Metal Roofing
Although the popularity of metal roofing has greatly increased in recent years, most people are not very familiar with this type of roofing material so there are many misconceptions.
One common misconception is that a metal roof will be noisier than other types of roofing.
One common question asked about metal roofing is “Will my roof make a lot of noise during a rain storm?” To answer this question it is helpful to consider noise in terms of its unit of measurement: decibels. Decibels range from zero, which is the softest sound that can be detected by the human ear, to the loudest sound, registered which exceeds 175 decibels.
Examples of Sounds and Decibels
How much noise your metal roof will make when rain hits it depends on various elements of the construction. If the metal roof is installed over open framing it will be louder than if it is installed over a solid roof deck. The underlayment that is installed under the metal roofing will further muffle the sound through absorption. The sound will be absorbed even more if the metal roof is installed over a layer or more of asphalt shingles. Attic air space and any insulation will also work to minimize the sound.
It is very common for people with metal roofs to say that they can hear the rain hitting their skylights but not their roof….in fact the difference in the sound level of a metal roof versus asphalt shingles is small enough as to not be considered significant.
Noise Decibels
- Soft Whisper 30
- Rain Hitting and Asphalt Shingle 46
- Rain Hitting a Metal Roof over a Solid Deck 52
- Normal Conversation 60
- Rain hitting a Metal Roof over open framing 61
When installed with solid sheathing, a metal roof on your home will actually silence noise from rain, hail and bad weather, many times much better than other roofing materials.