Mansard roofs may not be as widespread as they were a couple of centuries ago, but thousands of residential and commercial buildings across the country are still fitted with these distinctively ornate roofs. The unique, double-sloped design of a mansard roof can certainly be very attractive, but if your building has a damaged mansard roof that needs to be replaced, this design can also pose problems.
The high, near-vertical sides of a mansard roof are vulnerable to drooping caused by gravity and are vulnerable to high winds. Meanwhile, the low-sloped top of a mansard roof does not have particularly good drainage qualities, and accumulated rainwater and/or snow can cause damaging leaks inside your building.
With these problems in mind, you should choose a replacement roofing material that helps to counteract these flaws, and metal shingles made from steel, aluminum, or copper are an excellent choice. Here are some key advantages of choosing metal shingles to reroof a damaged mansard roof:
Leak Resistance
Metal roof shingles are ideal for preventing leaks in mansard roofs. Stamped metal shingles are fitted in a dense, overlapping pattern. This pattern does not contain any gaps and prevents rainwater from running underneath individual shingles.
Standing seam metal shingles are even more resistant to leaks. These specially designed shingles interlock using fasteners hidden inside their raised metal edges. This design eliminates exposed fastener holes, which can cause leaks as they wear. Their raised edges also allow water to drain away from the low-sloped portion of the roof more quickly, preventing leaks caused by standing water.
Do Not Accumulate Snow
The low-sloped top of a mansard roof is notorious for collecting snowdrifts during heavy winter snows, placing a significant extra weight load on the roof's trusses and supporting structures. Large snowdrifts can cause catastrophic roof collapses, which should obviously be avoided at all costs.
The smooth, low-friction surface of metal roof shingles allows snow to slide off the roof quickly and does not feature any raised horizontal edges where snow can become trapped. This prevents snow from accumulating and helps to prevent moss, fallen leaves, and other detritus from becoming trapped on a mansard's roof upper sections.
Wind Resistance
Wind-resistant roofing materials are essential for any mansard roof, as the high sides of these roofs can be badly buffeted by high winds. Metal shingles, especially standing seam shingles, are prized for their exceptional wind resistance. Many metal shingles made by high-end manufacturers are rated to withstand hurricane-force winds.
Lightweight
Metal shingles also weigh considerably less than some other traditional roofing materials commonly seen on mansard roofs. They are lighter than clay or slate tiles, as well as some types of asphalt shingle. Aluminum shingles are particularly lightweight, although this does not undermine their excellent wind resistance.
Lightweight shingles will help to counteract the drooping and shingle loss commonly seen in mansard roofs made with heavier roofing materials. Carrying lighter loads to roof level will also make your roofing contractor's job easier, so choosing metal shingles can speed up the reroofing process and decrease labor costs.
For more information, contact a roofing contractor in your area such as Gator Metal Roofing.