Building owners and facility managers facing expensive replacements or repairs to traditional roofing systems are turning more and more to prepainted metal roofing. Retrofitting using an attractive metal roof over a traditional roof not only looks great, it reduces energy costs, lasts for decades and helps green the environment.

Retrofit metal roofing is a system designed for placing over existing structures with roofs of any slope. Here’s why metal roofing retrofits have become the go-to choice when it’s time to replace or repair a traditional roof:

Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings
A metal roof retrofit is a perfect option in today’s economy. A prepainted metal roofing system added directly over a traditional roof leads to savings in several areas, including reduced energy and maintenance/replacement costs. Prepainted metal roofing system upgrades can include “cool metal roofing,” which are roof panels that use specialized coatings to reflect the sun’s heat and return absorbed heat back to the atmosphere. Cool metal roofing saves building owners up to 40 percent on annual energy costs in some geographic areas. Plus, more savings are possible thanks to new technology in insulation and thermal heat recovery that helps keep buildings with metal roofs warm in colder climates.

Durability
Prepainted metal roof coatings are designed to provide decades of long-lasting beauty, resist corrosion and rust, and can be specified to withstand winds of 155 miles per hour. Since prepainted metal roofs can last more than twice as long as most traditional roofs, maintenance and replacement costs are virtually eliminated for years to come.

Sustainability
Retrofitting with prepainted metal roofing satisfies building owners and homeowners who want green alternatives to petroleum-based roofing materials. Retrofit metal roofing systems are sustainable, and provide a return on investment long after the initial cost has been retired. Prepainted metal roofing panels and parts are manufactured from a high percentage of recycled steel or aluminum, and at the end of the building’s useful life, a metal roof is 100 percent recyclable, greatly reducing landfill deposits.