Residential Metal Roofing Executive Report

What Will Differentiate Your Company in The Future of Metal Roofing?

Issue #254 | October 22, 2024 | Todd Miller

I recently sat down and wrote a white paper detailing my observations of the North American residential metal roofing market over the past 35 years. (Drop me a note if you’d like a copy of it!) We’ve seen significant growth in the market during this period, and I believe we haven’t reached the ceiling yet. 

Much of that growth has been in concealed fastener standing seam systems, spurred by the advent of job site rollforming. Readily available on-site manufacturing made quality metal roofs more accessible than ever. 

Since then, several other developments have differentiated contractors who adopt and promote them: improved coatings, including “cool” coatings for energy efficiency; striations to help alleviate oilcanning; stronger warranties; textured finishes; and synthetic underlayments. All of these gave contractors a competitive advantage to create extra value for homeowners. 

The question is – what next? 

I rarely use the Executive Report to promote specific products. Still, I believe Dry-Tech entangled mesh is the next differentiator for contractors promoting and installing quality standing seam systems. 

Entangled meshes have been available for a few years now and are often used as rain screens behind wood shake or zinc roofing and siding materials. However, Dry-Tech was developed specifically for use behind standing seam roofing. Standing seam has unique needs, and Dry- Tech’s innovative design addresses them. In particular, Dry-Tech is designed with less compressibility than other meshes and has a lower price point than comparable products. 

So, what are the benefits? For the standing seam contractor, selling and using Dry-Tech beneath your roofs on top of a standard high-performance underlayment accomplishes the following:

1. It creates a thermal break, separating the metal roofing panels from the structure. This gap reduces conductive heat transfer, enhancing the energy efficiency of a metal roof. This thermal break keeps the roof deck warmer in the winter, reducing the risk of attic condensation.
2. Dry-Tech also creates an acoustic break, reducing the transmission of rain noise. Despite assurances that sound transmission is rarely a problem for metal roofs, homeowners love it when you proactively address this concern.
3. Finally, Dry-Tech puts a slight crown in the center of standing seam panels when installed, reducing and usually eliminating oilcanning.

This product, available from RoofAquaGuard and Isaiah Industries, brings valuable benefits to property owners and contractors. I believe it’s the number one differentiator available to standing seam contractors today. 

Don’t overlook our Vent3 breathable synthetic underlayment either. It’s a game-changer for roofs with limited or non-existent ventilation and is far more breathable and economical than comparable products on the market today in North America. 

And, of course, if you’re still looking for ways to set your company apart, that is exactly what many companies do with the wide variety of aluminum, steel, copper, and anodized modular metal shingles we produce. Check out our roofing brands: 

Classic Metal Roofing Systems
Kassel & Irons
Green American Home 

You’re in the right place if you’re in the world of metal roofing. But, like all products, markets mature and change over time. Companies that stay on the leading edge always come out ahead. 

You may pull quotes from this article provided you include a link back to the original article on this site. You may not reprint this full article, or even a significant amount of the article, without explicit permission. To gain permission, click here.