The 3 types of asphalt shingles are 3 tab, Architectural, and Premium. The 3 tab is the least expensive and therefore the most popular. It generally costs between $2.50 to $3.50 an sq. ft. installed by a roofing company depending on location. The Architectural shingle (also called a Dimensional shingle) is in the $4 to $6 range installed and the Premium will sell for in the $6 to $9 installed range. Even though they have 25, 30, and 50-year warranties they typically will only last 15, 20, and 25 years depending on weather, sun direction, and winds. I have seen an Architectural shingle only last 7 years and I just had a roofer call me to say his lasted 2 years.

Why are these asphalt shingles not lasting as long as they used to? According to Roof Revivers of Columbus Ohio, “There are more algae on roofs today because manufacturers use crushed limestone within the shingle as a filler so they don’t have to use as much asphalt. Since asphalt is an expensive, petroleum-based product, they try to minimize it by using more crushed limestone.”

They go on to say that,” The truth is, a 30-year shingle will not really last 30 years.  The expected service life of a 30-year product, if properly cared for, is approximately 25 years. If it’s not cared for properly, that 30-year shingle will only last 12 to 15 years.  That’s one of the big misconceptions in the roofing marketplace. And the manufacturers know that their warranties are so watered down, they have very little callback.”

If an Architectural shingle averages 25 years and it’s the cost to install is $5 an sq. ft. then the cost per year of this shingle on a 2000 sq. ft. the roof is $400 per year. If we compare that to the 4Ever metal shingle that installs for about $6.50 per sq. ft and lasts 100 years (How long do metal roofs last and why do they last so long) then the average cost per year of the 4Ever metal shingle is $130 per Year. Add the fact that homes with metal roofs sell for more and you can see why the 4Ever metal shingle is becoming very popular.

If you would like to see this beautiful 4Ever Metal Shingle please visit us at AlphaRain.com or call us at 540-222-1642

Written By: Brandy Dysart
Owner and Founder of Alpha Rain Metal Roofing

The first difference is that the 4Ever metal shingles were actually designed to compete with asphalt shingles price-wise. The high labor costs and difficult installation issues were the two greatest obstacles. The labor costs to install all other metal shingles on the market were high because of the highly trained installers as well as the very slow installation rate. Roofers measure the square footage of a roof by the square. One square equals 100 square feet. The average squares a 4 man crew can install a standing seam metal roof is about 4 squares a day. An asphalt shingle crew of 4 men can install about 10 square on the average. Most metal shingle profiles on the market average about 4 square as well with about 3 times the labor cost of Asphalt due to the high skill level needed.

    The 4Ever metal shingle can keep pace with the asphalt shingle installer in both skill level and labor cost. A good installer can learn in two or three days how to install the 4Ever metal shingle. These crews also like the fact that the 4Ever metal shingle weighs a third less and nails in place with a coil nail gun. Since it interlocks on all four sides it is hard to misalign but is also adjustable. The plastic that protects the paint during the manufacturing, packaging, and installation process only takes about less than two hours on an average 25 square job to remove so every roof looks pristine once completed.

    As we noted in a recent blog (How long do metal roofs last and why do they last so long?) the 4Ever metal shingle has over a 150-year life expectancy. I was once asked as a teenager what was the least expensive car you could by. Imagine my amazement when the answer was a Rolls Royce, not the VW bug I was currently driving. The math is easy so instead of a Rolls Royce let’s do the same math with the 4Ever metal roof versus asphalt and let’s use a real example.

    Not too long ago an owner of a large riding arena called and asked for an estimate. The arena was 12 years old and had a low slope roof, about a 2.5/12 pitch (for every 12 feet it dropped 2.5 feet). The asphalt shingles were a 30-year Dimensional asphalt shingle. We believe part of the reason this roof deteriorated so quickly is that asphalt shingles aren’t warrantied for a slope less than 4/12.  An Ice & Water Shield is recommended for these slopes. Our estimate was based on a low slope simple installation. When I spoke to the owner after he took some other estimates he complained that we were too expensive. My price was $1 a square foot more. If you do the same thing over again and expect different result then some people say that’s the definition of insanity. The arena owner was choosing to install the same shingle that failed because the Rolls Royce of roofing cost 2% more. For 2% he was getting a beautiful permanent roof with a 150-year life expectancy versus the identical roof that failed in 12 years.

    You must ask yourself when buying an asphalt roof do you want a temporary roof that you will have to replace in 12 years or a permanent roof that will cost the same or a little more as you’re the temporary roof?

    If you would like to look at the 4Ever metal shingle please visit us : AlphaRain.com  If you live in the Northern Virginia area and would like an estimate please fill out a quick contact form and we will set up an appointment with you.

Written By: Brandy Dysart
Owner and Founder of Alpha Rain Metal Roofing

Let’s look at the broad subject of Warranties, extended warranties, and their cost in today’s market place first. The average aftermarket warranty uses only 12% of the cost of the warranty to pay for any claims. That means if you buy a 3 year extended warranty on a laptop, for instance, and pay $100 only $12 on average will be used to pay for any repairs. The other $88 goes to commissions, fees, and profit. If you buy a $2400 warranty on an automobile the average spent on repairs will be 12% or $288. You can see why these extended warranties are forcefully sold in dealerships and electronic stores.

“Mold and mildew are not covered by….any implied warranty”

When we look specifically at roofing warranties they are all similar. Look carefully at one of the largest manufactures, say CertainTeed, and you will see that very little is actually covered. CertainTeed sells an Algae Resistant shingle, here are the “Limitations” on that part of their warranty, “Shading, stains or discoloration to the shingles arising from outside sources such as, but not limited to, algae (unless blue-green algae as described in the section titled “Limited Algae Resistant Warranty”), fungus, moss, lichens or other vegetation, mold or mildew growth, or paints, chemicals or other similar materials. Mold and mildew are functions of environmental conditions and are not manufacturing defects. As such, mold and mildew are not covered by this Limited Warranty or any implied warranty.” That’s right only blue-green algae are covered. The problem is that the crushed limestone now used in asphalt shingles promotes the growth of fungus, moss, lichens, or other vegetation and mold or mildew growth. You will notice on the north side of trees and the northern slopes of many asphalt shingle roofs there is significant moss, mold, and mildew. The removal is a costly chemical roof cleaning which also reduces the life of the shingles.

Improper ventilation is a limitation as well.  Any shingles applied to inadequately ventilated or non-ventilated decks, other than the shingles and deck systems described in the section titled “Insulated Decks and Radiant Barriers,” are subject to a reduced limited warranty period of ten (10) years and do not qualify for SureStart Protection.

“they offer no warranty for hail damage”

Even though asphalt shingle manufacturers advertise their shingles have the highest impact rating,   Class 4, they offer no warranty for hail damage. “Damage caused by lightning, hailstorm, earthquake, fire, explosion, flood or falling objects is not covered”.

Wind damage claims caused by high winds are rarely ever made against asphalt shingle manufacturers because they are almost exclusively an insurance claim. In some cases, the wind warranty is voided if the homeowner doesn’t carry adequate home owner’s insurance.

Let’s say you cross all your “T’s” and dot all your cross “I’s” and you make a legitimate claim. Let’s even say the claim is due to a class-action lawsuit that was won due to a manufacturer’s defect. You would have to file about 10 to 15 pages of verified documents, one packet for every 100 square feet of roofing, or per square. These would include diagrams, digital photos, shingle samples, and a myriad of notarized documents. A fellow we spoke to did just that and ended up getting $2 per square for his trouble.

“walking on asphalt shingles can actually void your warranty?”

Did you know walking on asphalt shingles can actually void your warranty? “Damage caused by impact, including such things as tools, equipment, or foot traffic.” If the installation occurs in the middle of the summer and the shingles get so hot they melt and mar under foot traffic then you might be out of luck. On the other hand, if you have your shingles installed in the winter months you may not have a “sealed” or waterproof roof if its too cold to melt the seal tar strip, thus would void the warranty as well

Shingles that were too hot or cold when stored or installed can also have a voided warranty. “Misuse, abuse, neglect, or improper transportation, handling or storage of the shingles” may be cause for loss of warranty.

Are you recognizing a recurring theme here? It is very hard to make a successful claim on any asphalt shingle warranties due to all the limitations that are exclusively the manufacturer’s to interpret and apply. All quotations were taken directly from CertainTeed’s warranty page, a link provided below.

“4Ever metal shingle…. Will last 100 years”

Now let’s look at the 4Ever Metal Roof Warranty. The “coating” or paint has a 40 year warranty.  This means the paint on the surface will last over 40 years, whereas shingles will last only 15 years on average. Unpainted the Galvalume will last an average of 130 years without rusting ( see my blog, “How long do metal roofs last and why do they last so long?”)If an asphalt shingle roof fails it no longer will shed water and will have all sorts of water penetration issues including rotting decks, mold, mildew, and possible odor penetration. The worst-case scenario with a failed warranty on a 4Ever metal shingle is cosmetic, your roof will not leak, and it will last 100 years or more.

For more information on our 4Ever metal shingles please visit our website at: AlphaRain.com or call us at 540-222-1642. We do have financing available.

There are probably over 25 metal shingles on the market today ranging from $4 a square foot to $8. That’s just for the material. Keep in mind most square foot prices don’t include the trim. Add the trim and the cost per square foot can easily double. Add the labor and you start getting an accurate picture of the real cost.

 In the Mid Atlantic area asphalt shingle Labor for an inexpensive 25-year shingle are in the $90 to $110 per square (100 square feet) for a low slope up and over gable roof with low difficulty. The roofing cost for the same roof using a metal shingle in Labor is $300 to $500. The reason has to do with how difficult the installation method for each particular manufacturer is. In some cases, a batten or counter batten system has to be built prior to the installation of the shingles. In almost all of these profiles, each shingle has to be fitted to the adjoining metal shingle with metal tabs and screws. We installed one “hidden fastener” type of very expensive metal shingle and we had to use an exposed fastener screw to hold down one side so it wouldn’t lift in a high wind. Once you add this high labor cost, with the added very expensive trim, you can easily be in the $1200 to $1500 a square price range.

Does this high price mean the metal shingles are more waterproof or windproof? They are usually more windproof because of the stiffness of the metal and the fact that they have a fastener on all four edges. On any slope greater than 5/12 they are usually more waterproof. The real issue is water tension. The “Gutter Helmet” style of gutter covers actually work on the basis of water tension. The water flows off of the roofing material onto the curved metal helmet (usually aluminum because it is lighter) and water tension allows the rainwater to follow the curve of the metal into the gutter. Debris, like leaves, twigs and pine needles, don’t create water tension so they tend to fall off of the curved helmet and don’t enter the gutter. Metal shingles work the same way so if the slope is not steep enough the water will actually follow the bottom lip of the shingle and in many cases, with the proper volume of rain, the water will actually make its way behind the shingle. We installed a very high dollar lifetime metal shingle on an approved 5/12 slope and after one year the entire plywood deck of that slope rotted out. We had to remove the shingle and the plywood and reinstall plywood as well as a standing seam metal roof. Every metal shingle we have studied has this issue, except one.

The 4Ever metal shingle has two advantages over any other metal shingle we have ever seen. The inventers have figured out how to control the water tension issue and how to bring down the difficulty of installation with the resulting reduction of labor costs. First, let’s discuss the water tension issue. Where two shingle edges adjoin is where the issue is. When rain curves around the shingle above this junction the water normally will go behind the low shingles. These guys have figured out a unique and creative way to stop this issue. Second, let’s discuss why not only the labor is less costly but also why the installation can keep pace with an asphalt shingle installation. The 4Ever metal shingle interlocks on all four sides. After the first shingle (which is 36” by 13”) is hooked in to the eave drip edge and nailed in place, the same as any asphalt shingle, the second 4Ever metal shingle is locked in to the eave drip edge and slid in to an interlocking fold. It is nailed in place. The row above this first row interlocks just below the nail strip making this a hidden faster roof with a wind rating of over 120 mph. The exposed surface of this shingle is 10” by 36” giving it twice the exposed surface of an asphalt shingle. The result is a faster installation with a truly interlocked metal shingle with no wind or water tension issues.

How, you might ask, did these guys figure this out? Simple, they field tested many prototypes for over 5 years and studied the issues with current metal shingles. Since they had a metal roofing company to install these prototypes and study the results they actually saw firsthand what their shingles were doing. On one water test they installed the shingle on a square platform that could be elevated or lowered. Instead of a solid plywood deck they installed a 1×4 where the nails strip was. This allowed the ability to watch under the shingles as water was sprayed on the shingles at different slopes and with different force. Once they were sure this prototype worked they selected the most experienced company in the nation, in this specialty, to start building the machine. Two years, and many changes later, the machine was finished.

This 4Ever metal shingle exceeded our expectations. Not only is it inexpensive and easy to install it is beautiful! This 4Ever metal shingle has a 40 year warranty on the paint alone and it is virtually maintenance free. It is safe to walk on and because it has a protective plastic that isn’t removed until the entire roof installation is finished there is no scratching or marring on the beautiful matte and Energy Star surface.

For information on this beautiful and affordable roof look us up at: AlphaRain.com

Written By: Brandy Dysart
Owner and Founder of Alpha Rain Metal Roofing

There are 2 basic categories of roofs, permanent and temporary. For our discussion, we will say a permanent roof is a roof that lasts over one generation or 50 years. Some examples of permanent roofs are slate, tile, metal, clay and some types of wood shake such as cypress (80 year lifetime) and cedar shake. I bet you think I made a mistake including cedar shake because in If you are in the Virginia area as they only last 15 to 25 years. However, If you visit a very arid climate like Colorado, you will see cedar shake roofs last over 100 years.

Have you noticed that asphalt shingles are not on this list even though there is a classification of “Lifetime” and “50 years” available? With the new asphalt shingles using filler materials such as crushed limestone, fiberglass, and other composites as fillers these shingles just don’t qualify as a permanent roofing material. The obvious reason they are by far the most popular roof is the price.

All roofs in the permanent category are anywhere from 3 to 5 times more expensive than most asphalt shingles. What if one of the permanent roofs cost the same as a “Lifetime” asphalt shingle and lasted over a hundred years AND was beautiful? Let me introduce you to that very cost-effective roofing option.

Introducing our new 4Ever metal shingle! Isn’t it beautiful? It competes with the “Lifetime” asphalt shingle and the paint warranty alone is 40 years.

The average life for the Galvalume substrate averages 130 years! This classy roof is now available from 4Ever Metals through Alpha Rain Metal Roofing. Visit us at AlphaRain.com and see our before and after photos. (540-222-1642)This particular church had an old Victorian Stamped tin shingle on it that lasted over one hundred years. We replaced it with a beautiful classy standing seam roof. The education annex had an economical asphalt shingle roof that was starting to fail and after some plywood repair, we installed this gorgeous metal shingle in about a day and a half with a 4 man crew.

We are offering a stunning color choice of Black, Bronze, Charcoal Gray and Forest Green. All of these coatings are Energy star and have Matte finishes just like the Historic church.

As you can imagine this cost-effective metal shingle is becoming very popular. Call us for more information or a free estimate. 540-222-1642

Written By: Brandy Dysart 
Owner and Founder of Alpha Rain Metal Roofing

There is a lot of confusion about metal thickness, especially if the hardness or grade of the metal is not included. The higher the number the thinner the metal. Commercial-Grade steel is usually 24 gauge for Standing Seam Panels. Residential construction is usually 26 gauge for Standing seam panels. Both have the highest impact rating (Class 4). Why do you think 24 gauge is used for commercial applications? It’s simple, commercial panels are generally longer so the extra thickness is needed to get the longer panel on the roof without bending. After it is installed there is no fundamental difference. 26 gauge is available in matte finishes which is very important in residential metal roofing because it doesn’t “telegraph” the expansion and contraction bulges, commonly known as “oil canning”. 29 gauge metal panels dominate the farm and agricultural industry. Did you know there can be a 40% difference in dent resistance between a thick and thin 29 gauge metal panel. In the metal industry, the gauge is a range of thicknesses that manufacturers have to stay within. For instance, the 4Ever Metal shingles are made from 28 gauge thickness. There can be a 40% difference in dent protection between the low and high end of 29 gauge. This difference in dent protection is an important consideration when investing in a metal roof, and that is one of the reasons we choose the 28 gauge which is thicker than all the 29 gauge agricultural metals.

Now that we have talked about steel thickness let’s talk about steel hardness. Metal roofing is produced from different hardness grades. Grade 80 is hard steel used to produce metal agricultural panels of 28 to 29 gauges. This combination of thickness and hardness is great for metal shingles. 4Ever Metal shingles are made out of Grade 80 hardness. To bend the shingle a long roll forming process is used to gradually bend the panels. All the trim is 26 gauge Grade 50 due to the severe angels that are necessary to make drip edge, wall flashing and valley metal.

An advantage of using such hard steel is that it is not damaged by walking on it. Once the protective plastic film coating is removed you can safely walk on the shingles with a soft rubber sole shoe without fear of bending or scratching.

For more information on our 4Ever Metal shingle call 540-222-1642 or visit us at AlphaRain.com.

Written By: Brandy Dysart 
Owner and Founder of Alpha Rain Metal Roofing

Best can refer to longevity, attractiveness, cost or water and wind durability, as well as energy efficiency so let’s discuss all of them.

Longevity is simple because a metal roof is a permanent roof, not a temporary roof. Remember, asphalt shingle roofs are made to start deteriorating from the day they are installed. There were 9 rate increases last year alone due to the increase in price on all petroleum-based products. To keep the cost down manufacturers are decreasing. by as much as 30%. the amount of asphalt in their shingles with the result of a shorter lifetime. One of the filler materials being used is crushed limestone which promotes the growth of algae and reduces the effective lifetime by several years unless you pay for a fairly costly roof cleaning process every year. A “lifetime” asphalt shingle may only last 15 or 20 years. Our Galvalume coated shingles have a 40-year coating warranty from cracking or peeling. Recent tests on 50-year-old non painted Galvalume roofs have shown that at their current rate of corrosion they will last more than 100 years. Add 40 years for the coating warranty and you really do have a permanent roof.

When we talk about attractiveness metal roofs win hands down. They never grow algae or mold and they don’t discolor. Rain cleans them naturally and they stay looking new for years and years. Our metal shingles come in many attractive colors and they are all Energy Star rated so they save you energy as well.

As far as an affordable roof these roofs will outlast asphalt shingle roofs for many replacements so it is literally the cheapest roofing costs available. Buy one asphalt shingle roof today and another in 15 years and you have already paid twice what our metal shingle roof cost.

Asphalt shingle roofs all have warranty exclusions for 50 mph winds. Our roofs will withstand hurricane-force wind-driven rain with no problems and it won’t void the 40-year paint warranty. You won’t experience blown shingles or torn tabs with our metal shingles like you will with asphalt shingles.  You also don’t have to worry about your tar strip not adhering if you install in the winter or if the tar strips get dirty as you do with asphalt roofs.

Our metal shingles have an energy-saving benefit as well. Our Advanced Option can lower your asphalt shingle attic temperature in the middle of the summer from 170 to 130 degrees. Install our Platinum Option and we can reduce the temperature to the 105 range. These roofs will literally pay for themselves if you live in a house long enough so you can see why they are the best roof in every category.