Frequently Asked Questions

American Metal Roofs are manufactured from durable non-rusting aluminum. They replicate the shape of common roofing materials in a permanent metal. The deeply textured surfaces and custom finishes give the final roof a beautiful appearance.

The oldest aluminum roof in the world was installed in 1880 on the Chief Secretary’s office building in Sydney, Australia, and is still in sound condition. American metal Roofs are the most proven among modern manufactures dating back to 1959. No competitor has been able to match the water tightness and wind resistance of the patented interlock system.

American Metal Roofs made of aluminum are backed by an industry-leading three-part warranty from the manufacturer including:

• Lifetime Warranty protection for the original purchasers of an American Metal Roof, so long as they live in that home.
• 40-Year Transferable protection for those owners and all future owners including coverage on the finish and hail protection.
• 30-Year Fade protection that says, after 30 years, the finish and color on American metal roofs will be within a very small, verifiable change from the color it was the day it was installed.

In addition to the Manufacturer’s warranty American Metal Roofs Warrants to the original homeowner:

• AMR Workmanship Guarantee - For as long as any person who held title to a property at the time the product was applied to the property is living and retains ownership of the property, the aluminum roof panels and accessories are warranted 100% to be free from workmanship defects that might result in leaking.
• Energy guarantee – American Metal Roofs Aluminum Roofs which are installed with Hi Flow ridge and soffit systems will reduce your air conditioning costs by a minimum of 30% and your heating costs by 10% or we pay the difference for 2 years.
• Value warranty – American Metal Roofs Aluminum Roof Systems is so confident in the value of our roofs that we make the following guarantee. For the next 30 days shop all the metal roofs in the industry. If you can find a metal roof system with all the same featured benefits and qualities installed by certified craftsman for less money, we will install your American Metal Roof and refund the difference plus $500.00

Please contact American Metal Roofs for a copy of these unmatched warranties.

Yes, American Metal Roofs are designed to replicate the rich beauty of roofing materials widely used today.

The deep, natural texture and earth-tone colors of American metal Roofs give it the authentic look of today’s roofing materials. It is easily mistaken for the real thing! Although there may be some gloss right after the roof is installed, that gloss will soon dull to a flat, natural look as airborne dust settles on it, just like the finish on your car. That initial gloss is unavoidable with a high quality finish Kynar.

American Metal roofs made of aluminum will withstand the harshest weather for years to come because it features the baked-on Kynar finish. This special multi-step finish is widely recognized as the industries finest. It is often used on industrial buildings and skyscrapers because of its superior protection and color retention. The layers of the Kynar finish are applied to our quality aluminum alloy in a multi-step process.

• Pearl Black
• Buckskin
• Caramel
• Deep Charcoal
• Forest Green
• Mustang Brown
• Oceanside Blue
• Regal White
• Shake Gray
• Terra Red
• Brite Blue
• Brite Red

Homeowners who have re-roofed with an American Metal Roof have found their air conditioning costs to decrease by up to thirty percent and their heating bill to decrease by 10% after the roof was installed with proper ventilation. This is due to the roofs low emissivity value. Rather than pass the heat of the sun into your attic, the aluminum panels reflects up to 94.5 percent of the sun's rays. This reflectivity is an inherent property of the aluminum the roof is composed of, regardless of the color you choose. According to testing conducted by the Florida Solar Energy Center, Aluminum allows up to 34 percent less attic heat gain than traditional roofing materials. This means a lighter load for your air conditioner and reduced energy bills for you.

Although an American Metal roof will save you energy dollars, the $500.00 Federal tax benefit aimed at encouraging the use of metal roofs ended Dec 31, 2007.

The smart homeowner buys roofing on an annual cost basis. First, the total installed price is determined. Then other factors are determined, such as how long the new roof will last, how much it will save in energy costs, how well it provides wind, water and fire protection, how much maintenance it will require, and how well it is likely to survive a severe storm. Since it is a premium product, the initial cost for an American Metal Roof is in the high range of roofing materials, but it will last much longer, as well. American Metal Roof offers a worry-free long life, which means long-term economy and beauty. In addition, it adds to the value of the home and increases in value year after year instead of decreasing in value like other materials. With the rising cost of energy, homeowners list their savings as a huge advantage to an Aluminum American Metal Roof.

The Kynar finish is warranted for 40 years. The aluminum shingles will probably outlast the house. The oldest aluminum roof in the world was installed in 1880 on the Chief Secretary's Office Building in Sydney, Australia and is still in sound condition. The cap on our Washington monument, also aluminum was installed in 1884 and has likewise experienced no problems.

The product is often installed over existing roofs without a tear-off. The National building code of 2006 does require a tear off if two layers of roofing material are on a roof. When going over your existing shingles a watertight synthetic underlayment is first applied.

Call 800-287-0677, or fill out the contact us form, and we will set an appointment to help you with your new roof. If you are outside of Michigan, we will forward your request to your local dealer. If you want to install your own American Metal Roof, register for an upcoming Do-it-yourself seminar. At the seminar we will walk you through the step-by-step process of installing your own metal roof.

The four-way interlock, along with careful flashing during the installation process, makes leakage impossible. The locked-down edges of the shingles cannot be lifted, unlike the unsealed edges of other roofing products. Many of our products have been tested in Dade County, Florida with 110 mile per hour wind-driven rain without a single leak.

Our metal roofs cannot be ignited by sparks from chimneys and nearby fires the way cedar shakes and asphalt shingles will. Since most major residential fires spread from sparks landing on the roof, our roofs provide exactly the kind of protection that will stop a neighborhood fire in its tracks.

American Metal Roofs are designed to withstand the strongest winds. To insure this they have been laboratory tested and have gone through several Hurricanes in Florida and Louisiana. In addition to locking on all four sides between panels, the shingles are anchored to the roof deck with ring-shank nails that are virtually impossible to pull out.

Our Aluminum roofs have passed UL 2218 Impact Testing with a Class IV rating, the highest available. This means our roof qualifies homeowners for hail-resistant roofing discounts on their homeowner insurance in some states (ask your insurance agent for full details). In addition, the Kynar finish is warranted not to chip due to hail impact. Finally, because they are constructed of high-quality aluminum, it doesn't lose its impact-resistance with age like other roofing materials do. So while other roofing products provide less and less protection for your home each year, homes protected by an American Metal Roof maintains their lasting dependability for years and years to come.

No, most homeowners notice little difference. The texture of the panel keeps it from reverberating like flat metal roofing does. Normal attic insulation also absorbs most of the sound. We've never had a complaint about rain noise with our roofs. In fact, the only comments we hear are from people who wish they could hear it more. If you hear rain on your roof now you will hear it with an American Metal Roof but it will be a slightly higher tone.

Yes, you can walk on an American Metal Roof. The texturing and pattern provide the shingles with the strength needed to sustain normal roof traffic. You must step on the upper half of the panels where they taper to rest on the roof deck. If, for some reason, the roof is expected to have a lot of traffic, an optional styrene backer made to rest behind the shingles can be installed. In addition to providing greater rigidity, this backer gives the panel even greater insulating ability.

The cost of your roof is determined by a variety of elements such as size, pitch, color, style, accessories, ventilation needs, paint finish, type of metal, thickness of metal, type of underlayment, installation method, layers of existing roof material, type of existing roof material being roofed over, snow load in your area, poly styrene walkways needed, number of penetrations from chimneys, pipes and skylights, overall height of the roof, access to the roof, and time of the year. It is impossible to even “get you close” without thoroughly examining your roof and allowing you to make a few dozen decisions. For this reason we ask that all decision makers be present when we visit with you. Please complete the feedback form on our Contact page and we'll be glad to visit your home and give you an exact quote.

Hi-R coatings were developed for military vehicles so they could avoid infrared detection by the enemy during Desert Storm. This is accomplished by reflecting away the near infrared (IR) spectrum. Nearly 45% of the heat is generated in the near IR spectrum. By reflecting this portion of the spectrum with special pigments in the Kynar paint, Hi-R paint is able to reduce the amount of heat gain by your home while still providing the same Kynar performance. The end result is a roof that is approximately 50 degrees cooler resulting in significant savings on your air conditioning bills.

Talon Shield is a synthetic underlayment used to replace 30# felt paper. Talon Shield is made of several layers of woven polyethylene and polypropylene making it difficult to tear. All roofing materials will condensate moisture. When installing a permanent American Metal Roof, it is necessary to install a permanent underlayment to keep moisture away from the wood sheathing. Because it does not rot like felt paper, you are assured of a roof that is worry free. Developed 20 years ago, synthetics have proven to be the best choice as an underlayment for metal roofs. Unlike most underlayment that are 3 5 feet wide Talon Shield is available up to 8 feet wide which eliminates the need for seams and possible leak areas. When sealed with our special sealants around your roof protrusions, Talon Shield will provide you a watertight underlayment. This assures you even under the most extreme weather conditions your home is protected.

There is not a quick and easy answer to this problem. For this reason we have dedicated a whole page to this, please visit this page to find the answer

Yes, Imperial Armour is manufactured in 6 colors. White, Green, Tan, Brown. Gray, and Terra Red.

Yes, Imperial Armour is designed with the environment in mind. The roof material is recycleable. Because Imperial Armour can be installed over existing roofs, over 90% of all installations do not require the removal of the old roof which would go to the landfil. When you have installed an Imperial Armour roof you help the environment twice.

Yes, An Imperial Armour roof is one of the most energy efficient roofs available. When a black roof is replaced with a White Imperial Armour roof it is not uncommon to see a drop in roof temperature of 70 degrees. This equates to a reduction in cooling costs of 15 - 20%. Your actual savings could be more or less dependent upon your construction and the amount of insulation in your building.

Imperial Armour is the thickest toughest PVC memebrane on the market available in 6 solid colors. For those people who do not have a flat roof and have a pitch to their roof, traditions may be a great choice. Traditions is printed to give the roof the look of a traditional shingle to help the building blend in with similar architecture in the area

An Imperial Armour roof system will take less time to install than other flat roof materials. The advantage is apparent if the old roof can remain and does not need to be taken off.

Unlike many flat roof materials an Imperial Armour roof does not dry out, crack or rot. Imperial Armour is a very difficult product to puncture or make a hole in. In the event a leak did occur a repair is easily done. The old membrane is cleaned and a new piece of membrane is welded over the old repairing any punctures. This ease of repair is due to the flexability and weldability of Imperial Armour even 25 years later.

No. Unlike other flat roof products that are not warranted against ponding water, Imperial Armour is made to be submerged and is unaffected. Water will not penetrate an Imperial Armour roof.

Unlike most roofing membranes that bun and fuel a fire, Imperial Armour has a Class A fire rating and will resist flame and not fuel a fire.

For over 25 years, every Imperial Armour roof installed is still in existence. These are commercial grade products brought to the residential market. The commercial product has been manufactured even thicker and that's why if you were to live in your house for 50 years you will still have 100% warranty coverage.