Metal roofing has been around for over 100 years in Michigan and has seen a increase in use lately. On a personal note, my old farmhouse had a standing seam metal roof up until two weeks ago when I finally pulled the trigger and we replaced it. After quite a bit of research, I discovered that the roof was put on approximately 1920. So my roof was over 100 years old when we replaced it.
Over the 21 years that I have resided here, we have had a couple of leaks. One was at a roof vent and the other was a patch were a chimney had been removed. Other than those two spots, the roof was still in excellent shape.
100 year old standing seam metal roof on my house
You can see from the photo that the metal is 28 gauge. This identifies the thickness of the steel. This, however, is not the best indicator of quality. The thickness is important, but the fact that the steel was galvanized and was made up of very high quality steel. Much of the steel that is being used for metal roofing is thicker that 28 gauge, but the quality is much lower. Many rely on the paint to protect the steel rather than galvanization as well. Unfortunately, many people who are currently installing steel roofs are using substandard steel. Quality costs money. Many contractors are perpetuating the myth that there steel roof will last a lifetime. The vast majority of steel roofing that is being installed in the U.S. is not going to outlast a quality shingle roof.
