with any system, there are also a few drawbacks to SSRs. The first and most obvious is the cost. A standing seam roof has a higher cost than exposed fasteners and require more skilled labor to install. Additionally standing seam roofs can not be used with a flat roof as the SSR will not drain water adequately and are prone to early failure.
Exposed Fasteners – Quick install and Budget Friendly
ou can also find a variety of exposed fasteners in local home improvement stores. The easy availability of EFs make it faster and easier to install a new roof. Due to the simplicity of the system, you could buy the panels yourself and complete the project with a small roofing team.
Exposed fasteners are the other choice for your roof.
An exposed fastener roof is installed directly through the metal roof and pierce the metal panels. Due to strong adhesion of the exposed fasteners building can use thinner roof materials thus, you save money. In fact, a exposed fastener roof is all around less expensive than a standing seam roof. Sometime staying within a budget is necessary.
Due to the fact that exposed fasteners systems requires hundreds, if not thousands of fasteners, this system is more prone to human error. They might screw the fastener too tight or too loose. This could lead to water damage. You will see less robust warranties with exposed fasteners due to the fact that they have a higher chance to leak.
Additionally, exposed fastener roofs are not very good with thermal movement which creates problems in fastener holes. This necessitates a more frequent maintenance schedule as you have to examine the fasteners themselves for damage. A more thorough roof examination is needed, noting any water infiltration. The biggest driving force for choosing exposed fasteners is due to the speed and price of the EF system.
Why utilizing sub-par crew results in big problems.
Now you are armed with ample knowledge of these two systems and you will be able to make an informed decision about you roof.
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*additional images provided by our metal supply network including, but not limited to, Drexel Metals, McElroy Metals and Union Corrugating.
We do in fact use all these companies and have received permission to utilize images.
