What Is The Best Roofing Product for Cold Weather?

Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing Product Outperforms Asphalt Roofing Systems in Both Installation and Performance

Cold climates and winter weather conditions are important factors for both roofing installation and long-term performance. When compared with asphalt roofing system installations, Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing offers greater structural flexibility within a wider temperature range, minimizing both installation-related damage and weather-related delays.

Once installed, stone-coated steel’s inherent strength ensures a significantly longer life span than asphalt. From easier installations and fewer temperature-related restrictions to exceptional performance and a durability, Stone Coated Roofing panels outperform asphalt, making them a superior option for both the contractors who install them and the homes and businesses they protect.

Five Distinct Roofing Profiles for Endless Design Possibilities

Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing features five distinct profiles designed to enhance the curb appeal and value of any home while ensuring durability, performance, and lasting protection.

Granite Ridge

Cottage Shingle

Pine Crest Shake

Barrel Vault

Pacific Tile

Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing Offers Superior Installation for Roofers

Core materials differences explain why asphalt and Stone Coated Roofing represent the gamut of ease-of-installation and overall performance. Asphalt shingles are constructed with tar and fiberglass or cellulose fibers. This composition results in asphalt shingles losing flexibility at temperatures of approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below. These brittle shingles can crack and break during installation, leading to leaks. Aging also leads to brittleness in installed shingles; when combined with the inevitable loss of granules due to weather exposure both factors contribute to asphalt’s significantly shorter lifespan.

Conversely, Stone Coated Roofing panels maintain their structural integrity and flexibility across a wide temperature range, reducing the risk of damage during installation in cold weather. These panels are manufactured from Galvalume steel, providing inherent strength and flexibility that withstands temperature fluctuations without becoming brittle. Each panel’s steel core is coated with stone granules applied using acrylic polymer adhesives, adding durability and resistance to environmental stressors.

Size is an additional stone coated steel installation advantage. The roofing panels are larger and cover more area per piece than individual asphalt shingles, reducing installation time.

Four Reasons why Unified Steel is A Superior Product for Homeowners

Once installed, Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing also outperforms asphalt in cold weather, providing meaningful protection from potentially damaging cold weather conditions including ice damming, snow loads, hail and wind uplift.

Minimizing Ica Damage from Ice Dams

Ice dams occur when direct-to-deck applied asphalt shingles trap snow that eventually melts and refreezes. These freeze/thaw cycles occur following heavy snowfall in cold climates when warm attic air causes accumulated snow to melt. The resulting water runs down the roof and refreezes when it reaches the colder, less insulated roof edge, forming an ice mound. As the mound melts, it can leak beneath the roof causing extensive damage.

However, Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing installed with an elevated or “above-sheathing ventilation” (ASV) that allows moisture to escape can help equalize the temperature between the snow and the structure, minimizing the effects of freeze/thaw cycles and reducing ice dams.

Snow Load Capacity

Asphalt shingles have a moderate load capacity, which a heavy snow can exceed. Their textured surface can trap snow, resulting in increased accumulation that causes structural stress leading to leaks or roof collapse, shingle damage, moss and algae growth, and gutter damage.

Unified Steel panels are designed for heavier loads. Their steel composition, panel profile, and installation method allow them to carry more weight from snow loads, protecting the roof and home from costly damage and maintenance challenges. These properly supported panels do not delaminate, fracture, or break from the added weight that accumulates from heavy snowfalls.

Even the polymer-adhered granulated surface on Unified Steel panels is a factor in cold weather, because it helps prevent snow avalanche situations that can occur on painted metal roofing systems. These subtle-yet-strong granules eliminate the need for snow retention devices and preserve the beauty and integrity of the Unified Steel roof system.

Wind Uplift

With modular design, batten substructure, and fastening patterns, Unified Steel has been proven to withstand severe cold weather wind events, not to mention hurricanes and tropical storms. The product offers warranty coverage for wind speeds up to 120 mph and is tested to meet codes for the most stringent wind regions, including in Miami Dade County, Florida, where requirements reach as high as 180 mph.

Beyond Snow: Safeguarding Your Roof Against Hail’s Impact

With industry leading ASTM (Class 4 Impact) and options rated to FM-VSH (Very Severe Hail) impact ratings with the ability to withstand 2-inch hail stones at a minimum of 53 joules, Unified Steel is among the best roofing materials available to withstand the devastating hailstorms that impact homeowners in many regions of the country.

Explore the vast benefits of Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing

Choose the Roof with Year-Round Performance and Protection

Regardless of seasonal weather extremes, efficient-to-install Unified Steel™ Stone Coated Roofing offers superior performance. It also offers exceptional durability that ensures a lifespan nearly three times longer than that of asphalt shingles, providing long-term value to businesses and homeowners alike.

For additional information, reference our Unified Steel Technical Installation Guides, or the Unified Steel Warranty and Maintenance Guide.

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