Metal Roofing SustainabilityDecember 22, 2022

Made from recycled materials, metal roofing is the most sustainable roofing material on the market.

   

What are roofing materials made of?

Asphalt shingles are made of cellulose fibers, glass fibers, and granules. Asphalt shingles are made of only 15% of recycled materials. On the contrary, metal roofing is made of up to 90% of recycled metals, such as steel, aluminum, zinc, copper, and stainless steel.

End of Lifetime of roofing materials

Asphalt shingles are dense and take up a lot of room at landfills. It takes between 300-400 years for asphalt shingles to decompose and according to Forbes, “Each year, some 12 million tons of asphalt shingles, which represent the primary type of roofing in the United States, end up in landfills”. When dumping shingles, you may even incur a “tipping fee” charged to dump old shingles. Metal roofing is 100% recyclable at the end of its lifetime. Once a metal roof is taken off a building or home, it is sent to a metal recycling plant where is it melted and used again! There are some recycling plants that will pay you for your recycled metal as an incentive.

Longevity and Durability

The average lifetime of asphalt shingles is 15 years; if you buy a house with a new roof when you are 25 years old, you will most likely replace your roof at least 3 times! This does not account for those who must replace roofs or shingles more frequently due to natural disasters. Metal roofs have a lifespan of 40-70 years! Not only do metal roofs last longer than an asphalt roofs, but they are also more resistant to damage from hail and wind and eliminate the need to replace shingles after storms.

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