A question that comes up fairly frequently is whether or not metal roofs are noisy or not. Seems weird, right? Well, not necessarily. The short answer is ‘90% of the time, no they’re not’ but that’s not really the end of the answer, either. 

The perception about the idea of a ‘noisy roof’ comes from metal roofing on standing barns or s heds when it’s raining out. The truth is – that if the roof is installed correctly, then a metal roof should be no louder than a traditional asphalt shingle roof. 

That being said when it comes to secondary structures, these roofs aren’t always installed in the same way. Asphalt roofs usually have plywood, a sheathing layer, underlayment and then of course- the shingles; which are also accompanied with some sort of insulation. On secondary structures, that doesn’t always happen with metal roofs, thus the idea of the ‘noisy roof.’

So with that said, while the overwhelming majority of metal roofs aren’t noisy, a few are and if you’re one of the people in that boat, then you’ll probably want to alleviate that issue. Here are a few quick things that you can do to reduce the noise. 

Adding insulation

Insulation not only keeps heat in, but it can also serve as an acoustic barrier of sorts for your structure. So not only will you be able to reduce energy costs associated with your building, but you’ll also be able to isolate all the racket as well. 

Properly fastened panels

Proper installation is the key to reducing noise. Call a professional and have them come take a look at the roof. The first thing they’ll do is look at the metal roof clips and other fasteners, as that’s often where the issue lies. From there, they’ll be able to tighten them and make sure they’re not over or under-tightened. 

Roof replacement

While this is 100% not the answer you want to hear, it WILL help alleviate the noise. If your roof is excessively noisy – there may be a drastic installation flaw – which might mean it might not be fixable. Again – this is sort of the redline for these sorts of things, but if your roof was poorly installed, then the noise may end up being the least of your actual worries. 

Get an inspection

Above all else, call in a professional, who’ll be more than happy to help you. They’ll be able to identify your issues, if there are any and while it’s not always by the book, they might have some creative solutions in terms of alleviating noise that might not traditionally be brought up. However it goes, they’ll be able to put together a road map for getting your issue addressed. 

Hopefully, if you’re one of the few in the ‘noisy roof’ camp, this blog helped bring your problems into a clearer focus. If you need components for your next roofing job, give us a call today and we’ll be happy to provide you with a free consultation. Good luck!