The tropical weather of Florida is known for its humidity, heat, salt breezes from the sea, and a high chance of extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes or sudden storms. These conditions are unsuitable for traditional roofing materials such as asphalt shingles or tiles. As a result, metal roofs have become a popular alternative for many Florida homeowners due to their durability, weather resistance, energy efficiency, eco-friendliness, and modern aesthetic. Let’s get into the advantages of metal roofs in the Florida climate.
Advantages of Metal Roofs in Florida’s Climate
Some of the advantages of metal roofs in Florida climate are listed below.
Durability & Longevity
While most asphalt roofs need major renovation or even replacement around 20 years, modern metal roofs last for over 50 years with minimal maintenance. Even after decades of blazing sun, storms, and salt air, adequately installed metal panels resist corrosion, rust, and wear.
Structural integrity and weatherproofing remain intact, and the factory-applied finishes prevent fading. While other roofing materials demand re-sealing, repairs, and replacement every 10-15 years in Florida, durable metals require no such upkeep. It saves expense and hassle while retaining full protective roof barrier performance.
Wind & Storm and Fire Resistance
Well-anchored metal panels stay locked in place undamaged at winds exceeding 150 mph. Interlocking construction braces against uplift forces dramatically better to prevent roof cover loss even in Category 5 winds.
Unlike tiles or wood shakes, hailstorms won’t crack or shatter metal. They have excellent impact absorption that can withstand falling tree branches and storm debris. Metal panels are a good fit for Florida’s hurricane-prone and windy areas.
Fire is a considerable risk factor during natural calamities. Lightning strikes, downed power lines, or gas leaks threaten buildings. Unlike shakes or shingles, metal roofs provide strong protection against fires.
Energy Efficiency
Standard roofs absorb solar radiation as heat. They transmit the heat to living spaces, raising air conditioning demands and electricity costs. Reflective metal roofing bounces back sunlight to maintain a cooler temperature, which decreases cooling requirements.
You can choose ventilated metal construction that increases the efficiency of metal roofs. It can reduce your monthly bills by a significant amount in hot climates like Florida. Insulated metal panels are even more effective at reducing internal room temperature and can lead to double savings over time.
Environment Friendly
Steel and aluminum are two of the most abundant materials in nature. They are fully recycled and reduce landfill waste. Recycling means old metal roofs can supply material for new construction to reduce waste and ecological impact.
Worn metals can be reused in many industries rather than discarded. Since these roofs can regulate the temperature inside your house, they also save electricity and reduce your carbon footprint.
Aesthetic Appearance
A roof serves not only to provide durable protection for a property but also contributes significantly to a home’s aesthetic curb appeal. Modern metal roofs offer both structural resilience and diverse architectural styling potential.
Durable steel and aluminum panels are now available in different finishes in unlimited colors, textures, and decorative profiles. They can emulate traditional shingles or clay tiles to slate while outperforming them in durability. Metal roofs like copper and zinc develop a beautiful patina as they age, adding visual depth.
Metal roofing delivers advantages traditional materials cannot match. Advanced modern steel, aluminum, and copper solutions shield buildings better for longer while reflecting heat. They save costs and maintain the aesthetics of any home. Metal roofing varieties allow customized protection against intense sun, wind, storms, and more. They are excellent for Florida’s property owners seeking durable and sustainable roofing.
Why Metal Roofs in Florida?
Florida is no stranger to hurricanes, tropical storms, and heavy rains. These weather phenomena can cause significant damage to ordinary roofing materials, but not so with metal roofs. Metal roofs are durable, resistant to hurricanes, and withstand the state’s high temperatures and frequent storms. A metal roof comprises panels, tiles, or shingles from steel, aluminum, copper, or other metals and alloys. Unlike traditional materials like asphalt, slate, terra cotta, or wood shingles, which degrade relatively quickly in intense sun and moisture, metal is durable and naturally resistant to weather and fire.
Modern metal roofing is designed to interlock and overlap to provide strong protection, even in heavy Florida rainfalls. Advanced finish coatings also prevent rust or corrosion to maintain performance. The properly coated metal roofs reflect much more sunlight to minimize heat transmission into a home and save energy costs compared to traditional roofing materials. They can also withstand hurricane-force winds that destroy standard roofing.
Different Types of Metal Roofs
A metal roof is a broad term that includes roofs made of steel, copper, aluminum, zinc, and alloys. They come in different styles, such as sheets, panels, shingles, and tiles. Here are some of the types of metal roofs.
Galvanized Steel
Galvanized steel receives a protective zinc coating to resist rust and corrosion from Florida moisture and salt air. The galvanization bonds to steel roofing panels add to the structural stability of the metal. They handle hurricane winds using clips, anchors, and interlocking raised seams.
Galvanized steel roofing lasts over 50 years. It also saves money in the long run as it requires lower maintenance than traditional roofs. The zinc coating provides excellent protection against rust.
Aluminum
Aluminum roof panels offer corrosion-proof rust protection, perfect for oceanfront conditions. They have extreme solar reflectivity to minimize heat transmission in the Florida sun. They go through modern finishing treatments, from durable plastisol cladding to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resin coatings. These treatments prevent dents, scratches, and damage to the aluminum roof. These roofs are durable to deflect damage from debris, falling branches, and hailstones.
Premium thick, coated aluminum panels handle all hazards for 80+ years and maintain finish luster and energy efficiency advantages over time. Aluminum roofs are also much lighter when compared to traditional roofing materials. It means they can be installed without additional burden to the structure.
Copper
Copper is naturally mold, algae, and weather-resistant and boasts an unparalleled lifespan of over 100 years. They are one of the most aesthetic roof materials that suit different architectural styles beautifully. Copper roofs carry a higher upfront cost but are cheaper to maintain in the long run. They require minimal maintenance beyond occasional cleaning on the roof. Uncoated copper develops a unique patina that adds to its beauty and durability.
Zinc
Zinc can resist corrosion and heal from scratches over time due to a process called patina. Nearly three-quarters of zinc used worldwide comes from recycled sources. Zinc roofs can last up to 100 years and can be an excellent investment for homeowners.
These roofs require minimal maintenance throughout their lifespan and are extremely malleable, allowing for creative and unique design solutions. However, much like copper, they do tend to be on the more expensive side.
Steel Tile & Shingle
Interlocking steel tiles and shingles combine the strengths of metal construction with the aesthetic beauty of clay, slate, cedar, and asphalt roofing materials. Advanced coatings like polyurethane, ceramic, and decorative stone finishes allow these metal roofing products to emulate premium styles popular across Florida architecture.
Unlike fragile clay or slate, metal tile solutions deliver proven hurricane and extreme weather durability. Properly installed steel tiles protect your properties for years without fading or losing structural integrity. They also add a lasting curb appeal to your structure.
If you are looking for a metal roof in Orlando or anywhere in Florida, look no further than ProFormance Roofing. We have served since 2016 and know what it takes to build a durable, long-lasting, and aesthetically pleasing roof. We are committed to customer service and quality installations to meet your requirements. Contact us for a no-obligation quote to get started and we also offer roof financing in Florida!